Our Results

130+ Years of Combined Experience

The attorneys at The Platta Law Firm have managed to recover $150 Million+ in compensation for our clients who have suffered accidents at work or of any kind. Some of the success stories are:

$48,000,000

Fall From Height

- Labor Law

Our client was a construction worker renovating a home. He fell on temporary wooden stairs that had not been properly placed and installed. The structure was swiftly moved prior to the accident. He was walking down the stairs to get to the restrooms – he only took one step onto before they shifted and fell straight down. It took the jury about an hour to determine the verdict, which was unanimous on all categories of damages. It was the highest construction accident verdict in the State of New York this year.

$5,500,000

Fall From Ladder

- Labor Law

A 58-year-old, Local 78 worker, was caused to fall from the fourth rung of an A-frame ladder while performing asbestos abatement work. He sustained injuries to his head, neck, back and right side of his body and had to undergo surgeries. We won summary judgment holding the owner and general contractor of the construction site responsible for the accident resulting in the case settling well before trial. We also obtained additional money for the worker as a settlement for his workers’ compensation claim.

$4,495,000

Warehouse Work Related Accident

- Labor Law

This case involved a work-related accident on Long Island at a warehouse. The plaintiff worker was 34-years old when the accident occurred. The owner of the building hired the plaintiff’s company to perform demolition work at the subject premises. This work involved demolishing the entire structure except for the four walls. Following the demolition work, a new roof was to be put on the structure and other construction work was to be performed so the structure could be used as a warehouse.

$4,220,000

Fall from
A Scaffold

- Labor Law

A 62-year-old man was injured while performing renovation work at a commercial property. He was working atop a scaffold when the scaffold shifted causing him to fall approximately six feet onto the floor. The scaffold did not have guardrails around or above the platform. In addition, the scaffold was missing one of the brakes used for locking each of the wheels into place. As a result of his accident he sustained serious injuries to his head, wrist, shoulder, hip, neck, and back. He required fusion surgery to repair the damage in his neck, and a separate fusion surgery to repair the damage in his lower back.

$4,000,000

Fall from
A Scaffold

- Labor Law

A 55 year old roofer was injured after he fell off a ladder working on a school renovation project. He sustained injuries to his neck, back, and right foot. The defendants tried to argue that the worker jumped off the ladder, that his injuries were pre-existing, and that a prior back injury was identical to the one he sustained. All of these arguments were unsuccessful. Our legal team also guaranteed our client a full waiver of his Workers Compensation lien that adds up to almost half a million dollars.

$3,600,000

Construction Accident

- Labor Law

A 53-year-old electrician was working at the renovation of a commercial building. He was installing conduit in the ceiling on a scaffold. When moving the scaffold, a heavy plank fell 13 feet from the scaffold and hit him. After the accident, plaintiff received a scrape to his head and sustained three fractured toes. He was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his right knee and herniated discs in his neck. The defendants argued that most of his injuries were pre-existing but eventually had to re-evaluate their case. After further negotiation, they came up to the acceptable settlement sum of 3.6 million dollars.

$3,500,000

Construction Accident

- Labor Law

A carpenter was working on a construction project, when he was struck by a massive 30-pound metal clamp to the head. He was provided with no safety devices, not even a hard hat. His job was to help with the construction and mounting of a new staircase in a residential building. Our client’s injuries and the circumstances of the case left very little doubt for the type of reward that he recovered and ultimately deserved.

$3,250,000

Slip and Fall Accident

- Labor Law

A 44 year old plumber, was injured while renovating a mixed use building on Central Park South in Manhattan. As he was attempting to repair a leaking pipe, he slipped on plastic sheeting that was being used to temporarily protect a staircase leading to the subway station below the building. He suffered injuries requiring surgery to his lumbar spine, and his right shoulder and ankle as well as injuries to his neck, head and both wrists. The defendant building owner and general contractor tried to argue the accident was the Plaintiff’s fault and that his injuries preexisted his accident. Their arguments were unsuccessful.

$3,100,000

Fall From
A Ladder

- Labor Law

This case involved a fall from a ladder on a worksite. In 2016 the plaintiff worked as a painter. He was doing some finishing work on a multi-level floor. As he was climbing down an affixed ladder to the lower level, he slipped and fell to the ground. We were able to show that this ladder, which was the only ladder available, was not safe. The defendant claimed that the ladder was safe and, if it wasn’t, there were multiple other ladders to use. As a result of the accident the plaintiff fractured his knee and underwent neck surgery for his herniated discs.

$3,000,000

Worker Hit By Electrical Box

- Labor Law

A 64 year old construction worker was injured when a 300 pound electrical box fell on him. We established that the box had been inadequately secured, and the worker had not been provided with proper safety equipment. He sustained serious injuries all over his body, and had to have five surgical procedures. After years of effort on our part, including a mediation, we negotiated a favorable settlement.

$3,000,000

Fall from
a Ladder

- Labor Law

The plaintiff was working for a construction company performing renovation work at a public housing complex when he was caused to fall off an unsecured extension ladder. The surface upon which the ladder was resting was unstable, and the worker tasked with holding the ladder was unable to keep it upright. The construction field supervisor conceded during his deposition that the ladder should have been attached securely to the building with a safety line. As a result of the accident, the plaintiff suffered serious injuries to his head, shoulder, lower back, and neck, which required two separate fusion surgeries to repair.

$2,920,000

Mis-leveling Elevator

- Premises

A woman was injured when she tripped over a mis-leveling elevator in a luxury apartment building in which she worked as a caretaker for a special needs child. As she was walking into the elevator the floor of the elevator suddenly jumped up several inches. Plaintiff’s foot got caught on the raised portion of the elevator floor causing her to trip and fall violently into the elevator. She sustained serious injuries, including fractures to her arm, and head, knee, neck, and back injuries. She had surgeries to her wrist, knee, and neck as a result of this accident.

$2,500,000

Slip and Fall Accident

- Premises

A tenant slipped and fell on ice in front of his apartment building. He badly injured his arms, wrists, and spine, requiring multiple medical operations. Without a police report and lack of immediate medical help, the defendants tried to claim his surgeries were unrelated to the accident. We were able to make a case that the dangerous condition was caused by the landlord’s improper method of clearing ice and snow. For the circumstances of the case, we won a considerably high reward for our client.

$2,500,000

Falling Window
Sill

- Labor Law

A mason was injured while moving a large window sill (weighing 450-500 lbs) down a flight of stairs by hand with a co-worker. The workers had to move this sill by hand as the forklift operator had been laid off and there was no other licensed forklift operator on site. As they were moving the sill, plaintiff’s co-worker lost his grip and the sill fell towards the plaintiff striking him on his left foot and knocking him onto the concrete. Plaintiff suffered fractures in his left foot/ankle which required two surgeries and injuries to his neck and back, which required fusion surgery to his neck.

$2,500,000

Bus Rear ended
car

- MVA

A woman was driving on her way to work when she was sharply rear-ended by a private bus. The bus driver did not brake on time, which caused the woman to injure her arm, neck, and back. She was taken to the hospital and was informed that she needed extensive back surgery. After various low-ball settlement offers from the insurance company, our attorneys did not let up until the case was settled very well in the millions.

$2,350,000

FALL FROM
A PLATFORM

- LABOR LAW

Plaintiff’s employer was hired to perform demolition and restoration of brick fascia walls, waterproofing and other façade replacements at a high rise residential building. To perform this work, he had to access a hanging scaffold from a sidewalk bridge. As he attempted to lower himself to the sidewalk bridge, he tripped on trash/debris that was on the standing scaffold and fell approximately four feet onto the sidewalk shed/platform, landing on his knees and then falling forward. As a result of this accident, the plaintiff sustained herniations to his neck that required injections and a fusion surgery, lower back herniations and fracture which required surgery, and injuries to his knees which required two surgeries.

$2,250,000

FALLING
OBJECT

- LABOR LAW

This case involved a commercial plumber performing renovation work at a residential building. The entire plumbing system was being demolished and replaced. While removing a pipe from the ceiling with two co-workers, the pipe fell and swung towards plaintiff. It struck plaintiff in his hand, wrist, and arm, before striking the ladder plaintiff was standing on, and knocking plaintiff into the wall. As a result of this accident, plaintiff sustained serious injuries, including, but not limited to injuries to his left arm requiring surgery, injuries to his cervical spine requiring fusion surgery, and injuries to his left wrist, lumbar spine, left leg, left shoulder, and thoracic spine.

$2,200,000

FALL FROM
SCAFFOLD

- LABOR LAW

This case arose from a work-site accident that occurred when plaintiff was performing asbestos abatement as part of a larger demolition / renovation project. Plaintiff was on top of a scaffold demolishing and removing ducts when a portion of the duct fell to the scaffold (that had no guardrails), which caused plaintiff to fall off the scaffold. As a result of his accident, plaintiff sustained a traumatic brain injury, cervical herniations requiring a series of epidural steroid injections and a discectomy with fusion, lumbar herniations and bulges requiring a series of epidural steroid injections, a torn ACL on his left knee that required arthroscopic surgery.

$2,200,000

TRIP OVER Construction DEBRIS

- Labor Law

This case arose from a work-site accident that occurred when plaintiff was performing asbestos abatement as part of a larger demolition/renovation project. Plaintiff was on top of a scaffold demolishing and removing ducts when a portion of the duct fell to the scaffold (that had no guardrails), which caused plaintiff to fall off the scaffold. As a result of his accident, plaintiff sustained a traumatic brain injury, cervical herniations requiring a series of epidural steroid injections and a discectomy with fusion, lumbar herniations and bulges requiring a series of epidural steroid injections, a torn ACL on his left knee that required arthroscopic surgery.

$2,200,000

SLIP AND FALL
ON ICE

- LABOR LAW

This case involved a 50-year-old roofer was injured at a roofing project at a New York City university library. While walking over to a material hoist, plaintiff was caused to slip and fall on ice that accumulated on the surface of the roof. At the time of the accident, the surface of the roof was uneven and contained depressions that allowed for pooling of water. The meteorological data confirmed precipitation in the days before the accident and temperatures below freezing in the hours before the accident. As a result of the accident the plaintiff sustained serious injuries including lower back herniations and tears of the meniscus in his knee which required arthroscopic surgery to repair. He also sustained shoulder tears which required surgery to repair.

$2,100,000

FALLING
LADDER

- Labor Law

This case involved a worker injured during a demolition project. While cutting the pipe which supported the air conditioning unit, an explosion occurred forcing the fire back at plaintiff, which caused the unsecured ladder to tip and fall. Plaintiff fell with the ladder. As a result of the accident, plaintiff sustained injuries to his neck and lower back requiring surgeries to both, left shoulder requiring surgery, left wrist requiring surgery and first and second degree burns on his face and neck.

$2,000,000

FALL FROM
A SCAFFOLD

- Labor Law

This case involved a fall from a scaffold on a worksite. In 201a the plaintiff was doing pointing work on a building in New York, New York. As he was working, a plank on the scaffold broke, causing the plaintiff to fall through it eight feet to the ground. We were able to take advantage of the labor law in New York and get summary judgment granted for the plaintiff. As a result of the fall, the plaintiff underwent arthroscopic surgeries to his left knee, right elbow and right shoulder.

$2,000,000

FALL FROM
A ROOF

- Labor Law

This case involved a fall from a rooftop on a worksite. In 2017 the plaintiff was helping to redo a roof on a school. As a part of this job, he had to remove material from the roof by throwing it to the dumpster below. Unfortunately, on one such trip, the barrier was not properly placed, and it caused the plaintiff to fall from the roof. As a result of the accident the plaintiff underwent surgery to his left shoulder, and both ankles. The defendant contended that the plaintiff did not use an area of the roof which was secured by barriers. Despite these claims, the plaintiff was able to settle this case for $2,000,000 at mediation prior to trial.

$2,000,000

FALL FROM
A LADDER

- Labor Law

This case involved a fall from a ladder on a worksite. In 2014 the plaintiff was a plumber working on the construction of a new apartment building. At the time of the accident, he was on a ladder installing pipes for the bathroom. As he was installing the pipes, the ladder shifted, causing him to fall. As a result of the accident he fell five to six feet to the ground. As a result of the fall he suffered a fractured ankle and ligament sprains to his knees. He also was required to undergo a revision surgery to his back.

$1,900,000

FALLING
OBJECT

- Labor Law

A construction worker was struck in the head by two falling pipes. As a result of this accident, our client sustained injuries to his neck which required surgical intervention. The defendants appealed the Court’s decision that they were liable for our client’s accident. This appeal made it all the way up to the Court of Appeals of the State of New York. Our firm prevailed when the appeal was before New York’s highest court. In doing so, we secured a substantial award for our client, but also improved the law for construction accidents involving falling objects in the State of New York.

$1,850,000

FALL FROM
A LADDER

- Labor Law

This case involved a construction worker who was injured when the unsecured ladder upon which he was working slid out from under him, causing him to fall down with the ladder. Plaintiff was granted summary judgment on the issue of liability. Plaintiff suffered open fractures of his left tibia and fibula, the bones protruding through his skin, and dislocation of his left shoulder. Plaintiff required three surgeries to his left leg as well as surgeries to both shoulders. As a result, he had instability in his leg and later fell and sustained intracranial trauma which led to his death.

$1,600,000

FALLING
RADIATOR

- Labor Law

This case involved a worker and his partner who were removing a large cast iron radiator (1.5 meters by 2.5 meters). Behind the radiator was a large metal plate which was obscured by the radiator. As plaintiff and his partner began to slightly budge the radiator, the metal plate hit the radiator and caused the radiator to fall and strike plaintiff and knock him to the ground. As a result of his accident, plaintiff sustained injuries in both knees which required surgeries, as well as fractures in the right foot that required surgical repair. He also sustained herniations in his lower back which will require a fusion surgery in the future.

$1,600,000

trench wall collapsed

- Labor Law

A 50 year old construction worker was injured in a trench performing shoring work. A part of the trench wall collapsed causing dirt and concrete debris to fall on him. He sustained injuries to his neck, back, both knees, left ankle and left shoulder. Defendants argued that they were not liable and that the causation of his injuries was questionable based on how the accident occurred. These arguments were unsuccessful.

$1,500,000

FALLING TAR
BUCKET

- Labor Law

This case involved a worker who was struck by a tar bucket which fell from a hoist’s container while being hoisted down by his coworkers from the roof of the five/six-story school building. There was no planking in the hoistway to protect against falling objects, no tag lines to control swaying of the hoist’s container while in motion. As a result of this accident, plaintiff sustained serious injuries, including a bimalleolar fracture and transverse fracture of the medial malleolus of the left ankle which required open reduction internal fixation surgery to repair. He also suffered herniations of the lower back which required fusion surgery to repair.

$1,500,000

FALL FROM
A LADDER

- Labor Law

This case involved a fall from a ladder at the jobsite. In 2010 the plaintiff was working on a renovation project at a public library. He was working on an A-frame ladder when the ladder shifted, causing him to fall. The plaintiff claimed that the ladder was not properly secured, as required by the law. The Court agreed and granted summary judgment for the plaintiff. As a result of the fall, the plaintiff required surgery to his lumbar and cervical spine.

$1,100,000

PEDESTRIAN KNOCKDOWN

- MVA

A 49-year-old woman was struck by a turning minivan while she was crossing the street in a marked cross-walk with a walk signal. The minivan struck the plaintiff in her back and side causing her to strike the hood of the minivan before landing on the street. As a result of this accident, she suffered neck and back injuries. She treated with acupuncture and epidural steroid injections before ultimately needing fusion surgery to her neck. Plaintiff received summary judgment on the issue of liability.

$1,000,000

MULTI-VEHICLE ACCIDENT

- MVA

This case involved a multi-vehicle accident that occurred when a truck lost two of its rear wheels. The wheels bounced towards plaintiff’s vehicle. When he slowed to avoid collision with the wheels, he was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer. As a result of the accident plaintiff sustained severe and permanent injuries, including disc protrusions in the neck that required a fusion surgery and tears in the shoulder that required arthroscopic surgery. The case proceeded to trial.

$1,000,000

FALL THROUGH SKYLIGHT

- Labor Law

This case involved a 21-year-old painter who was injured when working at an upstate power utility facility. As he was maneuvering on the roof while performing this work, he stepped on a skylight and fell through to the ground below. Plaintiff sustained several fractures in his right wrist which required two surgical interventions. In addition, plaintiff sustained severe trauma to his head and face, as well as a herniation a herniation in his neck and bulges in his lower back.

$890,837

PEDESTRIAN KNOCKDOWN

- MVA

This case involved a woman who was involved in a pedestrian knockdown accident when she was struck while crossing the street by a turning bread truck. As a result of this accident, plaintiff sustained a tibial plateau fracture and torn meniscus which required surgical repair. Plaintiff also sustained bulges in her lower back which required a laminectomy surgery. Plaintiff received summary judgment against the defendants on the issue of liability and on the issue of serious injury. The case proceeded to trial on the issue of damages only. The jury awarded plaintiff $780,000 in total damages. Defendants were hesitant to pay the jury award and threatened appeal. When defendants did not timely pay, plaintiff entered judgment. The entered judgment and awarded the plaintiff interest from the date she received summary judgment.

$850,000

INTERSECTION ACCIDENT

- MVA

This case involved a motor vehicle accident where both sides claimed they had the green light. Plaintiff was on a scooter and drove through an intersection. The defendant turned left in front of the plaintiff. Plaintiff suffered a fracture to his collar bone and an injury to his shoulder which required arthroscopic surgery. The defendant refused to settle initially.

$845,000

UNSAFE HAND
SAW

- Labor Law

This case involved a worker injured while performing renovation work of a country club. He was cutting shingles for baseboard installation with a handsaw, when the hand saw kicked back and struck his left hand. The rotating saw blade got entangled in his glove cutting into his hand. In an effort to save his hand, he reflexively stood up while trying to pull the saw out of the glove and stepped back on the rocks scattered on top of the slippery tarp, causing him to trip, slip and fall back. As a result of this accident, plaintiff sustained herniations in his lower back and tears in the shoulder which required surgical repair. He also sustained several lacerations on his left hand and an index finger contracture and tenolysis which required surgical repair.

$800,000

SLIP AND FALL
ON ICE

- Premises

This case involved a slip and fall outside of a store in Brooklyn, New York. On the date of the accident, the plaintiff was walking with her son. As she was walking in front of the defendants store she slipped and fell on ice. We were able to show that the ice had been there for a significant amount of time. In addition, we showed that the defendant did not properly maintain the area, which allowed the ice to become covered in snow. Plaintiff suffered a fracture to her ankle requiring both hardware and subsequent removal of that hardware. The defendant refused to settle initially.

$800,000

FALLING
PIPE

- Labor Law

This case involved a worker injured when a portion of pipe he was cutting with a Sawzall broke and struck the ladder he was standing upon, causing the ladder to tip over and for him to fall with the ladder to the ground. Plaintiff was granted summary judgment against the defendants on the issue of liability. The case proceeded to trial on the issue of damages only. As a result of the accident the plaintiff sustained tears in his left shoulder that required arthroscopic surgery to repair. He also sustained tears in his knee that required surgery to repair. Plaintiff made a good recovery from his injuries.

Keep in mind that past results do not guarantee a similar result in the future, but if you hire The Platta Law Firm, you will receive the utmost care, dedication, and all the necessary resources to ensure the best result allowed by law.