Rockford, Illinois Painter Awarded $1.9 Million for Injuries Sustained in 2003 Accident

By Andrew Weatherford

Published on June 29, 2009

In a verdict announced last week, a Rockford, Illinois man has been awarded $1.9 million for injuries he sustained in a 2003 construction site accident. According to the clerk of courts, the settlement is the largest ever awarded in a personal injury case in Jo Daviess County.

The plaintiff, Mr. William Theiss, had been hired to paint at a newly constructed high school in Hanover, Illinois. Mr. Theiss severely injured his foot, ankle, and heel after falling 15 feet from a lift. The accident occurred when he tripped over a chain that was being used in place of guardrails. According to safety regulations, guardrails should have been on the lift.

As a result of the accident, Mr. Theiss developed an infection in his heel and had to endure over a dozen surgeries. He is now instructed by his doctors to avoid standing on his feet for more than an hour at a time.

The defendants in the case were Hoffman Construction Company and CIDAC, Inc., the drywall contractor. After a two-week trial, a Jo Daviess County jury awarded Mr. Theiss damages for lost wages, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and medical expenses.

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