A 53-year-old electrician was working on the renovation of a commercial building, installing conduit in the ceiling while standing on a scaffold. As the scaffold was being moved, a heavy plank came loose and fell 13 feet, striking him directly. The impact left him with a scrape to his head and three fractured toes. Further examination revealed a torn meniscus in his right knee and herniated discs in his neck, injuries that would require ongoing treatment and significantly affect his quality of life.
The defendants tried to downplay the severity of the accident. They argued that most of his injuries were pre-existing and had nothing to do with the falling plank. But as the case moved forward, the evidence made it clear that this argument didn’t hold up, and the defendants were eventually forced to re-evaluate their position. After further negotiation, they agreed to a settlement of $3.6 million, an acceptable outcome that reflected the true extent of what our client had suffered. This case is a strong example of how persistence and solid evidence can push back against attempts to minimize a worker’s injuries.