HONOLULU (KHON2) — An academic researcher who was severely injured in a lab explosion at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa reached a $6.7 million settlement after an almost decade-long legal battle.
Dr. Thea Ekins-Coward lost a portion of her right arm when her experiment exploded back in March 2016.
Following the incident, the university denied liability, saying Ekins-Coward was an employee covered by limited workers’ compensation.
According to her legal team, the settlement provides financial security and has prompted a nationwide shift in lab safety practices.
Since the explosion, Ekins-Coward has moved back to her home in England and said she’s ready to move forward with her life.
KHON2 reached out to UH for comment, but no one was available.