An electrician was awarded a $9.4 million judgement from an Illinois county jury this month after a construction worker stepped on the man’s head while climbing down a ladder during construction of the Prairie State Energy campus in 2010.
According to a report from the Belleville News-Democrat, the electrician was injured in October 2010 when he was studying plans at the power plant. Two employees of API Construction, who were hired to perform insulation work, descended a ladder and stepped on his head, knocking his hard hat off and injuring his neck. Neither of the two men reported the incident to their employer.
The electrician's lawyer claimed he sustained two ruptured discs in his neck. He underwent surgery to fuse two of the cervical vertebrae, but he continues to suffer pain. He did physical therapy, acupuncture and surgery to correct the injury, but has yet to be able to return to work.
