Brooklyn Worker Dies after Fall from Ladder

A 44-year-old Brooklyn man died after he fell off a ladder and hit his head while he was working on the boiler system at Eisenhower Hall at West Point. According to Recordonline.com, the man was taken to the Keller Army Community Hospital for treatment and was later transferred to the Westchester Medical Center where he died of a severe head injury. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating to determine the cause of this fatal accident. The investigation is expected to take about six months.
According to OSHA, 4,547 workers died on the job in 2010 in the United States. Of those deaths, 4,070 were in the construction industry and the remaining fatalities were in other industries. The most common type of accident leading to workplace fatalities is falls, which made up 35 percent of all worker deaths last year. The improper use of ladders was one of OSHA’s top 10 most frequently cited violations last year. Scaffolding, fall protection, and falls off ladders were also among the top 10 violations.
Common injuries that happen at the workplace can include falls, electrocution, and machinery malfunctions. Employers are expected to provide safe work environments for their workers including providing all necessary safety equipment such as hard hats, harnesses, vests, and safety goggles. It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the building or site being worked on meets OSHA standards.
Those who were injured in a workplace accident may be able to seek compensation by filing for workers compensation benefits to cover medical bills or lost wages. Families of workers who were fatally injured on the job may also seek workers compensation benefits from the employer. Companies are required to provide this kind of coverage for their workers. Cases that involve third-party negligence can mean additional compensation for the victim or his or her family if a civil lawsuit is filed. For instance, if the fall occurred due to a defective ladder, the manufacturer of the defective product can also be held liable. Examples of third parties include, but are not limited to, general contractors, sub-contractors, property owners, defective product manufacturers, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident or work-related accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can offer you more information about pursuing your legal rights. Please call our offices at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
www.work4youlaw.com
Source: Recordonline.com