Hero or Victim?

Brave Woman Fights Against the Hazards of Industrial Assault

At Ritter & Associates we not only help our clients receive the financial compensation they need for medical expenses and other damages, but also hope to help them serve as an inspiration to anyone who has been hurt in an accident caused by the reckless or negligent actions of another. Individuals that have been injured do not have to feel as if they are victims. By taking legal action against the negligent party, you may be able to help protect others from further harm. The following is a true story of a brave woman who fought against the hazards of industrial assault:

Karen Trusty was a trailblazer who wanted to rebuild San Diego, one piece of metal at a time. Karen became one of the first women who earned the right to become a skilled craftworker for the Plumbers and Pipefitters of America. Though she was a rarity in the male-dominated construction field, her skills earned her a reputation as tops in her field. She considered welding an art.

But bullies always find an excuse. One day on the worksite a male worker from another company treated her journeyman work with what proved to be dangerous carelessness. As Karen was assisting another employee in loading pipe, this man carelessly assaulted her by shoving the pipe and catching her finger between the pipe and a steel post. His carelessness resulted in her losing her finger. Her hand was ruined and disfigured, and she no longer had the strength in that dominant hand to weld as she did before.

Karen ended up having to wage another battle, to prove her lost skill deserved to be treated seriously. She found a lawyer who understood the importance of the permanent damage the industrial assault caused: Dwight Ritter.

“We tried that case to jury, and received a six-figure award,” said Ritter. “This was a case that most lawyers would not take, considering it too small. But our office knew Karen’s integrity and livelihood mattered.“

Ritter’s client refused to accept small monetary offers from the insurance company to settle. “We told the jury she was a hero to the ironworkers, and her community, She knew her loss was truly substantial and demand that a jury assess her damages.“

A human life and its ambitions cut short by assault – whether physical, threatened, industrial – has substantial value. The Trial Lawyers Association of San Diego presented an award to Dwight Ritter for this case. Because most lawyers would consider this a rather small and insignificant case, but the plaintiff and her lawyer say this was big to her, that this was life altering.

If you or your loved ones suffer injuries or damages as the result of carelessness or criminal actions of others, call Dwight Ritter and Associates: Proven winners, fighting for you.

With the guidance of a legal professional, you may be able to take this negative experience and use it for the betterment of others. The San Diego personal injury lawyers of Ritter & Associates understand that this can be a painful and emotional time, but we strive to help our clients overcome these troubles. Contact our offices at (619) 296-0123 to speak to a member of our legal team about your rights today.