A repairman checked into a Maine casino’s employee entrance. He carelessly left his toolbox in the middle of the busy entryway and stepped outside. Moments later, a longtime employee passed through the employee entrance doors, greeting everyone as she had done for years. Unfortunately, she did not see the toolbox and tripped, landing on her right arm. The fall tore her rotator cuff and fractured her elbow. Michael Bigos of Berman & Simmons represented the woman and used an animation highlighting her injuries, explaining how the trauma developed into two painful, permanent disorders.
Ultimately, the woman’s pain from her injuries increased substantially. She experienced irregular, severe aching and swelling in her right arm. Doctors diagnosed her with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) — an incurable condition dubbed “the suicide disease” — and thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), causing significant inflammation and numbness.
Due to the debilitating pain and constant swelling, the woman could not return to work. She filed for workers’ compensation to support herself financially through her slow and laborious recovery. After processing her claim, her workers’ compensation attorney referred her to Michael Bigos. Michael agreed to represent the woman and strategized how to connect the slip-and-fall incident to her two disabilities. After careful consideration, Michael realized a medical visualization was the best way to show why the woman's orthopedic injuries impacted her nervous system. He enlisted DK Global’s help to illustrate his client's injuries and demonstrate why she deserved compensatory damages.
The visual demonstrative began by using security camera footage, capturing the Defendant leaving his toolbox in the middle of the walkway. Then, the woman entered, tripped, and landed on her arm. The presentation transitioned to an animated 3D model of the woman’s broken, dislocated elbow and torn rotator cuff. To better visualize the location and gravity of her injuries, her medical imagery appeared alongside her 3D illustrated shoulder. Then, to demonstrate the nuance and complexity of CRPS and TOS, the animation revealed how the trauma compressed her nerves, arteries, and veins, causing restricted blood flow. Ultimately, the injuries exacerbated her sympathetic nervous system and caused it to become abnormally sensitive, causing unceasing pain and numbness. Finally, the animation depicted the woman’s surgery to correct her torn rotator cuff, showing the great lengths she underwent to recover.
Michael Bigos handles complex personal injury cases. He is a Past President of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and has served as a Governor of the American Association for Justice. Recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in America," Michael has also received the “AV Preeminent” rating by Martindale-Hubbell.” Michael has also been named a “Super Lawyer” for achieving remarkable results through hard work and cutting-edge trial skills.
