Linemen do demanding, often dangerous work to keep our communities powered. From maintaining the electrical equipment we depend on every day to restoring service after a storm, their work keeps homes, businesses, and essential services running. The job takes skill, physical strength, and the willingness to work at heights where a single equipment failure can have devastating consequences.
For our client, it was just another day on the job. He had spent most of his career doing physically demanding work as a utility lineman. So climbing poles, working at heights, and maintaining electrical equipment was nothing new. On that fateful day, however, a rotted utility pole turned what should have been a routine light replacement into a devastating workplace accident.
The accident left him fighting for his recovery and livelihood.
Managing Partner Ken Harrell of Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers handled the lineman’s workers’ compensation claim with assistance from Case Manager Javonna Brantley. After a hard fight, our team secured a $300,000 settlement, reflecting the severity of his injuries and the lasting impact it would leave on his life.
Routine Light Replacement Ends in a Devastating Fall
On the day of the accident, our client was assigned to replace an area light mounted on a utility pole. It was the kind of work his position required, and he successfully completed the replacement.
The danger came as he was making his way back down.
With approximately 15 feet left to descend, the pole (which turned out to be rotten) suddenly fell. Our client plunged to the ground with it, and the heavy pole landed across his lower body, between his hips and knees.
Emergency services responded immediately to free the man and rush him to the hospital for emergency treatment.
Doctors diagnosed a fracture of his right femur, a fractured pelvis, and multiple broken ribs. These serious injuries marked the beginning of a lengthy recovery that would affect not only his physical health but also his ability to earn a living.
A Long Recovery Keeps Him Away From Work
For someone whose career depended on physical strength, mobility, and the ability to work at heights, recovering from multiple fractures presented significant challenges.
Our client was determined to return to climbing utility poles and performing the demanding duties he had handled before the accident. However, his doctors placed him under work restrictions that prohibited working at heights and limited how much he could lift and carry. Despite having been a good employee of the utility company for 20 years, his employer was unwilling to accommodate these restrictions.
His treatment also required extensive rehabilitation. He was referred to physical therapy and a work-hardening program designed to help injured workers rebuild the strength and physical abilities needed to return to their jobs. The recommended program involved physical therapy two to three times per week for 10 to 12 weeks.
For approximately 20 months, our client remained unable to return to his regular work. What began as a workplace accident had turned into nearly two years of medical treatment, rehabilitation, and uncertainty about his ability to resume his career.
Returning to Work Doesn’t Mean Returning to Normal
After almost two years of recovery, Attorney Harrell pushed for our client have a Functional Capacity Evaluation. This evaluation determined that our client could return to work performing foreman duties, although some physical limitations remained.
However, when he was ready to return to work, he faced another difficult reality.
During his extended absence, his employer had filled his position. The job he held before the accident was no longer available when he was ready to return. Only 47 years old, our client was (and remains) determined to find gainful employment so he can support his family.
Although he had recovered enough to resume certain work responsibilities, the accident had changed the course of his career. After spending nearly two years recovering from serious injuries, undergoing rehabilitation, and living with work restrictions, he could not simply pick up where he had left off.
His experience illustrates how a serious workplace injury can continue affecting an employee long after the initial emergency has passed. Even when someone is eventually cleared to return to work, they may face lasting physical limitations and changes to their professional responsibilities.
Attorney Harrell Secures a $300,000 Workers’ Compensation Settlement
For injured workers, navigating a workers’ compensation claim can be especially challenging when medical treatment, work restrictions, and decisions on how and when to return to work extend over months or even years. Having an experienced attorney handle the legal side of the claim can allow workers to focus on their recovery while their rights and interests are protected.
Attorney Ken Harrell ultimately secured a $300,000 workers’ compensation settlement for our client. While the settlement could not undo the accident or restore the crew leader position he held before his injuries, it provided meaningful financial compensation after a lengthy recovery and a major disruption to his career. Frankly, if our client had been entitled to pursue a civil claim, the value of his case would have been significantly higher but the caps and restrictions in place for a workers’ compensation recovery made this outcome a very favorable one for our client.
At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we understand how much injured workers and their families have at stake. Our attorneys are committed to helping clients navigate the workers’ compensation process and pursue the benefits and compensation they deserve.
