What is Construction Accidents Law? This deals with the personal injury and wrongful death cases resulting from construction accidents, as well as the safety laws, regulations and standards governing the construction industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the governing regulatory body for construction site safety. Most states have also adopted some form of safety regulations.
Construction accidents can range from minor to catastrophic, and frequently result in death. The types of injuries one can sustain from these accidents include: amputations; blindness; deafness; broken bones, back; burns; coma; concussion; paralysis; severed spinal cord; Traumatic Brain Injury; and much more. These accidents can result from the negligence of others, faulty construction equipment; defective products; defective machines; inadequate safety or equipment training, as well as negligent or reckless co-workers.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT CLAIMS WE HANDLE
Veteran construction workers know the dangers they face on the job site. Falls are the biggest hazard in construction work, accounting for the most worker deaths. Lack of fall protection is also the most commond safety citation issued by OSHA.
If you work in construction and suffered a fall (or your loved one died as a result of a fall on a construction site), Patrick Daniel Law can help. Our firm also has experience handling claims involving accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by electrocution, hazardous chemicals, and more:
- Falls from scaffolding: All scaffolds should have guardrails to protect workers from falling when they are high above the ground. Missing and poorly constructed guardrails (as well as faulty harnesses and other gear) can cause workers to fall. Workers may also fall due to slippery or uneven walkways on the scaffold, trip over tools and other equipment, etc.
- Objects falling from scaffolds: Though falls are the leading cause of death on construction sites, many workers are also killed each year from being struck by falling objects. Scaffolds extend many stories into the air. When tools, equipment, materials, and other objects fall from such a height, workers in the path of the falling object can sustain severe head trauma and other injuries.
- Electrocution: Foremen and project managers always need to be aware of overhead power lines as construction progresses. If scaffolding is erected without accounting for the swaying of power lines, workers on the scaffold may be electrocuted if the overhead wires come into contact with the structure or workers at heights.
- Scaffolding collapse: One of the most serious types of scaffolding accidents, collapses are often caused by faulty construction and excess weight. A collapse may affect only one section of planking on the scaffold, causing workers in that area to fall, or the entire structure may collapse.
Multiple legal issues may be involved in a scaffold accident. Our Houston construction accident lawyer at Patrick Daniel Law investigates the construction of the scaffolding, the quality of the materials, and other factors to determine who is responsible.
AERIAL LIFT ACCIDENTS
Faulty design and manufacturing can turn the tools and equipment construction workers use every day into an accident waiting to happen. Aerial lifts are one of the machines on a job site most prone to failure.
Telescopic and articulating boom lifts move workers and materials to high and difficult-to-access areas. A telescoping or articulating hydraulic arm lifts a bucket that serves as a mobile elevated platform for workers to perform jobs at heights.
Despite their utility, these aerial lifts are subject to a number of serious safety issues.
Patrick Daniel Law is currently investigating defective product claims involving Genie boom lifts. Genie recently issued a consumer alert for select telescopic boom lifts due to a risk that the bolts connecting the rotating turntable to the mobile base may become unsecured. Loose bolts can cause the lift to tip over and fall and/or collapse.