Structural failures that lead to building collapses can be extremely devastating, causing a variety of injuries and even loss of life. While they can be relatively rare, building collapses often have tragic consequences for victims and their families. A number of these types of catastrophic accidents can be prevented by complying with structural design guidelines and following safety protocols, adhering to inspection standards and following safety guidelines prescribed by agencies such as the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
If you have been injured in a construction accident that involved a building collapse or if you have lost a loved one as the result of such an incident, it is important that you contact an experienced New York construction accident lawyer to learn more about your legal rights and options.
What Causes Building Collapses
Building collapses occur due to a number of reasons. Some common causes of building collapses include:
• Structural instability
• Engineering errors
• Poor or substandard building materials
• Lack of adequate inspection
• Lack of proper maintenance
• Construction errors
• Mistakes made during demolition
• Explosions
Injuries from Building Collapse
Some of the common injuries suffered in a construction site building collapse include:
Broken bones or crushing injuries: These types of injuries may not be life-threatening, but often require significant treatment and rehabilitation, and may result in lifelong disabilities or even disfigurement.
Internal organ trauma: Not all injuries are external. Bodily trauma can cause internal bleeding and damage to internal organs that may not be visible. In such cases, it is critical to seek medical attention right away, even if you don’t have any visible injuries.
Head injuries or traumatic brain injuries: Injuries to the brain may range from concussions to bleeding in the brain. These types of injuries may prove disabling. Patients may require long-term rehabilitation and care.
Spinal cord trauma: Spinal cord injuries can affect the neck, shoulders, nerves and vertebrae in the spinal column. When these types of injuries occur, victims may suffer a variety of injuries including paralysis, nerve damage that results in pain and limited mobility and herniated discs.
Who is Liable in a Building Collapse?
There are a number of parties who can be held liable in a building collapse including:
• Construction companies and construction managers
• Property owners
• Contractors and subcontractors
• Property managers or property maintenance companies
• Manufacturers of defective products
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Workers who have been injured in accidents on the job may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits, which covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. In addition, workers may also be able to file a third-party claim against a negligent (careless) party other than the employer or co-employees for significant monetary damages and have two sources of compensation available for their losses. Examples of third parties include, but are not limited to, general contractors, construction companies, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents 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 who may be held liable for the fatal incident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction 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. For over 51 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses.
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, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, 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.
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