title
Authorization to settle the matter of Anthony Panozzo ("Plaintiff") v Chicago Housing Authority, Apex Construction Group and Anderson Elevator - Case No. 2023 L 6740.
presenter
Presenter: Elizabeth Silas, Deputy General Counsel
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Recommendation
The Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Chicago Housing Authority ("CHA") recommends that the CHA Board of Commissioners ("Board") approve a settlement agreement to compensate Plaintiff for personal injuries he suffered at a CHA property - Judge Fisher Apartments ("Fisher") while working as a subcontractor at the site on October 8, 2020.
The CHA retained Apex Construction ("Apex") in July of 2019 to perform general construction services. Apex hired Anderson Elevator ("Anderson") as its subcontractor. Plaintiff, who was 31 years old at the time of the incident, was employed by Anderson's subcontractor Motion Solutions and was on-site at Fisher that day to perform elevator maintenance. Habitat is CHA's property management firm for Fisher and was added as a third-party defendant after substantial completion of discovery in this litigation. Pursuant to CHA's management contract and insurance coverage afforded to our management firms through CHA's Property Managers Insurance Program, we are also defending Habitat in this litigation.
On October 8, 2020, while Plaintiff was descending the metal stairs/ladder from the elevator mechanical room to the main floor of the access room, the bottom rung shifted, which caused him to lose his balance. To avoid falling, plaintiff reached for the side rung, which forced his shoulder into hyperflexion and abduction, causing a labral tear (i.e., cartilage surrounding ball and socket portion of shoulder joint) and requiring surgery, including a bony Bankart procedure (i.e., repair of broken socket rim with screws or anchors). The injury required him to have multiple surgeries and significant physical therapy. He incurred medical bills of $275,000 and one of his treating...
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