$5,800,000 – $5.8M in Construction Accident

Plaintiff Craig Crumley was on foot, helping guide a backhoe operator who was loading a welding machine on a flatbed truck when the backhoe unexpectedly turned toward him and its wheel crushed his left foot and ankle.

Crumley v. D’Andrea Construction Co.: A construction worker who lost use of his left leg in a job site accident accepted $5.8 million to settle his Camden County suit on Jan. 23.

Plaintiff Craig Crumley was on foot, helping guide a backhoe operator who was loading a welding machine on a flatbed truck when the backhoe unexpectedly turned toward him and its wheel crushed his left foot and ankle.

He was left with complex regional pain syndrome in his lower left leg, rendering him permanently disabled and unable to bear weight on his left foot according to the suit. The leg has swollen to twice its normal size and he has no movement in his ankle or toes.

Crumley sued the operator, Paul Monitzer, alleging he was using a mobile phone at the time, which Monitzer denied, say the plaintiffs’ lawyers Robert Mongeluzzi and Andrew Duffy of Saltz, Mongeluzzi, and Bendesky in Philadelphia. Monitzer’s employer, D’Andrea Construction of Berlin, was also a defendant.

The parties had mediation last October with Joel Rosen. a former US magistrate judge. now with Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads in Cherry Hill, who remained involved with the settlement talks.

Daniel Schwarz, John Popilock, and Daniel Ashton of Schwarz Cleary Josem and Schwarz in Philadelphia were plaintiff’s co-counsel. D’ Andrea and Monitzer were represented by Benjamin Tartaglia III of Mintzer, Sarowitz, Zeris, Ledva & Meyers in Cherry Hill, who did not return a call.