Philadelphia Construction Accident Lawyer
Construction workers perform one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. Despite the safety rules which apply to construction sites, workers in the building trades are often at high risk for serious injury. Hundreds of thousands of workers are injured and even killed in construction accidents each year.
While some workers are limited by law to collecting workers' compensation for their injuries, many workers are also able to recover damages from parties other than their employers or co?workers, who are partially or completely at fault for causing their injuries. For example, if an employee of a subcontractor is injured by an employee of a different subcontractor the injured employee can pursue a claim against other subcontractor for pain and suffering as well as lost wages. This is in addition to any claim the employee would have against his own employer for worker's compensation benefits.
Due to the complexity involved with construction accident cases, it is important to consult with a lawyer who is experienced in investigating construction injury claims. In addition there are unique theories in construction cases and all possible avenues of recovery should be explored. An experienced construction accident law firm can often identify defendants, causes of action, and evidence which a less experienced firm might overlook. Potential defendants include equipment manufacturers, architects, consultants as well as subcontractors.
Construction accidents occur for a variety reasons including the following:
- inadequate supervision;
- defective equipment;
- negligent blasting and tunneling procedures;
- wall and roof collapses;
- dropped loads;
- crane and aerial lift overturns;
- scaffolding and staging collapses;
- unprotected holes, floor openings, and open stairways;
- improper scaffolding procedures;
- improperly handled gases or chemicals
- improperly maintained access/egress areas;
- insufficient fall protection systems;
- insufficient bracing or support of concrete structures.
Scaffolding Accidents and Falling Accidents
Scaffolding accidents are one of the leading cause of construction site accidents and death. They often result from negligent assembly and maintenance. 10,000 accidents annually are related to scaffolds. Most of the injuries resulting from scaffold accidents are caused by either the planking or supports failing, or by the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object. Falling incidents account for roughly 25% of all construction worker fatalities - and most of these incidents result from the lack of, or improper use of safety equipment.
Crane Accidents
Crane accidents result in numerous deadly injuries each year. According to data recorded by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), crane accidents take as many as 50 lives in the U.S. each year. Contact between cranes and power lines is the most common cause of fatal accidents ?? roughly 40%. Contact with overhead power lines is a major cause of fatalities in the construction industry. As many as 100 workers are killed each year by inadvertent power line contacts. The other major causes of crane accidents include assembly and dismantling the crane (12%), boom buckling (8%), rigging failure (7%) and upset and crane overturning (7%).
Welding Injuries
Welders are exposed to a variety of on?the?job hazards. For example, the ultraviolet radiation generated by the electric arc in the welding process can cause severe burns to the skin and lens damage to the eyes. Workers who use flame cutting equipment are also exposed to infrared radiation, which can cause thermal burns. In addition, the intense light associated with welding, cutting, and brazing can produce a variety of eye problems, including damage to the retina.
Toxic Exposure and Explosions
Many construction projects require the use of compressed gases. Compressed gases create the potential for exposure to chemical and mechanical hazards. Gases can be flammable, combustible, explosive, poisonous, corrosive, or toxic. Flammable gases create the potential for fire or explosion. Toxic gases present a danger of asphyxiation, poisoning, and suffocation. In addition, because compressed gases are contained in pressurized metal containers, special storage and handling procedures must be followed to avoid a potential detonation of the container.
Proper and thorough investigation can be the difference in a successful claim.
Timely investigation of the accident is the key to identifying and prosecuting construction site accidents. The investigation may include interviewing witnesses, obtaining photographs of the accident location before there are any changes, obtaining copies of the work site plans and of the contracts between the General Contractor and the subcontractors, obtaining copies of any safety manuals used by the General Contractor and the subcontractors, working with construction site experts to establish who was at fault for the accident. Since early investigation and legal intervention is important you should obtain legal assistance immediately.
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