Adam Sandler’s Movie Company Sued After Worker Loses Fingers While Building Set

Perhaps not everybody is excited about the prospect of more movies being made in Boston—especially carpenter Richard Houpert.

On Tuesday, Houpert filed a complaint in Boston’s U.S. District Court suing the tool company Black and Decker, Sony and Columbia Pictures, and their affiliate Happy Madison Inc., for damages he allegedly sustained while working on a movie set in 2011. Happy Madison is Sandler’s movie production company.

According to court documents, Houpert was using a saw to work on parts of a set for the Adam Sandler film “That’s My Boy,” which co-starred former Saturday Night Live comedian Andy Samberg, when his hand was “drawn into the saw” because of what he claims was a faulty product. Houpert had to have multiple fingers amputated because of the accident, and also suffered from fractures to his hand.

His injury was sustained while the movie was being filmed on East Street on May 25, 2011, under the supervision of Sony, Happy Madison, and Columbia Pictures.

Houpert alleges that Happy Madison “failed to provide reliable, safe equipment” or “a safe working environment “ while carpenters were on scene constructing the set. He is seeking interest on the cost of medical expenses, as well as attorney’s fees, according to the court complaint.

Houpert is also going after Black and Decker, which he claims “failed [to incorporate] available safety devices in the design” when it sliced his right hand during use, adding that is was “faulty” and “dangerous.” He alleges that certain safety measures could have prevented the injuries he sustained during the job. Houpert, a union worker, said in the court complaint that the accident lead to a loss of income.

Below is the full complaint filed in U.S. District Court:

Houpert Complaint by BostonMagazine