A 45-year-old nurse was taking her son for a haircut. After she parked her car, as she was walking through the nearby parking lot, she stepped into a depression in the pavement, breaking a bone in her foot. Since her husband was disabled, she was the sole wage earner in the family. She missed several weeks of work and lost the opportunity for a new job she was pursuing. She was eventually compensated for her lost wages and pain and suffering at a private settlement mediation held by the parties. … [Read more...]
Shopper injured when store employees drop a large mattress on her
September 2, 2016 by
A 24-year-old clerk was at a big-box store to pick up some merchandise for her employer. As she was walking through the store, a large mattress being moved by three store employees fell over on her, striking her on the head. The clerk injured her neck, back and hips and sought medical treatment with a chiropractor. The big-box store settled the claim after negotiations. … [Read more...]
Woman falls on landing at vacation cottage due to building code violations
September 2, 2016 by
A 55-year-old receptionist was vacationing with her family at the beach. As she was leaving their rented cottage the first morning there, she stepped onto the landing and fell violently forward. The landing and steps, which had just been built, had several building code violations. The landing was not level with the rooms interior. The landing was also not wide enough. As a result of the fall, the receptionist injured her ankle and the muscles and ligaments in her shoulder. The cottage's insurance company settled the case after extensive negotiations. … [Read more...]
Travel agent on cruise falls when dining chair collapses
September 2, 2016 by
A 55-year-old travel agent was on a cruise she had arranged for herself, family and friends. As she sat down at their assigned table in the dining room, the chair collapsed beneath her. She was thrown to the floor, injuring her neck, back and shoulder. After a claim was made, the case was settled for a payment of money and a voucher for another cruise. … [Read more...]
Church roof under construction not sufficiently braced, collapses on brick mason
September 2, 2016 by
A 47-year-old brick mason’s helper was working inside a church under construction. Several 60 foot wooden roof trusses collapsed and fell on him, fracturing two bones in his back. Investigation revealed that this was no act of God, however. The roof framing contractor, in a rush to complete the job, did not follow the manufacturer’s specifications in bracing the trusses. The job superintendent, instead of shutting the job down, took photographs to document the poor workmanship. The mason’s helper can no longer do heavy labor and has no skills or aptitude for other jobs. This case settled shortly before trial after a court-ordered mediation … [Read more...]
Delivery man injures his back when an unbraced wooden deck collapsed from the weight of a refrigerator
September 2, 2016 by
… A 44-year-old appliance delivery man injured his back when a wooden deck collapsed from the weight of a refrigerator. A contractor had attached the deck to the house with small metal screws rather than large lag bolts. A couple that had recently bought the house had ignored a warning about this dangerous condition in a home inspection report. The case settled after depositions were taken. … [Read more...]
Salesman checking into hotel, slips on ice on outside tile more suitable for indoor use
September 2, 2016 by
… A 50-year-old salesman slipped and fell on ice under the canopy outside the main entrance of a national hotel chain. After he fell, the motel put up caution tape because others had already fallen and the area was treacherous. The area under the canopy had recently been replaced with a ceramic-type tile, a material more suited for indoor than outdoor surfaces. After the motel was sued, the motel, in turn, sued the contractor that installed the tile. The salesman, who severely injured his neck, was never able to return to his sales position and had to take lower paying jobs. The case settled shortly before trial at a settlement … [Read more...]
Sectional ceiling collapses and fractures helper’s ankle when when store remodeling improperly scheduled
September 2, 2016 by
A 37-year-old bartender was helping his friend lay pipe for the renovation of a store in a strip mall. Because the work schedules were not properly coordinated, other workers were removing a plaster ceiling as the two men worked below. A large section of the ceiling collapsed, fracturing the man’s ankle. The general contractor claimed that the man was his friend’s “employee”. An employee cannot sue for injuries because of Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation laws. After extensive investigation and several depositions, the case settled. … [Read more...]
Backhoe bucket edges fall when band snaps, severely injuring truck drivers foot
September 2, 2016 by
… A 23-year-old tractor trailer driver delivered cutting edges for backhoe buckets. They weighed about 100 pounds each and there were 7 edges banded together. As an employee of another company was unloading the edges with a fork lift, the band snapped. The cutting edges fell on the driver’s foot, severely injuring his big toe. After a lawsuit was filed against the company that employed the fork lift operator, the case settled. Part of the settlement was used to repay the driver’s worker’s compensation insurer for his past benefits for this claim. … [Read more...]
Construction worker’s arm caught in cement mixer, employer had illegally cancelled his workers compensation insurance
September 2, 2016 by
…A 50-year old construction worker got his arm caught in a cement mixer while delivering cement for his employer. It crushed both bones in his forearm which were repaired with a plate and screws. A workers’ compensation award was entered for his medical bills and lost wages. However, the employer illegally failed to have workers’ compensation insurance. After several requests, the Department of Labor & Industry finally agreed to prosecute the uninsured employer. The criminal court ordered the owners of the company to make monthly restitution payments. … [Read more...]
