A recent workers' compensation settlement just concluded a decade-long legal dispute for a former construction worker who is now a quadriplegic.

Joseph Tuski was just 31 years old on Jan. 17, 2001, when he lost the use of his arms and legs. He was doing highway construction at approximately 10:30 p.m. when an intoxicated motorist ignored the safety flagman and proceeded through the construction zone. The drunk driver hit Tuski, breaking his neck, partially severing his spinal cord, injuring his brain and causing other skeletal injuries.

Tuski remained in the hospital for seven months and is permanently paralyzed in his arms and legs. He prevailed in a third-party lawsuit against the drunk driver - who fled the accident scene, but was later caught - but the employer's workers' compensation carrier was also required to compensate Tuski for his work injuries. The man's 10-year workers' comp battle demonstrates the often combative nature of work accident claims.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a workplace accident, contact an experienced Dayton construction site accident attorney to explore all your legal options, including workers' compensation and third-party claims.

Source: The Times Herald, "Lower Pottsgrove man wins workers' comp award in Bucks crash case," Carl Hessler Jr., Dec. 16, 2011