Sullivan Papain Attorney Eric Schwarz Secures $2.5 Million Settlement for Injured Boiler Mechanic
Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo P.C. is proud to announce a $2.5 million settlement secured by attorney Eric Schwarz on behalf of a 54-year-old boiler mechanic who suffered serious injuries in a workplace fall due to inadequate safety measures.
The client was performing work in the basement of a multi-story residential building, where his employer had been contracted to furnish and install a new boiler system. He and a co-worker were directed to cut and plug an old steam pipe return located at the top of a steel column approximately 20 to 25 feet above the floor. To reach the pipe, they used an extension ladder that was neither secured nor properly supported.
As the client ascended the ladder for the first time, it bent at the spreader and collapsed beneath him. He fell an estimated 18 to 20 feet to the concrete floor below.
The ladder’s failure, coupled with the lack of any alternate safety equipment, exposed the client to an elevation-related hazard that should have been mitigated by proper planning and adherence to safety regulations. Had the client been provided with an appropriate safety device—such as a scaffold or a secured, functioning ladder—the accident and resulting injuries could have been prevented.
The fall caused extensive and debilitating injuries. These included a severe right wrist fracture, a torn left rotator cuff, multiple ligament and tendon injuries to the left knee leading to post-traumatic osteoarthritis, head trauma with persistent headaches, and lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine injuries requiring multiple epidural injections.
The client underwent several surgical procedures, including a right shoulder operation and a total knee replacement on his left leg. As a result, he was unable to return to work in his trade.
Learn more about Firm Member Eric Schwarz
Eric K. Schwarz, has been with the Firm for his entire legal career over which he has distinguished himself by litigating medical malpractice and general negligence cases. To learn more about firm Member Eric Schwarz, click here.