Since construction sites are places with the potential for many serious injuries, those who work there may be grateful for workers’ compensation benefits that cover their medical bills and other expenses if they should get hurt. However, sometimes construction accidents are the result of someone other than one’s employer or may result from irresponsible actions on the part of a contractor. When this happens, California employees may have questions about how they can recover compensation for their damages.
One recent construction site accident in another state is currently under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Authorities want to know why a heavy bundle of steel rebar came loose and fell from a crane as it lifted the load from the ground to a higher area on the construction project. The rebar fell onto six workers below, trapping them and, in two cases, impaling them. Co-workers raced to help free the men, and rescuers employed special operations to avoid further injuring the victims.
One of the workers was placed on a ventilator after arriving at the trauma center by helicopter. Others remain hospitalized with serious injuries. It is uncertain why the crane malfunctioned and the rebar fell, but the answer may determine the course of action for authorities and the families of those injured workers.
While construction is an inherently dangerous job, workers should be able to perform their duties in a reasonably safe environment. Unfortunately, injuries from falling objects are all too common on construction sites. Those who suffer third-party injuries in construction accidents have every right to inquire about their legal rights to pursue compensation through the civil courts.