CASE REPORT
(SNNN F/25) (6) 13L-14342
SETTLEMENT: $8,500,000 (IL Cook-Law)
PLTF ATTY(S): Sean P. Murray, Marc A. Taxman, Jonathan D. Treshansky of Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman (Chicago, IL) for both pltfs On December 9, 2013, over-the-road truck driver Jeffrey (54) was picking up a load of steel conduit from deft’s facilities. Per deft’s requirements, loads must be covered by tarp before leaving the facility. They had an automatic tarping system where drivers would place their trucks under the machine which low- ers the tarp over the loads. Before the facility acquired the machine, drivers placed tarps manually. But this involved climbing over the loads of steel and there had been numerous injuries that occurred, including one fatality. On the day Jeffrey was collecting his load, a foreman allegedly told Jeffrey that the tarping machine was not working and Jeffrey would have to manually cover the load. While he did so, he slipped and suffered bilateral pilon fractures with anterior subluxation of the ankle joints, or AO Type C fractures -- the most seri- ous type of ankle fracture. Jeffrey has undergone six surgeries and will require future surgeries ($456,759 medl. expense; $363,000-$580,000 LT). Defense de- nied that the machine was not operational on the day of the accident, but pltfs claimed that the foreman misrepresented that the machine was not working as they were backlogged and had Jeffrey manually cover the load in order to ex- pedite the process. Sentry and St. Paul Fire & Marine paid $8,000,000 to Jeffrey and Sentry paid $500,000 to Jeffrey’s spouse on a loss of consortium claim for John Maneely Company d/b/a Wheatland Tube Company and d/b/a JMC Steel Group. This is the highest reported Illinois ankle injury settlement or verdict. This matter was summarized in the February 18, 2020 edition of the CDLB. Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman LLC was founded in 2016 by four friends who happened to be seasoned plaintiff personal injury trial lawyers. The goal was to combine our collective experience and create a modern, high functioning law firm where people actually enjoy work - ing and collaborating to achieve the highest possible standard of repre- sentation for our clients. TPMB’s presence in the field was immediately welcomed and respected by our piers. We have grown to 23 lawyers and stand proud of the firm we created and the results we have achieved in the last seven years. TPMB handles all types of injury cases and work- ers’ compensation cases and we welcome client referrals and offer competitive referral fees.
Sean Murray Sean Murray is a Founding Partner of the Law Firm Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekker- man. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in many high profile cases and has handled numerous matters that have re- sulted in record setting settlements and jury verdicts. Sean sits on the Illinois Trial Law- yers Board of Managers and is actively in- volved in the Chicago legal community.
Marc Taxman Marc A. Taxman has been practicing personal injury law for 35 years. Marc routinely handles high profile, large damages cases on behalf of clients injured due to negligence and he holds several records for Jury Verdicts and Settlements. Marc is also responsible for landmark Appellate decisions in the field of Plaintiff personal injury law. This is the third Trial Lawyer Excellence Award that Marc has achieved.
JURY VERDICT REPORTER • 2023 ANNUAL TRIAL LAWYER EXCELLENCE AWARDS 25
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