For those people who are victims of a construction accident, the road to recovery can be a long one. It can take years for a victim to be completely healed and even longer for the court case to be resolved.
Recently, a Chicago victim of a construction accident recovered a settlement against the construction contractor and sub-contractor. The accident occurred in March of 2005. The victim was struck on the head when lumber fell from a forklift on to the victim’s head. The accident resulted in serious brain injuries to the contractor. The victim and the defendants settled the lawsuit for $5.1 million.
The settlement and the lawsuit took some time, due to the sophisticated nature of the medical testimony and research. This case hinged on the research that is being conducted by the NFL. Doctors for the NFL are investigating the possibility that a person who suffers one traumatic brain injury can suffer long-term injury and illness, with the victim’s symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s. This research is cutting edge in the field and has yielded results that will be helpful when dealing with serious injury cases.
For victims of construction accidents, medical research and medical testimony can be key. The victim must be able to prove that they have sustained medical injures. They must prove that they sustained serious injuries. They must prove that the injuries they sustained were a result of an accident that occurred at work. The victim must often further prove that the injuries keep them from working in the future.
Their treating doctor often gives testimony about the victim’s injuries to the court. The doctor and other specialists will be able to address the victim’s current injury and their future loss. The case outside Chicago, and the research conducted by the NFL will have a large impact on injury cases involving head injuries.
A victim of a construction may suffer serious injuries and future injuries. An experienced lawyer can advise the victim about their options and possible medical testimony.
Source: Daily Herald, “DuPage brain-injury lawsuit settled for $5.1 million,” Josh Stokinger, Nov. 9, 2012
