A Miami jury recently awarded $3.4 million to a 37-year-old carpenter who suffered severe injuries in a construction accident. In March 1996, Daton Arce was descending a ladder on the second floor of a home construction site when it suddenly retracted, causing Arce to fall ten feet to the ground. Upon impact, Arce suffered an L1 burst fracture that resulted in loss of bowel and bladder movement.

Arce filed suit against Keller Ladders, based in Virginia, alleging that the locks on the ladder were improperly manufactured and designed. According to plaintiff attorneys, an on-site construction supervisor set up the ladder using the proper guidelines.