HARTFORD, CT — Five years ago, Juan "Mikey" Cruz's life changed forever — and not in a good way.

An industrial accident at a Hartford warehouse dropped a 1,300-pound load of lighting equipment off a rack that was 20-feet high right on top of Cruz, now 48.

The results were devastating. His spine was, literally, snapped in half.

Cruz will never walk again, with his paralysis being from the belly button down, according to his attorneys.

Lawyers were hired, lawsuits were filed and on Wednesday, Oct. 5, Cruz and his wife, Emily Cruz, were awarded what is believed to be the highest-ever award for a civil lawsuit in Connecticut.

The jaw-dropping, $100 million figure was handed out by a six-person jury in Hartford Superior Court, according to the firm representing Cruz, the Connecticut Trial Firm based in Glastonbury.

According to the plaintiffs, the defendant — Philips Lighting, which is now known as Signify North America Corp. — failed to shrink wrap the equipment on the pallet, resulting in an unsecure load and the horrific accident on Sept. 17, 2017.

Cruz was represented by Attorney Andrew Garza, lead trial attorney and a Connecticut Trial Firm partner.

Garza was joined by attorneys Ryan McKeen (a fellow partner and chief executive of the firm), Andrew Ranks and Alexa Mahony.

“This case wasn’t simply about negligence. It’s about a family’s life being turned upside down by a catastrophic event that took away a man’s ability to work, function in his day-to-day, and get on the floor to play with his grandkids,” said Garza in a statement to Patch Friday morning. “The most infuriating part is that it was 100 percent preventable.”

“This is an outcome that they deserve,” added McKeen. “Their lives will never be the same, but I hope that this verdict makes both Mikey and Emily feel seen and heard.”

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