Asylum seeker’s personal injury lawsuit
A man who entered the US from Kosovo illegally but was working as a painter has filed a personal injury lawsuit.
Jashar Maliqi, 43, reportedly entered the country via Canada in 2003 illegally, but soon began application for political asylum.
He was said to have been injured in a workplace accident after a large mail cart fell on him.
The mail cart, he claimed, was negligently handled by a building porter and that it caused him serious back and neck injuries requiring major cervical surgery.
The man’s compensation case and his immigration proceedings were said to have become intertwined.
His lawyer claimed Maliqi was unfavourably referred to and references to Sept 11, 2001 were in his immigration case.
Although he was considered an undocumented worker, a jury was instructed by the judge to consider his status as not illegal and to also consider the possibility that he could be deported if his application for asylum failed, and how this will impact on his ability to earn a living or pay medical bills.
The jury ruled in his favour, awarding him $1.68 million in compensation with no future damages, but they concluded he would be denied political asylum.
Updated on 30/06/2009