Jury Awards Cannabis Consultant $3M in Damages Related to Accident at St. Louis Facility  

A St. Louis, Missouri jury last week awarded a cannabis consultant $3 million in damages stemming from a 2022 accident at a cannabis laboratory that ended his career in the industry, the Missouri Independent reports. Mark Avent was helping build out the Blue Arrow Missouri LLC in St. Louis when a lab technician accidentally mishandled a commercial vacuum used to clean equipment. The vacuum blew fine cannabis particles into the air, and Avent suffered a severe asthma attack that led to a heart attack.     

Following a four-day trial, the jury unanimously found that Blue Arrow was at fault for 85% of Avent’s injuries, while Avent was 15% at fault, and awarded $2.5 million in damages to Avent and $500,000 to his wife, Lisa, for distress. Avent had sought $5 million in damages.  

A separate lawsuit will determine which of Blue Arrow’s insurance companies will cover the award, but John Wilbers, founder and chairman of Blue Arrow – and a personal injury attorney himself – told the Independent that “If somebody’s injured, we’re going to help them.” 

Avent said that on top of the medical bills, which included ambulance service and a stent in his heart, he has lost at least $130,000 a year because he can no longer work in the industry.  

Blue Arrow’s attorneys did not indicate whether they plan to appeal the verdict.