A roofer just 25 years old trusted his life to a safety harness, exactly as he was supposed to. The harness broke. He fell from a two-story roof. His case shows that when safety equipment fails, the worker has rights.
When the Safety Equipment Fails
Fall protection exists to keep roofers alive. When it fails, the consequences are severe — and the worker should never be left to bear them. Here, a young roofer did everything right by using his harness, yet the equipment meant to protect him gave way. Falls from height are among the most dangerous accidents in construction, and this one left a 25-year-old with a serious injury and a mountain of medical bills.
Inside the Roofing Accident
In August 2023, the client was installing roofing on a two-story house in Chicago, working for an exteriors contractor. As he was handling his safety harness — the equipment meant to protect him from a fall — it broke. He fell and injured his right wrist. The very device that should have saved him was what failed.
The Fight Over a Serious Injury
The injury was serious and required extensive medical treatment, with medical bills exceeding $122,000. For a 25-year-old worker with two children, an injury to his wrist — the tool of his trade — combined with overwhelming medical costs was an enormous burden. He even needed legal funding to stay afloat while the case moved forward, a common reality when treatment is extensive and a case takes time.
Turning Strategy Into Justice
Jack Epstein, with 30 years of experience in the Illinois legal market, personally oversaw the case. Our legal team pursued the workers’ compensation claim through the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission and documented the fall, the failure of the safety harness, and the wrist injury. We worked to ensure his substantial medical bills would not fall on his shoulders. The client paid nothing until we won the case.
A Settlement That Recognized the Fall
The case resolved in early 2026 with a $105,000 settlement. The agreement recognized the seriousness of a fall from height and the impact on a young worker at the very start of his working life.
Falls are the number-one cause of serious injury in construction, and defective or failed fall-protection equipment makes an already dangerous job deadly. A young worker who follows the safety rules and is failed by his equipment deserves full compensation — for his injury and for the medical bills that come with it. This result shows that a roof fall caused by failed safety gear is exactly the kind of case that must be taken seriously.
For a worker only 25 years old, a wrist injury can threaten an entire career built on physical labor, and extensive medical treatment can generate bills that dwarf a person’s savings. A recovery has to reflect both the injury itself and the financial hole it creates. Ensuring those medical costs are addressed — rather than left on the worker — is a core part of doing this work right.
He clipped into his harness like he was trained to. It broke, and he fell two stories. When the safety gear fails, the worker still has rights — and here, a $105,000 recovery.
If you fell from a roof or scaffold — or your harness, ladder, or other safety equipment failed — our Illinois workers’ compensation attorneys can help you recover what you rightfully deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
