Construction site accidents kill and injure hundreds of thousands of workers each year. Working at a construction site is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States.
Construction accident statistics show that workers in the building industry are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than in any other industry. Two people are killed every week in a building site accident and almost all of the incidents were foreseeable and preventable.
Employers have a legal duty to minimize the risk of injury by taking reasonable care for the health and safety of an employee. The general contractor, and all subcontractors, are required to provide a reasonably safe site, to warn of hazards inherent in the site and work, to hire careful employees, to coordinate job safety and to supervise compliance with safety specifications.
An employer is required to provide competent co-workers, adequate materials and equipment, and a safe system of work with proper training and supervision.
When a construction site accident occurs, the owners, architects, insurance companies and manufacturers of equipment can be held responsible for inadequate safety provisions.
O’Malley & Langan deals with a wide range of claims arising from negligence including but not limited to, accidents involving cranes, forklift trucks and dumpers, the use of scaffolding, ladders and machinery both in construction and demolition work.
Defective or dangerous products may include the following: scaffolding, cranes, power tools, derricks, hoists, conveyors, woodworking tools, ladders, winches, trucks, graters, scrapers, tractors, bulldozers, forklifts, back hoes, heavy equipment, boilers, pressure vessels, gas detectors and other types of construction equipment.
If you are involved in a building or construction site accident contact O'Malley & Langan immediately.
To protect your legal right to compensation following a building site accident you should:
- Enter the construction accident details in the employer’s accident book as soon as possible after the accident. Try to enter the details yourself, or insist on seeing an entry as it is being made.
- Obtain and record the name, address and telephone number of any witnesses to the accident.
- Take photographs of the location of the construction accident.
- Write down all of the details of the accident as soon as possible including all events leading up to it.
- Take photographs of the machinery, plant or vehicles involved in the accident.
- Take photographs of any visible injury.
- Visit a Panel doctor or, if his/her name is posted, your doctor to record your injury and symptoms.
Compensation that may be claimed includes pain and suffering, loss of past and future earnings, damage to property and possessions, prescriptions, medical fees and therapy, care and assistance for household chores, traveling expenses and adapted transportation.
