$560,000 Settlement for Premises Liability

The firm secured a settlement on behalf of his client, a 24-year-old man born in Guatemala who had a limited education and who was a laborer working in an elevator shaft when the planks he was standing on gave way. Defendant argued that there was a special employee defense, that he was negligent for standing on the planks and that he was not supposed to be working in the area. When the planks gave way, the young man fell 20 feet and broke his back, requiring surgery. He has returned to work, but is limited to performing light to medium duties. There was no wage loss claim.