$30,000 for Bus Driver with Slipped Disk

Amy Schaeffer recently represented a bus driver for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). While working, he suffered a slipped disk due to the poor condition of his driver’s seat and received medical care for two years. When his case was brought to the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission, it found that he had a 10 percent disability due to the accident and a two percent disability that was present before the accident. Amy disagreed and appealed to the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. Prior to trial, Amy made a settlement demand that equaled the full value of our client’s permanent impairment rating. WMATA refused to respond to our demand because it was “”unrealistic.””

At the trial, our client testified about how his back had impacted his ability to engage in daily activities. The jury found that he had a 31 percent permanent partial disability, and that he didn’t have any permanent disability before the work accident. The jury’s disability rating was the same percentage of impairment our client’s doctor had given him—the same “”unrealistic”” number that WMATA said a jury wouldn’t award. The jury’s verdict meant our client received an additional $30,000 in benefits. Way to go, Amy Schaeffer, for showing WMATA that we’ll fight for our clients!