Redwood Fire & Casualty Insurance Company vs Sunland Scaffold, Inc.

Case Overview

The BD&J personal injury attorneys represented Domingo Berumen — a Spanish-speaking framer who slipped on a roof, hit the railing of a scaffold below, and fell to the ground. Domingo endured a broken ankle, among other injuries. Our team argued that the subcontractor’s scaffold violated Cal-Osha in that the scaffold wasn’t wide enough to protect against falls.

The Defense made no offer to Domingo in the Redwood Fire & Casualty Insurance Company vs Sunland Scaffold, Inc., despite his injuries and time away from work, impacting his family’s well-being. Our team demanded just over $1,000,000 to settle months before trial, but the Defense rejected the demand.

After additional surgeries to correct injuries, workers compensation refused to cover the costs. Domingo’s costs were broken down into:

• Medical bills paid by worker’s compensation: $100,000
• Lost earnings: $289,000
• Additional medical expenses: $100,000
• Future lifestyle changes: $720,000
• Future medical costs: $628,000
• Past and future economic damages: $8,496,000

While Domingo relearned how to walk, he was unable to return to his work in construction. The Jury found the scaffold subcontractor liable for $10.2 million.