April 11, 2000 -Man Injured At Work Site Gets $7.3 Million

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A San Francisco jury awarded $7.3 million yesterday to a Sacramento construction worker who injured himself falling into a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. utility trench in Dixon.

After a four-week trial in San Francisco Superior Court, the jury voted unanimously in favor of David and Doreen Stringer of Sacramento, and allocated 65 percent of the damages liability to PG&E and 35 percent to Hal Porter Homes, the general contractor on the project.

Stringer's attorney, Roger Dreyer of Sacramento, argued that PG&E was at fault because the company failed to place caution tape around the 3-foot-deep trench or fill it in in a timely manner.

Stringer, a framing subcontractor on a housing subdivision project, fell into the trench on May 20, 1996, suffering spinal injuries that required four operations. He has been unemployed since the accident.

In spinal cord injury cases it is essential that measures be taken promptly to preserve evidence, review the medical procedures in question, and to enable physicians or other expert witnesses to thoroughly evaluate the accident record and injuries. If you or a loved one is a victim of spinal cord injury, call now at or CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A SIMPLE CASE FORM. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to accept your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds. Don't delay! You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the statute of limitations expires.

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