Recently, three workers sustained injury on a construction site in New York City. DNA Info reports that the three workers were on the site of a luxury apartment building being constructed on 92nd Street. An electrical fire broke out on the 23rd floor at approximately 9:48 AM. Two of the three workers were taken to New York Presbyterian/Weill-Cornell Medical Center in order to get burn injuries treated that had occurred in the fire. The third worker, who also suffered burns, did not accept transport to the medical care center.
Electrical fires can be dangerous or deadly for workers, and burn injuries can be serious and costly to treat. Any worker who does become caught in a fire should have a comprehensive medical exam following the incident to determine the severity of burn injuries and to make an assessment on whether any other health damage occurred, such as physical harm due to smoke inhalation.
A New York workers’ compensation law firm can provide assistance to workers in getting their bills paid and their costs covered for treatment, time missed from work, and other burn injuries that occur due to a fire on-the-job.
Workplace Fires Can Have Long-Lasting Consequences for Victims
An electrician who was present at the scene of the recent fire described the incident which occurred. He said that one of his co-workers touched a panel which was “hot, and then ‘boom,’ an explosion.” Unfortunately, a fire can break out in an instant whenever there is work being done with electrical wires.
The construction workers who sustained injuries reportedly suffered burns on the sides and arms, and one man was burned on the neck. These burn injuries, as well as other injuries due to smoke inhalation, can also occur within a seconds when a fire occurs.
Burns, depending upon their severity, can require skin grafting and plastic surgery to treat. Permanent scarring is often possible when a burn injury has been sustained, especially when burns are severe as a result of an electrical fire.
If the burn injuries occur due to a fire on any job site, the injured workers can receive full coverage for all of their medical bills if they are able to make a successful workers’ compensation claim. The worker will need to demonstrate the injuries are work-related, which should be an easy task when the fire happens on a construction site where the employee was doing his or her work duties.
The injured worker is entitled to all medical treatment made reasonably necessary by the work-related burn injuries, which can include plastic surgery due to scarring as well as comprehensive and ongoing treatment for all other physical harm that the burns have caused. If the burn injuries or treatment process requires time missed from work, disability benefits and lost wages should also be provided by workers’ comp.
Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff can assist employees harmed as a result of an electrical fire. Give us a call today for assistance in making a benefits claim.
