A worker operating an electric pallet jack, more focused on speed than safety, failed to notice his surroundings. He was unaware that another employee was performing safety inspections directly behind him. In a moment of oversight, the operator reversed the pallet jack, trapping the unsuspecting inspector against a rigid beam. For a brief but agonizing five seconds, the nerves in his leg were severely compressed. Despite the short duration, the injuries he sustained were profound and lasting.
The afflicted worker found his ability to support himself and his partner significantly hobbled. The man worked with his body for a living. However, the damage to the nerves in his leg made it challenging to walk, rendering physical labor impossible. Seeking help from his employer, he found himself voiceless and powerless, facing a corporate entity that leveraged its considerable resources to deny any responsibility for the accident.
In this David versus Goliath scenario, attorney Alan Singer from the Law Offices of Anna R. Tseytlin, PLLC, stepped in. With nearly three decades of experience, Alan's expertise in personal injury law was crucial. He found himself representing a client whose physical capabilities, critical to his livelihood, had been severely compromised.
Alan’s initial efforts were to clarify the events that had transpired. The warehouse lacked surveillance cameras, and no witnesses were present besides the pallet jack operator. Additionally, the victim struggled to articulate the sequence of events leading up to the accident.
In addition, although the warehouse worker’s injuries were severe, they did not leave visible scars and were difficult to describe. Thus, Alan enlisted medical experts from across the country. One of them, a specialist in lower extremity peripheral nerve surgery, detailed the complexities of the worker's unique nerve injury.
Next, Alan addressed the worker's difficulty in describing the incident. He needed an approach that vividly illustrated the accident to the Defense and a prospective jury. Therefore, Alan collaborated with DK Global to create a reconstruction animation demonstrating what happened and clarifying his client’s injuries.
The animation began with a detailed reconstruction of the warehouse. A 3D character model resembling the Plaintiff was shown bent over, focused on his task near a group of pallets. Behind him, another employee maneuvered an electric pallet jack. Next, the pallet jack operator reversed up the aisle, colliding with the victim’s left leg and pinning him against a metal beam. The animation portrayed the Plaintiff trapped for five painful seconds. His leg became transparent, revealing the underlying bone structure and nerves, and illustrating the nerve damage caused by the compressive force.
Years went by without any settlement offers from the Defense. The opposition produced an expert who attempted to downplay the severity of the Plaintiff’s injuries. During mediation, Alan strategically introduced the animation after the Defense expert’s testimony. The visual presentation helped shift the dynamics of the case, causing the Defense to take the matter more seriously. Ultimately, both parties agreed to a substantial settlement in favor of the injured Plaintiff.
Alan M. Singer is an attorney at the Law Offices of Anna R. Tseytlin, PLLC, focusing on personal injury, insurance, and bad faith cases. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has leveraged three decades of diverse legal experience to advocate effectively for injured plaintiffs. A graduate of Vermont Law School in 1993, cum laude, Alan is admitted to the Washington State Bar. His career includes roles as a criminal prosecutor, an associate attorney at a large Seattle insurance defense firm, and a staff attorney for the Washington State Insurance Commissioner, where he played a pivotal role in enforcement cases and litigation, earning personal commendation for his work in a landmark insurance case in 2013. Alan's dedication to his clients and the legal field was recognized in 2006 when he was named a ‘Rising Star’ by Super Lawyers.
