Two construction workers were injured after a man lift tipped over the morning of Nov. 27. According to a report on Syracuse.com, the accident was reported in Newport, New York, on Newport Road. An investigation found that four construction workers were working at the site when they tried to adjust some trusses. A loose truss fell and knocked the man lift over causing all the other trusses to fall.
A 41-year-old man had to be extricated from under the man lift and trusses. He was flown to an area hospital where he was expected to survive from his injuries. A 25-year-old worker who was injured was also transported to an area hospital where he was treated and released. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. We wish both the injured workers the very best for a quick and full recovery.
Construction Accidents in NYC
According to the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), construction site deaths were up 33% in 2019 compared to five years before that. Work site injuries were up a staggering 221% during that same period. As of 2019, there were about 45,000 active construction sites in the city. Building officials said nearly 25% of the sites are not in compliance with safety measures.
This year, the number of construction accidents and injuries did decline as worksites were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. Also this year, city officials increased the number of hours of safety training for all construction site workers – from 10 hours of safety training to 40 hours.
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), struck-by objects is a leading cause of construction-related deaths. About 75% of struck-by fatalities involve heavy equipment in construction sites. Workers are in danger of being hit by falling objects when they are underneath cranes, scaffolds, etc. or where overhead work is being performed. There is also the danger from flying objects when power tools or activities like pushing, pulling or prying may cause objects to dislodge or become airborne. Injuries in such cases may range from head injuries to fatalities.
Compensation for Injured Workers
Construction accident injuries can be debilitating and sometimes, even catastrophic. Some of the common types of injuries sustained in construction accidents include, but are not limited to, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, broken bones, internal organ injuries, limb amputations, etc. Workers may need emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgeries, and extensive rehabilitation to recover from their injuries. Sometimes, they may not be able to recover completely from their injuries and may lose their ability to earn a livelihood. This can be not only emotionally traumatic for victims, but also financially devastating for families.
Workers who have been injured in a construction accident can seek workers’ compensation benefits from their employer. In addition, workers and their families may be able to file a third-party lawsuit for substantial money damages against a number of parties, and thus have two sources of compensation.
Third-party claims are filed against parties other than the employer or co-employees and may include general contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents, construction companies, etc. In cases where a worker dies from injuries suffered on the job, surviving family members may seek death benefits through workers’ compensation and/or file a wrongful death claim against a third party.
Workers should receive job training and safety training in a language they can understand well. In addition, workers should be provided with the right equipment and gear such as hard hats, safety goggles, steel-toed boots, face shields, fall safety devices (harnesses, safety nets, etc.) so they can do their jobs safely.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you have suffered injuries in a construction-related accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job – one of the highest construction case settlements in New York that year. Our law firm also recovered $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.syracuse.com/crime/2020/11/construction-worker-flown-to-upstate-after-being-trapped-under-trusses-police-say.html