The Manhattan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Meghan Brown, a 36-year-old former employee of JP Morgan, granting her a compensation of $35 million (around ₹292 crore). This decision comes after a horrific incident in 2015 where a glass door in a New York City building unexpectedly broke, causing her severe and permanent brain damage.

The court case, which lasted three weeks, included the presentation of a shocking CCTV video that has since gone viral on social media. The footage shows a 7.5-foot-tall lobby door shattering as Brown was exiting the building after a physical therapy session.

“I recall seeing shards of glass scattered all over the lobby and around me,” Brown recounted to the Manhattan Supreme Court. She added that she doesn’t remember the exact moment the door broke but recalls lying on the floor with people rushing to her aid amidst the glass debris.

The dreadful event at 271 Madison Avenue resulted in a traumatic brain injury for Brown, marking the end of her promising career in investment banking. Brown informed the Manhattan Supreme Court that the injuries led to her losing her position as a high-level analyst at JP Morgan. The incident not only cost her job but also impaired her ability to perform everyday tasks and even affected her personal life.

Brown’s sense of smell and taste were affected, and she completely lost her proficiency in Spanish, a language she was once fluent in. “One of the biggest issues I face with my brain is that I can’t rely on it,” Brown was quoted as saying during her emotional testimony on March 12.

She later revealed to the court that she was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and her executive functions have slowed down. Her memory, focus, and vocabulary have all been adversely affected.

JP Morgan
Image : India Times

Building’s History

Brown also brought to the court’s attention that the building had a history of issues with the glass door shattering on two previous occasions — once in 2010 and again in 2014. She argued that a crack in the door was the cause of the incident.

A year after the incident, Brown returned to JP Morgan, but her performance was not the same, and she was ultimately let go in 2021. She briefly worked for a cryptocurrency company but was also dismissed from that position. “She keeps trying but just can’t perform,” her lawyer stated.

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