A New York workers’ compensation law firm helps many construction workers who get hurt, and many families whose loved one passed away because of a problem on a construction site. The construction field is a dangerous one, and many things could go wrong that leave construction professionals seriously injured or that take away their lives.
Although lots of different kinds of accidents can happen, the majority of fatalities in construction happen because of one of four causes, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The four causes, dubbed the fatal four, include fall injuries; being hit by an object; electrocution; and becoming trapped or caught in between something. Unfortunately, one construction worker in Queens recently joined the long list of construction workers who passed away due to getting trapped.
Becoming Caught Between is a Leading Cause of Injuries and Fatalities
New York Daily News reported on the death of the Queens construction worker. The death happened when the worker got caught between two objects.
The worker was a 28-year-old man who was driving a forklift shortly before the incident happened. He stopped his forklift in front of a van at approximately 12:35 PM and put the forklift in neutral. He got out of his forklift and walked towards the stopped van where he was going to load boxes. Tragically, the forklift rolled forward and trapped him in between the forklift and van. He was crushed in the incident, and he died at Elmhurst Hospital Center where he was transported after the accident happened.
It remains unclear exactly how or why the forklift began to roll towards the van, resulting in the worker becoming trapped. The forklift belongs to FDNY but is owned by Continental Lift Truck. According to the New York Daily News, a renal manager at Continental Lift Truck indicated that it was possible that the company had serviced the forklift at some time in the past.
This incident is one of many that will happen when workers get trapped in between pieces of machinery and/or vehicles. Workers on a construction site could also become trapped by falling objects, such as steel beams, or could be crushed by equipment like a crane.
Uncovering what happened and how the problem arose is important because a worker or his family may be able to pursue a civil personal injury or wrongful death claim against a third-party non-employer, in addition to being eligible for work injury benefits under NY’s workers’ compensation law.
If you are hurt because you become trapped by machinery or any other large objects at a construction site, you need to speak with Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff as soon as possible so you can find out what options are available to you for getting medical bills covered. Injured workers can also get disability income while families who have lost a loved one may be eligible for death benefits for dependents. Contact an attorney after an injury or fatality to find out more about getting these benefits.
