FT. LAUDERDALE, FL - A Broward Circuit jury returned a 5.6 million dollar verdict last week in a negligence trial brought by a Boca Raton man who was severely injured when the roof of a storage unit collapsed on him.
Plaintiff, Stephen Wolkoff, 70, was almost killed when the roof of the Sunshine Storage Inc., self-storage unit collapsed on him on January 3, 2009. The accident left Wolkoff with a broken pelvis and serious injuries to his legs and joints.
As a senior bodybuilder, Wolkoff spent a lot of time at the gym. His attorneys, Ervin Gonzalez and Deborah Gander of Colson Hicks Eidson, explained how his free time was no longer spent at the gym but at rehabilitation. After undergoing corrective surgery for his pelvis, and being forced to use a colostomy bag, Wolkoff spent months in rehabilitation.
Wolkoff now uses a cane, walker or wheelchair to get around. The accident has left him with drop-foot in both legs; a condition he will have for the rest of his life.
Specifically, the jury awarded Wolkoff $250,000 for his injuries, $250,000 for his future suffering, $3,456.721.86 for his medical bills, $1,500,000 for his ongoing medical expenses and an additional $200,000 for a variety of reasons, such as Julie Wolkoff’s loss of companionship.
The underlying case was Stephen Wolkoff v. Sunshine Storage Inc., case number CACE09014543 before Circuit Judge Jack Tuter in Ft. Lauderdale’s 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. The entire trial can be viewed on CVN.
Image of the Plaintiff, Wolkoff, shown to the jury during his testimony.
