Journeyman Plumber Recovers For Injuries Sustained On Job Site ($1.25 Million)

After years of litigation, the lead trial team at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, secured a favorable settlement on behalf of an injured journeyman plumber. The Local 93 Union Plumber received a $1.25 million settlement after suffering a serious injury while working on a job-site under the general contractor, Sterling Renaissance.

The Case

The union plumber was putting in tub stringers – braces for tubs – during the construction of a new 52-unit building. Stacked alongside the wall were 20 sheets of drywall covering the view of a water pipe. The plumber needed to have the drywall moved in order to make sure that none of the screws from the tub stringers were impeding on the pipe. As the journeyman plumber went to begin moving the sheets of drywall, their weight shifted causing all 20 sheets to fall on top of him.

In-Depth Look

The general contractor, Sterling Renaissance, had subcontracted all the work to various other trades but kept complete control over the job-site. They were present every day directing the workflow and various sub-contractors.

Phoenix, a large non-union company, was subcontracted to install the drywall and studs in question.

Lead trial attorney, Clifford Horwitz, commented, “Drywall on a job site should not be stacked in a hallway on its side where tradesmen are walking and working. It is usually placed flat in a larger room designated for temporary storage.”

The union plumber suffered a fracture of the left femoral head, rotation inward of the left femur, left hip injuries, and ultimately an abnormal gait – all of which necessitated corrective surgeries but could not correct a 1 ½ inch difference in leg length between the right and left leg that resulted from the accident.