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Ex-DPL employee sues for injury from bee attack
A former employee of the Department of Public Lands has filed a lawsuit for the injuries he suffered when he allegedly accidentally hacked his arm with a machete during a bee attack on Rota. He alleges he was later advised there was no workers’ compensation coverage for DPL employees who are injured on the job.
Jerry R. Villagomez is suing the CNMI government and DPL for failure to provide workers’ compensation coverage and negligence.
Villagomez, through counsel Michael W. Dotts, is suing for unspecified damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees.
Saipan Tribune tried but failed to obtain comments from DPL on Thursday.
According to Dotts, Villagomez, who worked for DPL as a surveying trainee from Aug. 13, 2012, to April 29, 2013, was injured on March 4, 2013, when bees attacked him while he was clearing a jungle area on Rota for a survey.
Dotts said that DPL normally provides insect spray that surveyors use to kill or repel bees. However, DPL allegedly did not provide that insect spray to Villagomez.
While trying to swat the bees away, Villagomez allegedly hit his arm with a machete, causing serious injury. Since then, Villagomez has been experiencing numbness and severe pain on his arm and hand, Dotts said.
Villagomez filed a claim with the Workers Compensation Commission, but DPL allegedly advised him that it does not have workers’ compensation coverage available for DPL employees who are injured on the job.
As a result of the accident, Villagomez suffered pain and often had sleepless nights and days, Dotts said.
Villagomez claimed through the Office of the Attorney General for damages and as a result, he was provided with medical treatment, including surgery in Guam.
However, Dotts said, the process of going through the OAG, rather than through WCC, caused a delay in the treatment of his injury and increased his injury.
Dotts said the government and DPL are required by law to obtain workers’ compensation insurance for all its employees, including Villagomez, for work- related injuries.
Dotts said the government and DPL breached their duty to Villagomez by failing to provide insect spray to use in the event of a bee or a wasp attack.
