Shop Worker to Receive Over One Million Dollars after Roof Fall

A pet store worker, who suffered permanently disabling brain injuries when falling through the roof of the shop in which he worked, is to receive more than one million dollars in personal injury compensation.

Omid Mehdavi (30) of Hayward, California, was helping police investigate a series of burglaries from the store in which he worked when the accident happened in November 2008. While on the roof of the store, showing a Fremont police officer where thieves may have entered the building, Omid stepped back to retrieve a ladder and fell fifteen feet through a skylight to the pavement below.

As a result of his fall, Omid suffered a skull fracture, brain trauma and broken clavicle, and now has permanent brain damage which requires that he take anti-seizure medication for the rest of his life.

After recovering from his initial injuries, Omid filed a claim against the city of Fremont, the police department and the owners of the shopping centre in which the pet store was located.

However, the day before the case was to be heard at the Alameda County Superior Court, a settlement was agreed totalling 1,075,000 dollars, with the city contributing 700,000 dollars and the owners of the shopping centre 375,000 – both parties denying liability for Omid´s injuries.