Workplace Injuries Attorney in Los Angeles, California
$2.5 Million Recovery for Injured Worker: The case of the faulty hatch
$2.5 Million Recovery for Injured Worker: The case of the faulty hatch
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The Charles Donahue case we were able to settle for $2.5 million. And that was a really interesting case because it involved a roof hatch that came down on top of an air conditioner worker who was climbing up onto a roof to service an air conditioner. Now most of the time work related accidents are workers comp cases and lawsuits aren’t brought. But sometimes they can be brought and his case is a good example of it. We were able to show that the property owner that owned this bank building should have known that that hatch was a problem. And as a matter of fact, probably did know. And they hired a property management company to handle the maintenance of that building. So we were able to successfully sue the property owner and the maintenance company for their failure to keep that place safe. So for a worker who’s coming onto the property he or she has the right to assume that property’s safe for him to do what he’s been called to do. And if it’s not, and a worker’s hurt on the job they might have rights just like Mr. Donahue did so they should explore those too.
Los Angeles, CA personal injury attorney Thomas Johnston talks about a case he worked on involving a man servicing an air conditioning unit who was injured by a roof hatch. He recalls the Charles Donahue case, which they were able to settle for $2.5 million. The case involved a roof hatch that fell on an air conditioning worker who was climbing onto a roof to service an AC unit. While most work-related accidents are handled through workers’ compensation and don’t result in lawsuits, this case was an exception.
They were able to demonstrate that the property owner of the bank building should have been aware that the hatch was unsafe—and, in fact, likely knew about the hazard. The building’s maintenance had been delegated to a property management company, which also bore responsibility. The firm successfully sued both the property owner and the management company for failing to maintain a safe environment. He emphasizes that workers coming onto a property have the right to assume it is safe for them to perform their duties, and if it is not, they may have legal recourse—just as Mr. Donahue did.
