Caltrans recently agreed to a multi-million dollar settlement with a California man. The settlement was due to a horrific accident that the young man suffered nearly eight years ago. Construction workers’ accidents like his can drastically change an individual’s quality of life.
The man was part of a construction project that occurred alongside a California highway. He worked for a company hired by Caltrans to complete some wiring. At some point, a motorist left the roadway and drove into the construction zone. The worker was struck and seriously injured by the motorist.
As a result of the accident, the man is now a quadriplegic. Two years ago, a civil court jury awarded him $57 million, but Caltrans appealed. Caltrans recently decided to end its appeal and settled for $37.5 million. The man’s attorney states that the settlement will help provide special technology for the man to communicate through eye movements.
Construction workers’ accidents like the one this man suffered are often preventable. When evidence of negligence exists, victims may be able to secure financial compensation to cover financial losses such as medical and therapy expenses. As in the man’s case, compensation may help provide necessary and expensive assistance to help improve an individual’s quality of life following injuries. Workers may also be entitled to compensation through the workers’ compensation insurance program, though a successful civil lawsuit may result in recovery of damages that are not covered through workers’ comp. An experienced California attorney can advise injured workers and their families of their best options after examining the evidence and details of a case.