LAS CRUCES, NM – A jury awarded Benjamin Contreras more than $5 million in Dona Ana County, New Mexico Friday in a civil lawsuit about a forklift injury that resulted in severe brain damage.
Contreras was injured in November 2016 when a forklift dropped several crates knocking him off his trailer. His injuries were severe, including several brain bleeds, permanent brain damage, very limited short-term memory, and fractured bones.
The forklift involved in the incident was defective, and it had been inspected by the company. However, the company refused to take it out of service before the incident.
Throughout the lawsuit, the highest offer of settlement from the defendant forklift company was $1.5 million. The client and his family trusted Glasheen, Valles & Inderman to take the case to trial, which commenced on Monday. The jury returned a plaintiff’s verdict, compensating Contreras for his medical bills and pain and suffering.
Calling the verdict a victory, Kevin Glasheen of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, said, “I am grateful that our clients trusted us to try the case, and I’m proud that such fine people were able to get justice.”
Glasheen also praised the hard work of his team, attorney Jason Medina, paralegal Debbie Darnell, and litigation technology consultant Don Jenkins.
Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, LLP is a personal injury law firm that focuses on cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and death. The law firm has offices in El Paso, Albuquerque, Odessa, Lubbock, and Austin.