Injuries at a workplace can be quite serious. For people who work in construction, these dangers are pervasive. While construction work can be inherently dangerous to some extent, accidents are often preventable and avoidable.
When you or a loved on is harmed in a workplace accident, our Provo-based lawyers can help. We have years of experience with construction accident lawsuits, which includes disputes over workers’ compensation and wrongful death cases.
Crush injuries are a potential hazard at many construction sites around the country. Let’s consider what these kinds of accidents involve and why they need to be taken seriously.
What Are Crush Injuries at Work Sites?
A crush injury refers to cases in which a person or part of a person’s body gets trapped, caught, and crushed by another object. This could involve a vehicle, a tool, heavy equipment, building materials, or any objects that may be common around construction sites. This also refers to cave-ins of tunnels or structures under which a person is working.
Crush Accidents and the OSHA Fatal Four
Crush accidents are part of what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identifies as the “Fatal Four”. This refers to the most common kinds of deadly accidents that occur at constructions sites across the country. Below is a list of the Fatal Four and the average percentage of annual construction accidents these incidents comprise:
- Falls – 39.9%
- Electrocutions – 8.2%
- Struck by Object – 8.1%
- Crushed, Caught In, or Caught Between – 1.3%
Reasons Why Crush Accidents Happens
The reasons for crush accidents occurring can vary. Sometimes they are the result of inattention by other workers at a construction site. Other times they occur because of structural instability. There may also be other forms of negligence involved in these kinds of incidents. Whatever the case may be, crush accidents need to be taken seriously because injuries may be catastrophic or even fatal.
How Crush Accidents Can Change Your Life
The nature and severity of a crush accident will determine what sorts of lasting repercussions you will experience. If a limb is crushed or caught, it might be seriously mangled, resulting in broken bones and nerve damage. The affected limb may need to be amputated, or the use of the affected limb might be severely limited following the crush accident. This, in turn, can impact your livelihood, preventing you from performing tasks at your job or various activities in normal everyday life.
In the case of fatal crush injuries, the loss of a loved one is a major hardship. In addition to the emotional pain and suffering that comes with the death of a spouse, child, or parent, there is also a major financial burden associated with these tragedies.
How Construction Accident Attorneys Can Help
Our team of construction accident lawyers can carefully examine the circumstances of your case. They will offer expert legal counsel throughout, helping you understand your legal options and the damages to which you are entitled. Our lawyers can also provide guidance when filing workers compensation claims. This peace of mind can be crucial during a difficult time, and may be what’s needed to get your life back on track.
Contact the Lawyers of Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton
For more information about your legal rights and options following a major injury at a construction site or a workplace, be sure to contact our injury and accident lawyers today. Our attorneys will help you hold negligent parties accountable.