A Bronx Supreme Court jury recently awarded a father of three $22 million from MTA, after he sustained a serious work injury that left him permanently disabled. The man was a former iron worker who fell 13 feet while working on the Henry Hudson Bridge, which resulted in a 10 year litigation battle with the MTA.

Claimant Luis C. had suffered serious back and neck injuries in June 2008, when he reportedly fell from a makeshift platform while he had been tightening bolts on the bridge. Due to these workplace injuries, Luis reportedly had to quit work as an iron worker and undergo serious medical treatments including injections and spinal fusion surgery.

Luis sued MTA in 2009, alleging the company failed to provide and maintain a safe work environment for their employees and did not provide proper safety protections. The lack of protective equipment allegedly contributed to the circumstances that caused his injuries, which left him permanently disabled.

Luis now works at Dominos, and still reportedly experiences pain on a daily basis, going to monthly pain management meetings. MTA reportedly argued that it had done their due diligence, and refused to compensate Luis for his work injuries.

According to court documents, Luis has been disabled and in pain for the last 10 and a half years. The $22 million jury award was reportedly based on the amount of money Luis would have made if he had been able to finish his career at 61 along with damages for medical expenses, as well as pain and suffering.

Overview of Personal Injury Law Provisions

Employees injured on the job
are unfortunately a fairly regular occurrence in the United States, making proper safety precautions and equipment vital in preventative measures.

Companies that fail to implement sufficient safety standards and equipment could face serious liability if their employees suffer injuries while working due to circumstances of unsafe work environments.

These circumstances would apply to personal injury law, in which a worker could sue their employer if they fail to compensate them in any way for their work injuries. Personal injury law generally encompasses circumstances in which one party was injured and suffered financial damages, which was allegedly due to the other party’s negligence.

Negligence is defined as the failure to act within a reasonable manner that would protect themselves and other people from harm. While there are a number of factors that can lead to work injuries, anything related to human error and negligence could make companies liable for damages.

Many personal injury lawsuits are generally settled through settlement negotiations, but there are cases that go to trial. Employees injured on the job could be able to file a personal injury lawsuit depending on the circumstances surrounding their accident, especially if it was directly related to the company failing to ensure it was safe work environment.

This could mean that the company failed to have the latest equipment, a building was not maintained properly, or protective gear not provided to employees.

Overall, employees injured on the job have different legal routes and should consider filing legal action if their employer refuses to compensate them for any medical expenses and other related damages.