Construction work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. It is estimated that:
• Over 155,000 construction workers were injured in on the job accidents in the last year
• 10% of construction workers will be injured this year
• Falls account for the most common injuries, either from height or from the same level.
• The back is the most frequently injured part of the body, followed by the legs, arms and hands
• Most injured construction workers miss more than 30 days of work after their accidents Causes of Construction Site Injuries There are literally thousands of potential hazards on a construction site. Heavy equipment, dangerous chemicals and rushed production schedules can increase the injury rates of workers and even people in the surrounding areas. Most injuries on construction sites involve:
• falls
• collapses or cave-ins
• power tool accidents
• electrical hazards
• exposure to potentially dangerous materials such as asbestos, lead, benzene and vinyl chloride
• electrocution
• trench accidents
• welding accidents or other equipment malfunction Like most American workers, construction industry employees are legally entitled to a workplace free of hazards and foreseeable accidents. Unfortunately, workplace injury in construction runs significantly higher than the national average. In fact, statistics show that in the last year, construction had the second highest number of workplace fatalities in the country and accounted for an above average number of days lost due to illness or injury. While the law does not allow construction workers to sue their employers while they collect workers' compensation benefits, injured construction employees are more likely to have a lawsuit than other employees because construction work typically involves multiple contractors. Types of Construction Site Injuries Sustained Common construction site injuries include:
• Spinal cord injury caused by falls or equipment failures on a construction site
• Head injury such as a traumatic brain injury caused by a crane or bulldozer accident
• Severe burns and disfigurement such as from fire or electrical or chemical burns
• Loss of limb or amputation such as loss of a hand or an arm in a defective or dangerous machinery accident or unsafe job site practices
• Other injuries such as a neck or back injury or other disabling condition caused by an accident at work What to Do if You Have been in a Construction Site Accident If you have been injured on a construction site, the first thing you should do is contact a doctor. After your injury is treated, then you should contact an experienced construction accident attorney for advice. You may be entitled to recover for damages such as:
• past and future medical expenses
• pain and suffering
• lost wages
• other damages incurred as a result of the injury No matter how you were injured - in a scaffold collapse, trip and fall, faulty wiring or by some other cause – please contact an experienced construction site injury lawyer to explain your rights and the possibilities for recovery of damages for your injuries suffered on the job. For more information, contact Silberstein, Awad, and Miklos in the Suffolk County area.
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