On March 22, 2007, Andrew Flores was boarding a subway train at 149th Street in the Bronx when he tripped and fell over a broken portion of a wooden board used to cover the edge of the platform. His right foot became ensnared and stuck in a defect in the board causing his left leg to become caught in the gap between the train and the platform.

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In the ensuing lawsuit against the transit authority, the Bronx County jurors determined that the defendant was negligent and issued a verdict specifically finding that the wooden board was unsafe and that the defendant should have but failed to correct it. The jurors awarded pain and suffering damages in the sum of $641,000 ($266,000 past – seven years, $375,000 future – 15 years) as well as future medical expenses in the sum of $535,000 (15 years).

In Flores v. New York City Transit Authority (1st Dept. 2017), both the liability and pain and suffering awards were affirmed; however, there is no mention in the court’s decision as to the nature of plaintiff’s injuries.

Here are the injury details:

Left Knee –

  •  torn meniscus and large femoral condyle defect with loose cartilage
  • arthroscopy on 5/15/07 with chondroplasty medial femoral condyle, synovectomy and partial meniscectomy
  • Orthovisc injections
  • continuing painful ambulation and quadriceps atrophy requiring brace or cane and narcotic pain medications

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Back –

  • severe back pain, spasms, decreased range of motion and chronic intractable lumbar radiculopathy
  • epidural steroid injections and narcotic pain medications

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The award of $535,000 for plaintiff’s anticipated future medical expenses (15 years) was based upon testimony from plaintiff’s pain management physician and orthopedic surgeon that his injuries are permanent and he will require another arthroscopic surgery (cost about $50,000), may require total knee replacement surgery (cost about $100,000) and will require pain management treatment, epidural steroid and Orthovisc injections, medications and other medical care into the future. The trial  judge ordered a reduction of the future medical expense award to $315,250 based upon the testimony regarding what treatment will be needed and the cost estimates. Plaintiff then agreed to the reduction.

Inside Information:

  • There was no mention of back pain in the ER records on the day of the accident and no treatment records for back pain were adduced at trial except for those of plaintiff’s pain management physician with whom he treated for the first time (but continuously thereafter for both his back and his knee) three years after the accident (although he treated with a chiropractor in the interim). In summation, defense counsel stated: “Mr. Flores lost his job and in 2010 this becomes a debilitating back injury and debilitating knee injury that he seeks massive compensation for.”
  • Mr. Flores, then 46 years old, had been employed at the time of the accident helping the homeless as a housing specialist/case manager at the Harlem YMCA; he was unable to return to work for six months. Thereafter he was unemployed (but plaintiff did not claim loss of earnings damages at trial).
  • In 1987, Mr. Flores was incarcerated for five years following felony convictions involving drug use and robberies, facts that were brought out at trial by his attorney and then elaborated upon by defense counsel in cross-examination.