On Aug. 4, a jury found against a construction worker who alleged unsafe practices at a job site led to an accident that rendered him paraplegic. On Dec. 1, 2006, Doug Settler was working at a building site in Lubbock County when a partially raised wall fell on him. He sustained a fracture at T12-L1, which left him paraplegic. Settler sued subcontractor Charles Mize (doing business as Quality Framing), alleging the method used to raise the wall was unsafe. He sought more than $9 million in damages. Mize argued the method is standard in the construction industry. He also contended that Settler was an independent contractor over whom he had no actual control. The jury found Mize had control over the job site but determined he wasn’t negligent. Settler also initially sued the general contractor but nonsuited it before trial.
Settler v. Mize, et al., No. 2007-539,289
