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Jury awards boy injured by falling TV $19 million September 24, 2007 (CHICAGO) - A jury awarded a 13-year-old Chicago boy $19 million on Monday for severe brain injuries he suffered when a television fell on his head during class at his Catholic school. Related Links Get Desktop Alerts Get ABC7 Newsletters A TV bolted to a stand toppled onto the child at St. Genevieve School on Oct. 30, 2003, when the then 9-year-old fourth-grader tugged on it, said Steve Passen, who represented the boy in the lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Chicago. "It was highly unsteady and unsafe to be around children -- that's the bottom line," Passen said after the two-week trial ended Monday. "I think ($19 million) is a fair amount, given the severity of his injuries." The boy was in a coma for several weeks and surgeons removed part of his skull. While he is now in the eighth grade, his cognitive abilities are at a third-grade level, he has a lame left arm and walks with a limp, Passen said. "He's a wonderful boy, but he has some significant issues," he said. A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese said it admitted liability at the trial, which focused on setting a damages amount. "It was an accident, so we did admit the liability," said Susan Burritt. "Basically, the Archdiocese has been primarily concerned for the future of the young person involved." In court, the Archdiocese argued the boy's injuries weren't as severe as the plaintiff's attorneys claimed and asked for a lower damages figure, Passen said. The boy now attends a Chicago public school, where he receives special instruction to address his disabilities, Passen said.
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