$58.4 Million

PARRIS Partners Alexander R. Wheeler and Khail A. Parris secured a historic $58,358,431 verdict for a Palmdale railyard worker who suffered severe injuries after falling on top of a train car while performing electrical repairs.

Shortly after the fall, an employee at Kinkisharyo helped our client file a worker’s compensation claim for his injuries. However, Kinkisharyo denied his claim, arguing he was an employee of Altech Services, not Kinkisharyo.

During trial, Kinkisharyo argued that the company, along with Altech, was our client's joint employer. The company argued that because it had an employer-employee relationship with him, he was only allowed to seek relief for his injuries through the workers’ compensation system, not a lawsuit. However, a jury unanimously rejected Kinkisharyo’s argument – allowing him to seek compensatory damages through a personal injury lawsuit.

Kinkisharyo also disputed how our client fell and whether it led to his injuries. They also refuted his diagnoses and the nature and extent of his damages. The jury rejected Kinkisharyo’s arguments and found in favor of our client — awarding him compensatory damages of $54,158,431.00.

In the final phase of the trial, the jury assessed whether Kinkisharyo should pay punitive damages, an award that would punish and deter them from future unsafe practices. The jury agreed and awarded our client an additional $4,200,000.

In total, the jury awarded our client $58,358,431 - making this the largest known slip-and-fall verdict in U.S. history. This verdict was made possible thanks to our exceptional trial attorneys and litigation team.