$6M Recovery for Construction Worker

Attorneys John M. Dodig and Jason A Daria secured a $6 million settlement in a case involving product liability claims on behalf of a construction worker who was injured by construction equipment that he was operating.

The 40-year-old worker suffered catastrophic injuries, including an amputation below his left knee, paraplegia, and multiple cervical, thoracic and lumbar fractures. As a result of his injuries, he is wheelchair dependent for mobility.

The case presented significant factual and legal challenges in that one of the defenses the defendants vigorously maintained was that the accident was caused by the worker’s own human error in operating the equipment. Working with a team of mechanical engineers, human factors and product design experts, Dodig and Daria were prepared to argue at trial that the equipment was defectively designed and unreasonably dangerous and that the catastrophic results could have been avoided if it had been designed to account for the possibility that people — including extremely well-trained people — can make mistakes.

The case settled on the eve of jury selection. The $6 million settlement will ensure that all of the client’s future medical and related needs are taken care of.