Appeals Court Rules Indiana Steel Mill Not Responsible for Crash

The Indiana appeals court has ruled that U.S. Steel isn’t responsible for a crash involving an employee who apparently fell asleep while driving after an 11-hour overnight work shift.

The 3-0 appeals court ruling upheld a Lake County judge’s decision that the steel mill in Gary wasn’t liable for damages to a woman who was badly injured in a 2011 crash.

The Times of Munster reports the woman’s vehicle was hit head-on by a worker after he left the steel mill about 6 a.m.

The court’s ruling released Wednesday say working long hours don’t necessarily affect a person the same as alcohol. The court said it wasn’t clear how an employer could monitor worker fatigue or determine whether the fatigue was sufficient to stop an employee from leaving.