Case Result: $3 Million Workers’ Compensation Settlement for 16-Year-Old Worker

The Steinberg Law Firm attorneys David T. Pearlman and Adam P. Greene finalized a $3 million case settlement for a severely injured 16-year-old Honduran national who fell off a 3-story roof in Myrtle Beach, SC.

On March 28, 2022, the minor was working on the roof of a private residence without a harness cleaning up shingles when he fell over thirty (30) feet to the cement below. He was rushed to Grand Strand Regional Hospital. The young man was hospitalized for approximately three (3) months. His injuries involved his brain and spinal cord resulting in debilitating injuries for which he will require lifelong care.

The teenager’s claim was denied by three (3) different employers all of who denied he was their employee. After his hospitalization, he has received no medical treatment or weekly benefits. Fortunately, his aunt and uncle took him into their small mobile home.

The case faced multiple hurdles including:

• Denial by three (3) different employers and their insurance companies the injured worker was an employee.
• Complex questions surrounding his immigration status and the fact he is a minor.
• His mother and father’s desire to bring him back to Honduras.
• The tragic death of his uncle who was taking care of him.

The settlement included three (3) separate insurance companies with one (1) providing $1.5 million and the other two (2) companies agreeing to $750,000.00 each toward the 3 million settlement.

This complicated case included many depositions, Spanish interpreters, and how to best serve and protect the interest of the minor and allow him to return home to be with his family. This settlement will provide living expenses and medical rehabilitation treatment so he can return to his mother and father in Honduras. The settlement required the establishment of a Pooled Minor’s Trust with the ability to be administered internationally to ensure protection of the settlement proceeds and to allow for disbursement of funds for the young man’s care once he returns to his parents in Honduras.

If you have been seriously injured at work, contact the attorneys at the Steinberg Law Firm for a free consultation at 843-720-2800. There is no fee unless we collect financial compensation. We serve injured workers throughout South Carolina, including Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Beaufort, Goose Creek, and Summerville.