People who work construction in New York are a common part of the city landscape. They serve an important function in building and maintaining structures and, for the most part, do their jobs safely while adhering to the law. However, it is a reality that the jobs these people do can be dangerous to them and to people in the vicinity. When people are involved in construction and suffer head injuries, back injuries, or other damages and are hurt or lose their lives, it is imperative for the family to understand the steps to take to seek compensation in a lawsuit.
The danger of falling objects was shown when a construction worker died after a piece of equipment fell off the roof of the site and hit him on the head. The man was on the corner of the site when an anchoring bracket that supported a scaffolding broke off and fell. After the man was hit, he was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead. According to the Department of Buildings, the accident could have been prevented. At that specific address, there were six violations from October of last year to December of 2017. Three are still active. The plan is for the building to be used as office space.
Construction sites can be a dangerous place for workers and passersby alike. Workers are often stationed at great heights, use heavy equipment, and are working with large tools. Trust in other workers and the employer is inherent and sometimes misplaced as accidents occur. If there is a mistake at any link in the chain of putting the project in motion, it can lead to tragedy. The same is true for construction accidents that do not involve workers, but injure those who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Medical expenses, lost time at work and severe long-term problems can result from injuries suffered at a construction site. When there is a fatality, the family will need to learn to move on without their loved one. A full investigation is necessary to determine who is at fault so a lawsuit can be considered.
Source: amny.com, “Construction worker in Chelsea fatally struck by falling object, NYPD says,” Nicole Brown and Rajvi Desai, Dec. 19, 2017
