Over one hundred Connecticut personal injury attorneys have referred clients to Leighton, Katz & Drapeau for representation.
Auto mechanic with fifteen years of neck pain and depression - $500,000 settlement
Our client, a mechanic, had sustained an injury to his neck while working on an automobile fifteen years before coming to us. He was diagnosed with a cervical disc herniation. Over the course of the next few years, he underwent three spinal surgeries (including one to correct a previous incorrectly done procedure) and rigorous physical and occupational therapy. Unfortunately, his condition continued to worsen and as a result of not being able to work, along with debilitating chronic pain, he developed severe depression. In fact, he was never able to return to work. Throughout this entire period, our client was receiving weekly workers' compensation benefits and received medical care. But after fifteen years, he had had enough of the workers' compensation system and wanted to settle his case. That’s why he came to us. We negotiated a settlement of over half a million dollars in new money.
Highway rear-end accident with shoulder injury – 63 year old male - $325,000.00 settlement
Our client was hit from behind at high speed while on an out-of-state highway, forcing his car off the roadway. Our client suffered a torn rotator cuff of his right shoulder but also had a history of right shoulder pain just prior to the car accident.
On the job car accident with neck injury and repetitive trauma claim - over $1 million settlement
Frank, a roofer for nearly 40 years was injured on the job in a car accident. He suffered an injury to his neck, ultimately requiring fusion surgery. From the time of the accident, we were able to maintain weekly workers’ compensation payments for Frank of over $625.00. At the same time, we brought suit against two parties we believed were at fault for the accident. With the use of our team of experts including an accounting firm, we were able to settle Frank’s personal injury claim for over $325,000, while still keeping his workers’ compensation claim open, maintaining his weekly checks and all medical treatment.
While the case for his neck injury was still pending, we then made a “repetitive trauma” claim that as a result of his over 30 years on the job of hard manual labor, he now had back problems and that his back problems were related to his employment. Once again we employed a team of experts, this time a vocational expert, an orthopedic surgeon and our team of workers’ compensation specialists, we were able to put together a package to settle his workers’ compensation case for an additional $315,000. With proper wording in the settlement paperwork, we were able to leave his Social Security benefits unaffected and actually increase his pension benefits. Between his personal injury settlement, his weekly workers’ compensation benefits and his workers’ compensation “stipulation,” we were able to recover over one million dollars.
Workplace fall with back and hip injuries plus personal injury claim - $330,000 settlement
Our client, John, was injured while on the job. While walking up a flight of stairs on the job site, the stairs collapsed causing John to fall suffering injuries to his back and hip. The employer denied the claim, contending John had prior injuries to his back and hip – which he did. We argued that while he may have had pre-existing conditions, the fall made them worse, requiring surgery.
After a number of hearings in the Workers’ Compensation Commission, we were first able to get John some weekly benefits and then, ultimately, we were able to settle John’s workers’ compensation case for $130,000.
But we were not done. We also brought suit against the association responsible for maintaining the stairs. A year later, at a mediation session, we were able to settle John’s case for an additional $200,000! Through the efforts of our workers’ compensation specialists and our personal injury department, we were able to secure a recovery for John of $330,000.
Successful resolution of a Workers’ Compensation widow's claim - $450,000 settlement
The case involved a tractor trailer accident where my client’s husband, the claimant, was at fault for the accident and died as a result of accident. There were levels of methodone found in his blood and the respondents were denying the claim on the basis that he was under the influence of drugs which caused the accident. We were able to, through deposition testimony, show that the claimant’s son was taking a form of methodone for pain that you would dissolve in a soft drink. It appeared more likely than not that the claimant, at dinner the night before the accident, drank from his son’s drink, rather than his own. Based on that inference we were able to settle the case for $450,000 without pursuing protracted litigation.
Computer IT worker with permanent total disability claim - $350,000 settlement
This case involved a computer IT worker who injured his back. The claimant scored very high on his aptitude tests making it more difficult to prove total disability under Workers’ Compensation. However, our argument, which was backed up by a vocational expert, was that his back pain was so bad that he could not sit for any extended period of time and level of pain prevented him from concentrating and focusing. Therefore, he could not attend school or find a job that he could tolerate even in a sedentary capacity. We were able to settle the case for $350,000.
