The construction industry is one of the most dangerous for workers, resulting in thousands of deaths every year. Construction workers have to operate heavy machinery, work alongside busy highways, work from great heights, and use dangerous tools every day of their careers.
Construction site managers do their best to ensure the safety of workers, but unfortunately accidents still occur. When due care and proper attention could have prevented these accidents, the victims have the option to file personal injury lawsuits. And you should contact the Riverside personal injury attorneys at Estey & Bomberger, LLP for assistance with your lawsuit. You’ll not only increase your chances for a higher settlement, but they will also help expedite the process.
Work Site Accident Injuries and Fatalities
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) strives to make our nation’s work sites safer for employees. OSHA establishes certain standards of operation to increase workplace safety. While on average worker deaths in America are decreasing thanks to the efforts of OSHA, employers, unions, and safety and health professionals, employees still suffer fatal injuries every day. In 2014 alone, 4,821 workers died on the job – more than 13 deaths per day.
On average, one in five worker deaths are in the construction industry. OSHA identifies four main reasons for construction worker death, known as the “Fatal Four.” Employers can often avoid each of these causes of death with better training, greater safety awareness, and attention to detail.
In order, starting with the most common, the Fatal Four for Work Site Accidents are:
1. Falls
2. Electrocutions
3. Struck by an Object
4. Caught In or Between an Object
OSHA investigates every fatal workplace accident in the construction industry and cites broken standards to improve industry safety in the future. OSHA cites the top most frequently standard issues as lack of fall protection, failure to communicate, and failure to meet scaffolding requirements. All of these issues can easily result in deadly accidents.
Family Compensation for Work Site Injuries or Wrongful Death
Construction workers who pass away from their injuries often leave behind loved ones who suffer losses of companionship and financial support. These families may wonder about the cause of the wrongful death accident and whether someone’s negligence was to blame. When construction workers survive traumatic accidents, they’re left with extensive injuries, both physical and emotional.
Common construction worker injuries include broken bones, contusions, crush injuries, amputations, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, burns, illnesses due to toxic substances, and respiratory problems. Some construction workers may suffer a devastating injury resulting in permanent disability, such as brain damage or paralysis. Others may suffer a cancer-diagnosis from long-term exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace cause.
No matter what type of injury a construction worker suffers in a workplace accident, he or she deserves the attention of an experienced personal injury attorney. Filing a claim against a negligent equipment manufacturer, construction site manager, or employer gives injured victims the chance to obtain compensation for pain and suffering, medical costs, lost earning capacity, and lost wages. If a construction accident resulted in wrongful death, the surviving family members can sue for loss of consortium and other damages.
Take Action Against Negligence: Construction Site Accidents in Riverside
Too often, negligence and carelessness in the workplace lead to unsafe conditions such as unstable scaffoldings, live electrical wires on the ground, and malfunctioning machinery. Estey & Bomberger are passionate about protecting the rights of construction workers injured or killed in negligence-related accidents. We have a thorough understanding of federal and California state workplace laws and safety regulations, and we know when victims should file a personal injury claim instead of a workers’ compensation claim.
We’ll do our best to settle your case without going to trial, but if it’s necessary to go to court to obtain the compensation your injuries deserve, our attorneys have the skill to do so effectively. When you need experienced legal representation for you or a family member’s construction accident injury, contact our team at Estey & Bomberger, LLP in Riverside today for a free case evaluation.
