Garbageman gets $.5 M damages

A GARBAGE collector, injured in an accident while collecting bottles at the side of the road four years ago, was yesterday awarded $.5 million by a High Court judge.

Vishnu Rampersad, 42, of Vistabella, who was employed with Sanitary Disposal Services as a garbage collector, was collecting bottles at the side of the South-bound lane of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway on December 29, 1999, when a car ran off the road in the vicinity of the Preysal Flyover, overturned and pinned Rampersad to the ground. He suffered a fractured skull, with resulting brain damage, a broken arm and fractured limb. Rampersad sued the driver, Clyde Mann and the insurance company, B & L Insurance.

According to court records in the Sub-Registry, San Fernando, the insurance company filed a defence. Earlier this year, Rampersad’s attorney Shawn Roopnarine, successfully argued before Justice Nolan Bureaux for the court to strike out the defence.  The judge ordered damages be assessed to compensate Rampersad for his injuries. Yesterday morning, Master of the High Court (San Fernando) Patricia Sobion, awarded Rampersad general damages in the sum of $250,000. The insurance company is to pay the sum with interest at 12 per cent per annum from the date of the filing of the writ — 2000. For loss of earnings, Rampersad was ordered to be paid $150,000. Master Sobion awarded him special damages of $44,310 with interest at the rate of six per cent from 1999. Since the accident rendered him unable to work, she further ordered Rampersad be paid for future loss of earnings in the sum of $116,418.