Temporary Worker Crushed: $925,000 Settlement

A young musician working part-time in a factory was crushed by a stack of materials that tipped over. The employer stated he was uninsured, so the client’s widow asked us to investigate. We did intensive investigation, which revealed that the delivery company had stacked the material in an unsafe condition, and the owner’s insurance was still in effect, even though the insurance had been bought under another corporate name. We settled with the delivery company for a guarantee of $200,000. We next took an assignment of the employer’s old insurance policy, from the owner. We then filed a second suit against the insurance company to collect. The insurer settled for $725,000, adding to the guarantee of $200,000, for a total of $925,000 — all of which was paid.