A worker was fatally injured in a Brooklyn construction accident where crews were building a hotel. According to a Pix11 news report, the incident occurred at 61 Bond Street in Boerum Hill. Police said the 43-year-old man from Bronx was found unconscious with severe head and body trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses told police the worker was hit by a crane hook and fell to his death at the site.
The city’s Department of Buildings is investigating the case and is looking into whether the construction site had the right permits. This site is one of several construction zones in Brooklyn. Residents have apparently expressed concerns about the increase in construction activity in the neighborhood and have been worried about safety.
Increase in NYC Construction Fatalities
Recent reports show that construction accident fatalities in New York City are on the rise. Bill de Blasio’s administration says the number of construction accidents hit 500 in the first half of 2016 compared to 314 the previous year, which is a 59 percent increase from 2015 and more than a 200 percent increase from 2012. In 2015, the city saw 11 construction accident deaths, up from eight the previous year. The sad fact is that a number of these tragedies are avoidable and can be prevented by following basic safety measures.
Struck-By Accidents
Struck-by accidents are part of the construction’s industry’s “fatal four,” which means they are one of the four leading causes of construction fatalities. Struck-by injuries are produced by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment. Struck-by hazards may resemble falls or even caught in/between accidents. The top four causes of construction deaths include falls, electrocution, caught in/between and struck-by incidents.
Construction workers may be struck by flying, falling, swinging or rolling objects at the worksite. On-the-job fatalities caused by struck-by hazards are a serious concern. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report in 2009, contact with objects and equipment is 17 percent of the total 4,340 fatal work injuries. Of that the sub-category of struck-by injuries was 10 percent, accounting for more than half of such injuries. BLS statistics show that cranes are a common cause of struck-by injuries. Workers may get struck by a collapsing crane or by a crane load or other crane parts. These types of accidents may lead to devastating or catastrophic injuries and in some cases, death.
Again, taking the appropriate safety measures at work sites can help prevent these types of accidents. Construction companies, owners, managing agents and general contractors, etc. have a duty and a legal obligation to provide safe working environments for construction workers. It is important that workers receive not just training on how to do their jobs, but also with regard to how to use safety equipment. They need personal protective equipment such as fall protection devices in order to do their jobs safely and effectively. A formal investigation may shed a lot of light and determine what exactly caused a fatal construction accident. Depending on the nature and circumstances of the incident, a number of parties may potentially be held liable for the injuries and damages caused.
Compensation for Workers and Families
If you have been injured in a construction accident or have lost a loved one in a construction accident, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages and losses. Injured workers may be able to seek workers’ compensation benefits, which usually cover all medical expenses and a portion of lost income. In addition, they may be able to file a third-party claim for significant monetary damages against a party other than the employer or co-employee. Examples of third parties include, but are not limited to, general contractors, sub-contractors, property owners, property managers, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help victims of construction accidents better understand their legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for them. 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.
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 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 TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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Source: http://pix11.com/2016/10/11/one-injured-in-serious-construction-incident-in-brooklyn-ems/