Brandon Afoa , 33 , of Puyallup was operating a tug to push back aircraft at King County Superior Court when the brakes and steering failed , causing him to crash into a luggage lift . The incident , which took place on December 26 , 2007 , left Afoa unable to use his legs or right arm . For years the case was locked in courts because the Port of Seattle claimed it was n't liable as Afoa worked for a private company . However , the state supreme court ruled the airport operator had a 'duty ' to provide a safe working environment . A jury awarded the judgment on Tuesday .
Brandon Afoa , 33 , of Puyallup was operating a tug to push back aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport when the brakes and steering failed , causing him to crash into a luggage lift . The incident , which took place on December 26 , 2007 , left Afoa unable to use his legs or right arm . For years the case was locked in courts because the Port of Seattle claimed it was n't liable as Afoa worked for a private company . However , the state supreme court ruled the airport operator had a 'duty ' to provide a safe working environment . A jury awarded the judgment on Tuesday .