Client, a young electrician

Client, a young electrician, fell ten feet from a ladder while working at a public school. He missed nearly ten months from work, but ultimately did not have surgery.

There were many difficulties particular to this case. First, because it occurred in a school, there was some question as to whether the Local Government Tort Immunities Act might shield the school district from responsibility. Second, there was a concurrent workers’ compensation claim against his employer, which Attorney Hoffman was ultimately able to settle. This case was complicated by the fact that the amount of the workers’ compensation lien had to be reduced since the employer has a right to be repaid all the monies they have paid out if the injured party recovers from a non-employer. In this case, the recovery against the school would have gone right back to the employer. In the end, a substantial sum of money was received from all parties responsible for the work site, including both the employer and the school, while reducing substantially the amount required to be repaid to the employer.