Despite the fact that safety regulations have been enacted to help keep construction workers safe, accidents still happen. Construction accidents can be devastating for the workers and their families. Workers can suffer serious injuries leading to temporary or permanent disability. These injuries can make it difficult for these workers to continue providing for their families.
A recent construction accident has left two New York workers injured and hospitalized. According to reports, two bricklayers were working on a hotel project. They were working on scaffolding which was located above an elevator shaft. Apparently, the floor underneath the scaffolding gave way and the men fell four stories to the bottom of the elevator shaft.
Both of the bricklayers had to be airlifted to local hospitals. According to the police, one of the workers is in stable condition while the other is still in critical condition. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been called in to investigate this construction accident.
Workplace accidents like this one can leave workers seriously injured. Injured workers may have no choice but take time off of work to recover from these injuries. In some situations, workers may never be able to return to work. However, while these workers are injured, they still have expenses that must be paid.
In these circumstances, workers’ compensation is available to workers to help cover the expenses they have incurred as a result of a workplace accident. These expenses include lost wages, medical bills and rehabilitative costs. Workers’ compensation is available for most workers no matter if negligence played a role in the accident. It is a no-fault system. However, if someone’s negligence caused the accident, the workers may have additional legal claims.
Source: My Fox NY, “2 workers hospitalized after fall at NY hotel site,” Jan. 07, 2012