Carpenter Loses Career After Superintendent Drills Through Hand ($5.745 Million)
Markovich v. ISEC, Inc., et al. – A local 10 journeyman carpenter was awarded $5,745,600.00 after five years of litigation and a week-long jury trial. The defendant, ISEC, Inc. offered nothing through their insurance carrier, Liberty Mutual Group.
The Case
While installing the doors, the superintendent that ISEC, Inc. employed to maintain safety on the construction site told the carpenter that he was going to help install a door to the petition. Within two minutes, the superintendent managed to drill through the carpenter’s hand, wrapping the carpenter’s ulnar nerve around the drill bit.
In-Depth Look
The seasoned journeyman carpenter with 34 years of experience in the trade was working for Ventura Enterprises Inc., who was in turn hired by the prime contractor, ISEC, Inc., to install partitions and changing room doors in the basement of the Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital here in Chicago over 7 years ago.
While installing the doors, the superintendent that ISEC, Inc. employed to maintain safety on the construction site told the carpenter that he was going to help install a door to the petition. Within two minutes, the superintendent managed to drill through the carpenter’s hand, wrapping the carpenter’s ulnar nerve around the drill bit.
The nerve injury manifested into complex regional pain syndrome, also known as CRPS or RSD. Treating doctors said that the carpenter had stage III CRPS-II. CRPS-II is commonly referred to as causalgia, meaning that the patient has confirmed nerve injuries.
The case was previously handled by the largest personal injury firm in Illinois, who told the carpenter that there was no third party case. The carpenter contacted Cliff Horwitz, a Chicago personal injury lawyer and partner at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, and the lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter confirmed that the verdict was the largest verdict in Illinois for a non-amputation hand injury. The previous record verdict was $4.2 million.
