Coras Welding Shop, owner sued over partial amputation of man's finger

An independent contractor working for a Streator welding shop is suing over a work accident that left him with less than five fingers.

Luis Antonio Gonzales filed a lawsuit April 1 in the Cook County Circuit Court against Coras Welding Shop Inc. and Carlos Castaneda, citing negligence.

According to the suit, Gonzales was working as an independent contractor for the defendants on June 1, 2012. He claims Castaneda, the president and owner of Coras Welding Shop, instructed his employees to perform construction work on residential properties.

Gonzales, the suit states, was performing his duties when Castaneda caused an I-beam to fall on and crush Gonzales's right hand, requiring partial amputation of his ring finger. He claims the defendants were negligent in not providing a safe work environment and not training and supervising crew members.

Gonzales is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 and court costs. He is being represented in the case by attorneys at Mahoney Crowe and Goldrick P.C.

Cook County Circuit Court Case No. 2014L003653.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Cook County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.