A 44-year-old New York man has been awarded $30.3 million for career-ending injuries when he fell from a ladder five years ago.
Peter E. Bissell, of Sanborn, N.Y., suffered severe spinal and other injuries in 2002, in a building then owned by the town of Amherst he was repairing. The fall left him partially paralyzed. His attorneys said the ladder collapsed.
After a two-week trial in state Supreme Court, the jury ordered insurance carriers for the former McGonigle & Hilger Roofing Co. to pay the sum. In 2005, another jury found the town liable for Bissell’s injuries under state Labor Law. The town countersued McGonigle & Hilger.
Court officials said Amherst is self-insured for up to $10 million, meaning a verdict against the town could have forced a dramatic hike in town property taxes. They said the verdict will likely be appealed.
Topics New York
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Florida AG Sues Roofing Firm After Dozens of Complaints About Unfinished Work
New Jersey Employers Should Prepare Now for Oct. 1 Independent Contractor Rule
AM Best: US Home Insurers in 2025 Book First Underwriting Profit in Seven Years
Florida Commissioner Suspends A-Cap’s Atlantic Coast Life Over Surplus Issues 


