Work Injury Lawsuit Results in Record $48 Million Verdict for Paralyzed Man After Falling from Ladder

In what is believed to be a new record for a personal injury verdict in Indiana, a man who was paralyzed from the waist down after he fell 17-feet from a ladder while working at a steel mill, has been awarded $48 million in his work injury lawsuit.

The case involves 42 year old Anthony Arciniega, who suffered a spinal cord injury when he fell from a ladder on November 20, 2004, at ISG Burns Harbor steel mill where he worked.

The ladder fall was caused by concrete which covered the ladder, which Arciniega alleged was caused by the negligence of a contractor at the mill, Minteq International.

According to The Times of Northwest Indiana, a jury awarded $48 million to Arciniega and his wife, but the award will likely be reduced to $24 million since the mill where he worked was found to be 50% at fault.

Under Indiana workers compensation laws, Arciniega is precluded from filing a personal injury lawsuit against his employer for their negligence, as his sole source of recovery from the employer would be workers comp benefits.

The $48 million Indiana personal injury verdict is believed to be a record in the state.