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 conference.
