$900,000 Ladder Accident Settlement in Brooklyn

Raphaelson & Levine secured a $900,000 settlement for a Brooklyn worker who tripped while descending a ladder at a job site.

A Defective Ladder in Brooklyn

Our client was descending a ladder at a Brooklyn job site when a worn rung gave way underfoot, causing them to lose their balance and fall. The impact resulted in a broken ankle, torn ligaments in the knee, and a wrist fracture sustained while bracing for the fall.

Three separate injuries meant three separate courses of treatment — surgeries, immobilization, and months of physical therapy that overlapped and compounded the recovery timeline. Our client, who relied on physical labor for income, was unable to work throughout the entire rehabilitation process.

Holding the Property Owner Accountable in Brooklyn

The property owner argued that the ladder was in acceptable condition and that our client should have inspected it before use. Our Brooklyn premises liability attorneys retained a safety equipment expert who examined the ladder and identified that multiple rungs showed advanced deterioration consistent with years of use without replacement.

Photographs taken at the scene immediately after the accident confirmed the rung failure. Maintenance logs — or rather, the absence of any maintenance records for the equipment — further demonstrated the property owner's negligence in providing safe tools for workers on their premises.

Three Injuries, One Comprehensive Settlement

The $900,000 settlement accounts for all three surgical procedures, the overlapping rehabilitation periods, lost wages across the entire recovery, and the permanent impact on our client's ability to perform physical work.

"When a property owner provides worn-out equipment and a worker gets hurt, that isn't an accident — it's negligence. Our client suffered three separate injuries because of one defective ladder rung. The settlement reflects the true cost of that failure."

— Andrew Levine, Founding Partner at Raphaelson & Levine

If you've been injured in a ladder accident or fall at a Brooklyn job site, our ladder accident attorneys have extensive experience pursuing claims for defective equipment injuries, and are ready to review your case. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.