Injury Lawyer Asks for Too Little
In an injury lawsuit, the jury wanted to know if it could award the plaintiff more than the $2.3 million sought in his suit against his former employer, Union Pacific Railroad railroad, for injuries that required three surgeries. The jury decided that an additional $500,000 was appropriate and awarded a total of $2.8 million to the married father of two children.
The jury also found the plaintiff to be partially at fault for his injury and reduced the award accordingly. In so doing, this jury demonstrated how well our civil justice system works. This jury properly held both the wrongdoer and the injured party accountable to the degree necessary to fairly decide the case.
Certainly the injury and damages were significant. According to reports the plaintiff lost the use of his right arm after it was crushed by a concrete railroad tie that fell off a pile at a railroad crossing. The plaintiff, who had been his family's primary breadwinner, has not worked since the accident. He has undergone three surgeries, including one shortly after the accident to treat a major medical complication. He can no longer grasp or hold anything in his right hand, bend his fingers on that hand or move his wrist much.
Dispite all these limitations, the plaintiff attended a community college in an effort to educate himself to be eligible for a desk or computer job. This gentleman clearly demonstrated a strong work ethic and a desire to be productive again.
