A man that sustained serious life-altering injuries in a workplace accident was awarded $15.2 million by a jury in Cook County, Illinois on Thursday. Thomas Neuhengen, a 33-year-old Army veteran, suffered injuries to his left foot when it was crushed by a forklift in 2012. Neuhengen was employed by Hemle Machine Co. as a spare parts manage when the accident occurred at the International Manufacturing Technology Show. A forklift operator, employed with Global Experience Specialists, struck Neuhergen with a 58,000-pound forklift that resulted in the removal of the heal of his foot and seven surgeries. An investigation conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined GES was responsible for the accident and cited the company for being in violation of having uncertified forklift operators. OSHA issued GES with a fine of $91,000 for the accident. The lawsuit filed on Neuhengen’s behalf stated he was seeking $50 million for the accident. After deliberating for two days, the jury awarded Neuhergen with $12.2 million in compensatory damages and an additional $3 million for punitive damages, and his attorneys stated he was satisfied with the verdict.
Thousands of workplace accidents happen every year and can result in serious injuries and death. In fact, 4,585 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2013 averaging out to be 12 fatalities every day, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Worker’s compensation insurance provides injured workers with coverage for medical treatment and wage replacement. Unfortunately, workers are often left struggling financially due to the deficit in wage replacement because the wages are replaced at a rate of 66.6% of the workers average rate. Contacting a skilled St. Louis worker’s compensation lawyer can help you recover the maximum amount of financial compensation for your accident.
The worker’s compensation attorneys at Meyerkord & Kurth will work diligently to recover the maximum amount of compensation for your medical bills, emotional damage, and lost wages. Our attorneys will provide you with a full investigation into the accident and will aggressively fight to recover what you deserve. Contact our attorneys today for a free consultation.