A 47-year-old worker was killed and another 40-year-old victim suffered critical injuries in a construction accident in Brooklyn that involved a trench collapse. According to news reports, firefighters responded to the incident the morning of Feb. 26 on Jefferson Street in Bushwick. New York City’s Department of Buildings officials said the incident occurred at two-story building that was under permit for foundation work to make the building taller.
Inspectors said a portion of the rubble foundation collapsed, injuring the workers. The DOB issued a full stop-work order at the site and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation into the incident. Our deepest condolences go out to the family of the deceased construction worker. We also wish the injured worker the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Trench collapses are among the most dangerous types of worksite accidents because the heavy soil around the trench can fall suddenly and bury the victim before there’s time to escape. There are a number of reasons why such construction site accidents occur. One major factor is the failure to implement proper protective systems such as shoring, sloping or trench boxes that support walls and prevent cave-ins. OSHA mandates these systems for trenches deeper than 5 feet, but when they are absent, improperly installed or removed prematurely, the risk of a trench collapse significantly increases.
Soil conditions and water also play a role. Rain, groundwater, freeze-thaw cycles and unstable soils like sandy or silty deposits can weaken trench walls and make them more likely to give way. Heavy vibrations from nearby machinery or traffic and placing heavy equipment or excavated dirt too close to trench edges add stress to the soil, further destabilizing trenches. Inadequate inspections, poor training, and neglecting OSHA safety regulations by employers or contractors also contribute to these preventable accidents as well.
Trench collapse accidents often cause catastrophic and life-threatening injuries because soil is extremely heavy. Just one cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a small car. When a trench wall gives way, workers can be buried within seconds, leading to crush injuries such as broken bones, spinal cord damage and severe internal trauma. The intense pressure from compacted soil can compress the chest, causing traumatic asphyxiation, which prevents the lungs from expanding and can quickly lead to suffocation. Victims may also suffer head injuries, including concussions or traumatic brain injuries if struck by falling debris or equipment during the collapse.
In addition to immediate trauma, trench collapses can cause long-term medical complications. Survivors may experience nerve damage, organ failure or compartment syndrome due to prolonged compression of limbs. Oxygen deprivation can result in permanent brain damage. Emotional and psychological injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, are also common after such terrifying incidents. Even when workers survive, recovery is often lengthy and may require multiple surgeries, rehabilitation and ongoing medical care, significantly affecting their ability to return to work.
Injured construction workers can seek compensation for damages including but not limited to medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. 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. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
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, paraplegia cases 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.
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
Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/construction-trench-collapsed-one-dead-brooklyn/
https://gothamist.com/news/1-man-dead-another-critically-injured-in-bushwick-wall-collapse-nyc-officials-say