New York, NY – June 9, 2025 – Tradesman Program Managers has secured a landmark legal victory in Bronx County, one of the most notoriously challenging venues for defendants in New York. In a damages-only trial, where liability had already been granted under Labor Law 240(1), the jury delivered a verdict of $450,000 – a fraction of the $4 million sought by plaintiff’s counsel and even lower than Tradesman’s original $750,000 offer.
The plaintiff, a former professional soccer player, claimed a cascade of severe injuries in a construction worksite incident, including to his hand, wrist, shoulders, neck, spine, and knee, with an alleged need for over $700,000 in future medical costs. The claimant said he was struck by heavy beams and fell off a ladder while working in the Bronx in December 2018. The claim was aggressively pushed by the plaintiff’s law firm – a named defendant in Tradesman’s ongoing civil RICO litigation against coordinated fraud against New York’s construction and insurance industries.
Tradesman’s defense team executed a disciplined legal strategy that included surveillance video showing the plaintiff, after the alleged incident, playing soccer for over an hour – even heading the soccer ball – contradicting his claims of serious disability. Tradesman provided expert testimony demonstrating that certain injuries of the plaintiff were not trauma-related and caused by the alleged incident but were linked to the plaintiff’s former athletic career.
The Tradesman team conducted expert cross-examination which highlighted the inconsistencies between the plaintiff’s original ER records – limited to a hand laceration – and the wide array of injury claims the plaintiff had after he hired an attorney. In addition, Tradesman presented evidentiary motions which resulted in the exclusion of a projected lumbar fusion surgery from the plaintiff’s Life Care Plan, removing over $140,000 in inflated future medical projections.
Despite Tradesman’s repeated good-faith offers throughout the month-long trial, including offers exceeding seven figures, plaintiff’s counsel refused to meaningfully negotiate, even after the jury saw video of the plaintiff playing soccer. Moments before the verdict was read, plaintiff’s counsel lowered their demand to $3.5 million. The Tradesman team felt confident enough in their efforts to decline the offer.
The jury carefully scrutinized the medical records and expert testimony, ultimately ruling that the plaintiff’s knee and lower back injuries were not causally related to the accident and awarding only $50,000 for future medical care. The remainder of the award reflected moderate compensation for the verified injuries to the shoulder, hand, wrist, and neck.
“This was a tremendous outcome and a validation of our aggressive but fair approach to defending fraudulent or inflated claims,” said Jennifer Pymm, Associate General Counsel at Tradesman.
This result underscores Tradesman’s commitment to combating systemic fraud in New York’s construction injury landscape. It also highlights the company’s strategic discipline in taking cases to verdict when necessary, even in the most plaintiff-friendly venues.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our legal team and the unwavering commitment they demonstrated throughout this case,” said Tradesman CEO Dan Hickey. “Their sharp strategy speaks volumes – not just about their legal skills – but what happens when preparation and principle prevail.”
Media Contact:
Kristin Thorne
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
317-296-5870
ABOUT ROOSEVELT ROAD SPECIALTY AND TRADESMAN PROGRAM MANAGERS
Established in 2016, Roosevelt Road Specialty is a market-leading specialty managing general underwriter delivery expertly designed insurance solutions that empower brokers to serve clients faster, more accurately and with greater confidence.
In 2017, Roosevelt Road Specialty created Tradesman Program Managers – its reinsurance program for trade contractors and construction. Tradesman combines expert underwriting, state-of-the-art technology, comprehensive loss control and risk mitigation to address the unique risks of the construction industry.
In 2024, Roosevelt Road Specialty and Tradesman filed the first of four federal RICO lawsuits against doctors, lawyers and claimants in New York City and the greater New York metropolitan area allegedly widespread defrauding of the insurance and construction industries and workers’ compensation.
Learn more at www.rooseveltroadspecialty.com.
