CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT – Realtor on the Job Sustains Severe and Permanent Eye Injuries Due to Unkept Property Grounds

Our client, who is an industrial real estate sales and leasing agent, had been hired in January 2021 to assist with the leasing of an industrial building in Toledo, Ohio. As part of his agreement with this client, our client would meet a utility worker at the property and let him inside so that he could read the electric meter. On the day of the incident, our client met the utility worker at the location. The utility worker was let in and went to go read the meter. As he was waiting for him to be done, our client was walking back towards his vehicle by way of sidewalk that had become completely overgrown with tall weeds. Unbeknownst to our client, vines across the sidewalk were present but were concealed by the overgrowth. As our client was walking he tripped on the vines causing him to fall face forward. His face hit the sharp edges of the cooling fins on the nearby transformer causing him a blunt and penetrating trauma. The metal fins ripped their way through and ruptured our client’s right eye.

Our client was initially taken to Toledo Hospital for treatment but was quickly air lifted to The University of Michigan due to the severity of the injury. It was determined that our client had sustained a ruptured and collapsed right globe and he was immediately taken into surgery for a cornea transplant. Unfortunately, the injury to our client’s eye was permanent as he is still unable to see out of his right eye and he continues to experience severe discomfort and pain. He has been told by his doctor’s that he will eventually need to undergo surgery to completely remove his right eye and be fitted for a prosthetic eye.

This case was referred to us by another attorney. Prior to litigation, all the parties agreed to mediate the case. In preparation for the mediation, our office’s Marketing Content Producer went to our client’s house and filmed a client impact video to illustrate just how deeply our client’s life was impacted by this incident. At a pre-suit mediation, we were able to secure a satisfactory settlement on behalf of our client.