Attorney Carmine Goncalves secured a $1,750,000 settlement for a 39-year-old Brazilian construction worker who was injured while following his supervisor's directive to manually retrieve a heavy (60 kg) excavation shoring timber. Normally, these boards are moved with a hoist due to their size and weight. However, the worker was forced to navigate a wet and muddy excavation path to collect the timber. While the worker was carrying the timber on his left shoulder, he slipped in the mud, which caused the timber to fall and strike his shoulder.
As a result of the accident, the plaintiff sustained injuries to his left shoulder, neck, and back, all of which required surgical intervention. The defense claimed it was a routine work injury, but attorney Carmine presented photos of the excavation site that highlighted the hazardous muddy conditions caused by drilling machinery, including a stream of water the worker had to leap over with the heavy load. The parties reached a settlement while motions regarding liability were still pending.