Every year, construction site accidents affect millions of Americans. Because of the inherent dangers involved in the construction industry, employees are at a substantially higher risk for injuries and death than other occupations. Many such cases are a direct result of a
company’s irresponsibility at the worksite.
Construction Site Accidents in the United States
OSHA is the governing body that determines and enforces safety precautions for all industries. In the construction industry, OSHA requires safety equipment and training to guard against falls, hazardous energy and materials, machinery, and more. When organizations don’t follow strict protocol, OSHA issues citations. Unfortunately, this happens quite often. In fact, citations for inadequate fall protection in the construction industry were the most
common citation in 2015. Sadly, this indicates how many lives are lost each year because of these preventable events.
According to OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, injuries from construction work can be deadly. According to their numbers,
4,679 workers died on the job in 2014 alone. The vast majority of these workers (one out of five to be exact) were in the construction industry. This field is particularly dangerous, and more than half of these workers died as a result of what the industry calls the “Fatal Four”:
- FALLS, accounting for 349 out of 874 deaths.
- ELECTROCUTIONS, making up 8.5% of deaths.
- FALLING OBJECTS caused 8.4% of fatal injuries.
- CAUGHT BETWEEN objects or machinery accounted for 1.4% of deaths.
What to Do After a Construction Site Fall
- Seek Medical Attention Immediately – There is no way to be assured you do not have a life-threatening injury until medical personnel can fully evaluate your condition.
- File a Report – The law requires you to file a report with your employer if physically possible, by detailing as much of the accident as you remember.
- Take Photographs – If possible, take pictures of the accident scene at the worksite capturing visual information that will assist you in telling your story of what happened during the incident.
- Meet with an Attorney – Contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in construction injury accidents to assist you in filling out all accident-related forms.
- Journal What You Recall – Maintain a journal containing all of your records and note every symptom, doctor visit and discussion with others.
- Request and Review All Reports – Request a copy of your accident report from your employer and fully review it to correct every inaccuracy.
Proving Negligence in a Construction Site Accident
To file a personal injury claim, courts expect you to prove your employer was negligent in some way, either because he or she failed to provide adequate safety equipment, trained you and/or coworkers improperly, forced you to work in unsafe conditions, or similar reasons. There are a multitude of ways employer negligence may have caused your accident, and your attorney will help you identify whether or not you have a case.
Contact an Experienced Construction Site Accident Attorney
The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert offers those who have suffered injuries on construction sites experienced legal help. We represent victims of construction site falls and other accidents in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Attorney Aaron A. Herbert is proud to be a part of the 2% of Board Certified Personal Injury attorneys in the state. We offer a free consultation and there is no fee or expense unless you recover. If you’re in the San Antonio area reach out to our
San Antonio Slip and Fall lawyers.
