Negligent Equipment Maintenance Destroys Self-employed Tree Trimmer's Career.

Case Overview

This case study examines an incident involving a self-employed tree trimmer who frequently rented equipment to run their business. The individual was operating a rented hydraulic bucket lift that malfunctioned during use. The lift unexpectedly dropped onto the plaintiff after the rental company had instructed him to manually operate the machine from the ground.

As a result of their instruction, the plaintiff's finger was permanently damaged. Despite surgical interventions, the injury led to the loss of grip strength in their hand, and an inability to run their business. It is alleged that negligent maintenance by the rental company led to this unfortunate incident.

A life care planner was sought to review the case to assess damages.

Questions to the Life Care Planning expert and their responses

Please describe your professional background in life care planning, specifically your experience with cases involving permanent hand disability.

I am a registered nurse, certified case manager, ergonomics assessment specialist, and Medicare set-aside allocator. I have served as president of the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners and hold active memberships in several professional organizations. Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked on injury cases involving orthopedic injuries, many involving amputations or hand injuries.

What information would you require to review this case?

To thoroughly review this case, I would need all medical records, bills, any consultations, depositions if available, the complaint itself, and any other relevant information.

About the expert

This expert is a seasoned registered nurse and life care planner with over two decades of experience in the field. They hold certifications as a brain injury specialist, ergonomic assessment specialist, and life care planner, and have published extensively on topics such as prosthetics, brain injuries, and technologies for disabled individuals. Currently, they own a healthcare publishing company and offer consultancy services at a medical consultancy firm, leveraging their vast experience from previous roles in various clinics and orthopedic centers.