$5.4 Million Personal Injury Settlement
Miguel Ortiz, a 45-year-old husband and father of two, had worked for the New York City sanitation department for many years. He knew his people and his trucks inside and out. One day, standing with his partner and his supervisor behind a double-parked sanitation truck on McGraw Avenue in the Bronx, Miguel heard the sound of air releasing. Moments later he saw the truck start to roll away. Surprised and scared for the welfare of the people on the street, Miguel sprinted to the front of the truck and attempted to get into the cab to stop the runaway truck. But as fate would have it, Miguel slipped and became caught between the truck and a parked car, severely injuring his hip.
Eventually, Miguel’s partner stopped the truck with the foot brake.
This was not the first time that this particular truck had rolled on its own even after the parking brake was engaged. Twice after complaints were made about this problem, the truck was taken for service and supposedly fixed.
But something went terribly wrong and Miguel, in his attempt to protect the truck and the public, was left with a permanent injury and significant pain for the rest of his life.
Miguel spent months in the hospital as a result of multiple surgeries and rehabilitation. And if that was not difficult enough, he was going to have to wear a brace for the rest of his life and get a total hip replacement in five to 10 years, and again in 25 years, according to his doctors.One day in the hospital, an attorney friend recommended that Miguel speak to Steven Hess about his accident. The attorney friend, who knew of Mr. Hess’s reputation and success in recovering money to help injured clients, said they might be able to help Miguel.
Miguel’s friend turned out to be right. Steven Hess, fought hard for Miguel, winning nearly $5.4 million for his client.
Steven Hess, after countless meetings with Miguel by his hospital bedside and many hours spent working on his case, laid out a convincing and bullet-proof case against New York City and the insufficient maintenance and repair of this sanitation truck. “The accident was not Miguel’s fault, yet he was left to suffer for it for the rest of his life,” said Steven Hess.
“As Miguel wanted to help those around him, Steven Hess wanted to help Miguel.”