Case Study: A $3 Million Personal Injury Lawsuit, 3 Years in the Making

Do you have a valid workers’ compensation case? Are you facing a lawsuit on your own? Below, we take a look at a three-year personal injury case that will provide you with valuable insight that may help you find the answers you’ve been looking for or make the right decision regarding your unique situation. 

While we were all celebrating the holidays, a man who fell down an elevator shaft three years ago was finally celebrating his settlement win in court! On December 2, 2019, Michael Cupo settled a three million dollar personal injury lawsuit from an accident that happened on May 13, 2016. Cupo, who, at the time of the accident was a 55-year-old safety foreman working for Sloan and Co. the carpentry contractors for a six-story building being constructed on Kean University grounds that was mostly completed but still awaiting state inspection. 

On the day of the accident, Cupo and a co-worker were tasked with wheeling a set of wooden doors into the building’s service elevator and taking them up to their destination. They had been instructed by the site superintendent that they were to use the elevator parked on the first floor. And were also informed that the elevator doors were unlocked and held open by styrofoam blocks. 

The problem was, Cupo and the co-worker were unknowingly on the second floor. When Cupo pried the doors open and started to enter the elevator, Cupo fell in, falling five feet down. 

After the accident, Cupo was taken to the hospital where they discovered that he’d experienced a slight brain bleed from a fractured skull. He also fractured many bones in his right wrist. After leaving the hospital, Cupo’s modest worker’s compensation insurance plan wasn’t enough to cover any much-needed treatment.

He tried to go back to work a mere five weeks after his injury but was forced to retire early due to complications from his accident such as difficulty reading blueprints and loss of balance. After three unsuccessful years of trying to heal is brain injury himself through various self-help measures, Cupo decided to sue. 

The reason for the suit was two-fold. First, Cupo and attorneys claimed that the elevator shaft was ill-lit, thus, creating an environment where Cupo was unable to properly see as he entered the elevator shaft. Second, the practice of leaving the elevator doors unlocked, and propped open was a huge safety and contract violation without the presence of a paid elevator operator on-site (which there wasn’t one). 

Lesson One: Don’t Tackle Your Personal Injury Case Alone

For years, Cupo tried to heal himself and live his life like he always had and even tried to go back to work. But, his accident prevented him from living the life he had before his accident. For Cupo, medical insurance and a strong worker’s compensation insurance policy were financially just out of reach. So, after his accident, Cupo was on his own. 

What can you learn from Cupo’s experience? You don’t have to be left on your own. If you think you may have a legal case against your employer or someone associated with your job, reach out to a lawyer and provide your case details. They can let you know quickly if they believe you have legal rights to sue.

While you await your settlement, Glofin will be there to provide you with pre-settlement funding.  

Lesson Two: Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

From the article, it’s unclear when Cupo will actually receive his settlement. Typically, it takes up to six weeks to receive funds from a personal injury settlement but with a large settlement like this one, it could be longer. If you’ve experienced a work-related personal injury, you don’t have to be a victim and you don’t have to wait for your funds!*

At Glofin, we know how debilitating and life-altering a job injury can be. We try to make the process of getting your life back as quick and easy as possible. While working on your case, and waiting to go to court you can quickly learn if you qualify for pre-settlement funding by filling out this simple form. 

We’ll do all the heavy lifting from there, including reaching out to your attorney and assessing your case details. Your time is precious and the inability to work and live life as you had before your accident can be detrimental emotionally and financially. Don’t wait, reach out to us today! 

For more information on pre-settlement funding or a denied claim, call (888) 667-1991 or email us using the form below today.  

To learn more about this unique case, read the full article here. 

*Eligibility for workers’ comp pre-settlement funding from Glofin is dependent upon the state in which accident occurred.