An airport worker has been awarded $40 million in compensation for a freak runway accident which left him paralyzed from the waist down more than seven years ago. Brandon Afoa, 33, of Puyallup, Washington, was operating a tug to push 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 at 2am on December 26, 2007, left Afoa unable to use his legs or right arm. Much of his intestinal tract also had to be removed by surgeons. Afoa went on to sue Port of Seattle - which owns and operates the Sea-Tac airport - in King County Superior Court, saying that the company failed to maintain a safe workplace. Closure: An airport worker has been awarded $40 million in compensation for a freak runway accident which left him paralyzed from the waist down more than seven years ago . But for years the case was locked in the courts because the Port of Seattle claimed it wasn't liable for what happened as Afoa worked for a private firm. In a bid to move things forward, the state supreme court finally ruled in 2013 that the airport had a 'duty' to provide a safe working environment. On Tuesday a King County jury awarded Afoa $40 million because of what the incident has done to his life. Indeed, the paraplegic needs round-the-clock help from caregivers just to survive. In the courtroom a panel was shown video footage of Afoa being craned from his bed by a special lift to a commode and undergoing therapy. Jurors went on to apportion 25per cent of the blame for the accident to the Port of Seattle. Meanwhile, a number of airlines which weren’t part of the lawsuit will pay the rest of the money owed. This is because they had contracts with Afoa's previous employer - Evergreen Aviation Ground Logistics Enterprises - which has since gone out of business. Commenting on the outcome, Afoa told KOMO-TV: 'It was a relief and I'm very thankful for the jury for making an awesome decision.' In a statement, the Port of Seattle expressed its sympathies to Afoa and his family for the accident. The agency says it's reviewing the decision. If it decides to appeal the verdict, it could delay payment of Afoa's award.
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 wasn'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 .