Roberto Rivera, William Ponall and Michelle Gamble v. Ronald Ray Taylor
Roberto Rivera, William Ponall and Michelle Gamble v. Ronald Ray Taylor
Type: Aviation Accident
Location: Chicago, IL
Result: $2,750,000 settlement
On July 26, 2005 the three plaintiffs were passengers in a Bell Helicopter owned and operated by Ronald Ray Taylor, an Illinois Department of Transportation employee. The helicopter was being operated for the purpose of photographing and observing ongoing road construction on I-294. The three plaintiffs all worked for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and were in the course of their employment at the time of the accident. The plaintiffs alleged that Mr. Taylor was negligent while operating the Bell Helicopter resulting in a tailspin that eventually crashed on the side of the highway. Rivera, 53, suffered fractures at L2-L4 and C5 and underwent multiple surgeries, including a cervical fusion and installation of a spinal cord stimulator to control his pain.
William Ponall and Michelle Gamble were passengers in the Bell Helicopter and suffered injuries in the helicopter crash.
Defendants argued that the Defendant was a borrowed employee and was therefore barred from any recovery since all of the parties were employees of the State of Illinois. This case was brought in the Circuit Court of Cook County against the helicopter pilot personally, and the settlement was paid by the insurance carrier for the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Mr. Rivera’s settlement is believed to be the highest settlement reported for a plaintiff aged 55 or older involving a spinal cord stimulator.