A construction worker injury claim has been resolved during a hearing at Cook County Circuit Court for $13 million after the two sides reached a negotiated settlement
The construction worker injury claim had been made by Chicago resident Adan Carriedo; who worked as a laborer for Concrete Structures of the Midwest in October 2006, who in turn had been sub-contracted by Leopardo Companies Inc. to work the construction of a residential building on State Street, Chicago -Vision On State Condominiums.
On October 20, thirty-nine year old Adan had been loading concrete forms onto a crane – one on top of the other – which were then raised 25 feet into the air. On this particular occasion, some of the load fell from the crane – hitting Adan and causing him to suffer devastating head and stomach injuries, as well as severing a finger on his left hand, fracturing his wrist and breaking his pelvis.
Adan was admitted to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where he stayed in intensive care until January 2007 when he was transferred to the RML Speciality Hospital to start his rehabilitation. Adan has been unable to work as a laborer since his accident and, because of his poor level of education has been unable to obtain work in any other capacity.
Adan made a construction worker injury claim against his employers – Concrete Structures – and the site contractors – Leopardo Companies Inc – claiming that the State Street construction site was dangerous, that the concrete forms should not have been loaded one on top of the other but side-by-side, and that Leopardo Companies Inc. did not adequately supervise the construction work carried out on the site.
Both the defendants contested Adan´s construction worker injury claim for compensation – Leopardo Companies Inc arguing that the concrete forms fell from the crane because they were not loaded properly and it was his employer´s responsibility to supervise Adan´s work; but Concrete Structures denied liability and a court date was set for the construction worker injury claim to be heard at the Cook County Circuit Court.
Four days into the hearing, Judge Elizabeth M. Budzinski was advised that an agreement of Adan´s claim had been negotiated and it was to be settled for $13 million – the limit of the combined defendant´s insurance policies. The judge was told that the settlement was sufficient to cover Adan´s ongoing medical expenses and provide an income for Adan´s family while he was unable to work.