$2,750,000 Settlement
Date of Settlement: April 1, 2013
Court: Supreme Court, Ulster County
Case Facts: A 60 year old union pipe fitter who had been working in that field for over 30 years, received a settlement of $2,750,000.00. The injured worker fell approximately 12 feet to the ground below. Our firm brought suit alleging that the defendant failed to provide proper safety devices, such as a scaffolds, ladders, and/or a mechanical man lift that would of protected the plaintiff from a fall. In addition the plaintiff alleged that the defendant didn’t provide proper safety harnesses to prevent falls. Specifically, the plaintiff alleged that the general contractor and the owner of the property violated New York State Labor Law Section 240 and 241 (subsection 6). In that they failed to provide property safety devices for persons working at an elevated height.
The plaintiff suffered a traumatic brain injury in the resulting fall. The plaintiff’s injuries included multiple hemorrhagic contusions in the right frontal, right temporal, and left frontal lobes of his brain, multiple fractures to his thoracic vertebrae. His injuries required a craniotomy and tracheotomy. Additional injuries suffered by the plaintiff were occipital skull fractures which extended into his brain. The matter was handled in-part by Joseph O’Connor.