Arizona Construction Accident Lawyer Blog

As Phoenix construction accident attorneys, we understand the importance of providing a safe work environment for employees in the construction profession. Because workers use heavy machinery such as cranes and forklifts, work high above the ground, work with electrical wiring, and oftentimes work with substances such as drywall and concrete, it is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that all safety regulations are followed with the utmost care.

Federal regulations are put in place to prevent safety hazards and employee injury or death. According to the CDC, employers should make sure that their work sites comply with all safety regulations before and during the time workers are at the job site. A few tips to help ensure worker safety include:

• Making sure all machinery operators have been properly trained


• Inspect and maintain cranes and other heavy machinery according to the manufacturer’s instructions


• Consider requiring special training or certification before hiring a new employee, even if it’s not required by law


• Utilize safe work practices when employees are working near power lines or other electrical areas

If proper safety standards are not followed in a construction zone, serious injury can occur. In 2008, 977 fatal injuries occurred in the construction and extraction fields alone, according to the United States Department of Labor. Many construction-related deaths are preventable.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an Arizona construction accident, the experienced attorneys at Breyer Law can help. We’ll give you honest answers to all of your questions so that you can make the best decision for you and your family. For more information, call one of our reputable Arizona construction accident attorneys at (602) 978-6400 today.

Most construction sites are bustling places filled with all different kinds of people, from construction company employees to subcontractors. When everyone follows the proper safety regulations, and remains in compliance with OSHA, workers are typically safe. With that said, there are time when a subcontractor may not follow proper protocol and an accident occurs. One type of construction site accident we’ve seen in Maricopa County involves falling objects – which can lead to severe injury and even death.

When these kinds of accidents do occur, the victim may have a right to file a personal injury claim in addition to filing for workers’ compensation. However, most times, workers aren’t allowed to bring a personal injury claim against their own employer. Known as the Exclusive Remedy, this means that to file a workers’ compensation claim, the workers cannot file a lawsuit against their employer or co-workers. But the rule does not prevent a worker from being allowed to file a personal injury claim against a subcontractor.

To find out whether or not your case would qualify for a personal injury lawsuit, you need the expertise of an experienced Mesa construction site accident lawyer. At Breyer Law Offices, we have experience in all kinds of construction accident cases and can give you honest answers and guidance, as well as educate you about all of your legal options, so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

Experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers will be able to evaluate your case in an honest, straightforward and realistic manner and help determine what types of damages you are entitled to in your particular case. However, in a construction accident, it is the insurance carrier who will first attempt to determine who was liable. If they determine that the worker was fully or partially responsible for the accident, they will try to reduce the value of the claim. Remember that insurance companies will certainly try to find any piece of evidence or an eyewitness who can help them establish that the accident was the worker's fault.

Other significant considerations in a construction accident claim include the seriousness of the injuries, the length of time taken to recover, the cost of medical and rehabilitative care, the possibility of long-term or permanent disability, loss of wages and future loss of earnings.

The construction company or the employer's role in the accident will and should be considered. Could the employer have better trained the worker for the job? Could the employer have prevented the injury by having safety devices in place? Did the employer allow a dangerous condition to exist at the work site? Did the employer maintain a safe working environment? These are all important questions to ask in a construction accident case. The damages an injured worker can claim include costs of medical care – both current and future, pain and suffering, wage loss, and lost earning capacity.

In most construction accident cases, the nature of the injuries, the impact of those injuries (both short-term and long-term) and the damages to seek may not be clear right away. You need the counsel and guidance of experienced Arizona personal injury lawyers who have successfully handled construction accident cases. If you or a loved one has been injured in an Arizona construction site, please call Breyer Law Offices P.C. for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will answer your questions, evaluate your case and help you secure the damages and compensation you rightfully deserve.

A number of construction accidents in Arizona, especially those relating to falls, are entirely preventable. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists specific guidelines about how workers should use scaffolds on constructions sites and what steps workers and their employers should take to prevent accidents and injuries.

Recently, a news article reported that a construction worker fell 15 feet from a scaffold at a building site. In this case, the worker did not sustain life-threatening injuries. It is indeed fortunate considering the height from which he fell. Hopefully, his injuries were not major. However, in many cases where workers fall from scaffolds, the injuries can keep them out of work for an extended period of time. As Phoenix construction accident lawyers, we have represented clients who have sustained severe back injuries as a result of a construction site fall. These injuries may require extensive treatment and therapy, which can also turn out to be very costly.

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According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 969 fatalities involving construction accidents in the country in 2008. There is no question that construction accidents cause numerous deaths and serious injuries in the United States. There are several reasons why construction accidents occur. There are also many ways by which workers can get injured while at a construction accident site. However, there are a few types of commonly occurring construction accidents. These are accidents that can be entirely prevented, but usually take place because of some type of negligence or failure to follow safety procedures.

These are some of the most common types of construction accidents:

• Falls are the most common types of accidents that occur at Arizona construction sites and are responsible for the most number of fatalities in the construction industry as a whole. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), one-third of all construction accident fatalities are caused by falls.


• Trench collapses can also be extremely hazardous to workers. A trench collapse can be caused by improper shoring, lack of supervision or large vehicles parked near the excavation.


• Electrocution accidents in Arizona can occur as a result of overhead or buried power lines at a construction site.

Continue reading "Tucson, Arizona Personal Injury Lawyer Discusses Common Types of Construction Accidents" »

The U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA) has imposed a $539,000 penalty on a construction company following the investigation of a roofing worker who fell 40 feet to his death. According to a statement on the Department of Labor's Web site, the company was cited for 10 "per-instance" willful citations for failing to protect their workers from falls.

OSHA officials began their investigation in August 2009 and discovered that the construction company failed to provide any fall protection to employees working on a pitched roof 40 feet off the ground. Also, the company failed to train a newly hired college student with regard to the dangers of roofing work and the adopting necessary safety measures. Officials say falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. Failure to provide employees with fall protection often causes serious injury or fatal constructions site accidents in Phoenix and throughout the state of Arizona.

Continue reading "Construction Company Slapped with OSHA Fine Over Worker Fatality" »

A construction worker died after he was struck by a forklift at the Phoenix Children's hospital expansion site. According to a KTAR news report, the worker suffered significant trauma. Firefighters attempted to resuscitate him, but pronounced the worker dead on the scene. Officials say the fatal construction accident in Phoenix seems to have occurred as the worker was bending over to pick something up.

According to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), most forklift accident fatalities and injuries can be attributed to lack of safe operating procedures, lack of safety rule enforcement and insufficient or inadequate training. Many employees are injured when lift trucks are inadvertently driven off loading docks, lifts fall between docks and an unsecured trailer or when they are struck by a forklift.

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The Brain Injury Association of America estimates that nearly 1.5 million Americans sustain a brain injury every year. More than 50,000 die each year as a result of a traumatic brain injury. Nearly one million Americans survive a brain injury, but must endure serious life changes and other challenges as a result.

Construction accidents, especially falls or being struck by falling objects, can result in traumatic brain injuries. These are catastrophic injuries, which means that they will affect the victim for the rest of his or her life.

Brain injuries can affect the way a person thinks, feels and acts. The most common symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include severe headaches, confusion, loss of consciousness, spinal fluid leaking out of nose or ears and dilated pupils. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms immediately or shortly after a construction accident, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Continue reading "Brain Injuries Caused by Phoenix, Arizona Construction Accidents" »

Falls are the leading cause of construction accident fatalities and injuries in the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that each year, approximately 150 to 200 construction workers die and more than 100,000 are injured as a result of falls at construction sites. OSHA lists several safety standards that employers are required to follow to keep their workers safe in construction sites.

Here are the most common requirements to prevent fall injuries and fatalities at Arizona construction sites:

• Where protection is required, employers must select fall protection systems such as guardrails, appropriate for given situations.


• Always use proper construction and installation of safety systems.


• Make sure employees are supervised properly.


• Use safe work procedures.


• Train workers in proper, selection, use and maintenance of fall protection systems.

Continue reading "Arizona Construction Accident Lawyers Help Workers Injured in Falls" »

Arizona construction accidents often result in serious, debilitating injuries. Like any injury accident, it is imperative that you get immediate medical attention if you have been involved in an Arizona construction accident. While getting prompt attention is important for your physical well-being, it is also important from the point of view of filing an injury claim. If you were injured on the job, you will be entitled to receive workers compensation benefits through your employer. Failing to get proper medical attention and treatment could jeopardize your claim on many levels.

Immediate investigation and preservation of evidence is also a critical part of proving a personal injury case involving construction accidents. Investigation in a construction accident usually involves careful examination of the scene soon after the incident. If there is a delay in this crucial part of an investigation, important evidence such as hazardous materials or defective machinery may get lost. An experienced Arizona construction accident lawyer can send a letter to your employer requesting that all evidence be preserved so it can be independently examined and documented. Prompt investigation and interviewing of witnesses who saw the accident is also critical to an injury case or claim.

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Construction accidents are very common but also very complex. In fact, most workers who suffer serious injury on a job site face any number of different sets of rules and guidelines that affect their abilities to move forward after their injury. There are OSHA regulations that govern the employer and there may be an OSHA investigation. There are guidelines that were set out by the employer for that job site, not to mention all the other employers who may have been out at the job site due to the various subcontractors. A workers’ compensation claim will be made, even though that can be contested by the workers’ compensation carrier. On top of all that, there is a potential personal injury claim that can be brought under certain circumstances.

This can be very overwhelming to the worker who is injured through no fault of their own. Thus, many injured workers and their families try to find the best construction accident personal injury lawyer in Arizona that they can find. However, they will not find a “top ten accident lawyer” list anywhere, in all likelihood. Instead, unfortunately, workers are left to fend for themselves.

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Many construction sites are filled with different subcontractors all going about their own job. When everybody follows the regulations of the job site, follows all safety measures, and stays in compliance with OSHA, worker safety if far more likely to occur. However, there are times when one subcontractor does not look out for the safety and well being of the other subs on the site. When this occurs, very often there can be falling objects on the job site which lead to very serious injury or even death of an innocent worker below.

When falling objects lead to serious injury or fatalities at a construction site, there may be a right to make claims above and beyond the workers’ compensation system.

However, there is a general prohibition against bringing a claim against ones own employer. This is known as the “exclusive remedy” provided by workers’ compensation, whereby an injured worker can make a workers’ compensation claim but cannot file a lawsuit against a fellow co worker or the construction company for which the injured worker was employed.

Continue reading "Construction Accident Lawyer in Arizona Discusses the Danger of Falling Objects On the Job Site" »

Construction sites are dangerous places for workers and very often serious injuries are suffered at the job site. Many times, improper use or maintenance of scaffolding directly contribute to serious injury or even the wrongful death of somebody who was on a job site.

Most construction workers in Arizona know that they have a right to make a workers’ compensation claim. However, many do not realize that in many cases where there have been injuries due to scaffolding issues in the State of Arizona, they may also have the right – in addition to their workers’ compensation claim – to make claims for personal injury in addition to those comp claims that can be very beneficial to them or to their loved ones.

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Construction site injuries are very often caused by a lack of fall protection on the job site. In fact, it has been stated that the lack of proper fall protection is the No. 1 cause of serious injury and wrongful death on construction sites throughout the country. When somebody has suffered a very serious injury or has died as a result of a fall on a construction site, there are certain things that most people expect.

Many people expect that OSHA and the Arizona enforcement arm of OSHA will do an investigation. Also, people have come to expect that the injured worker or the surviving family members of the injured worker will be able to make a workers’ compensation claim.

What many people do not recognize is that in addition to the benefits available under workers’ comp, there may also be rights available under the personal injury system in Arizona. These rights do not take away from, but actually add to, those rights available when a comp claim is made.

Continue reading "Arizona Injury Lawyer Discusses the Lack of Fall Protection at Construction Sites" »

Phoenix construction sites are inherently dangerous and prone to serious accidents because of the presence of heavy objects, machinery and equipment. Hundreds if not thousands of construction site workers in the United States are injured or killed due to falling objects. If you are a construction worker, you are at risk for being hit by falling objects when you are under cranes or scaffolds or where work is being done overhead. Also, there is the danger of being struck by falling or flying objects where power tools are being used. Activities such as pushing, pulling or prying may cause objects to become airborne. Injuries as a result of falling or flying objects may range from minor cuts or bruises to concussions, blindness, broken bones, brain injury or even death.

Often, the advice that is given to construction workers is: Wear your hard hats and protective gear. However, when a heavy object weighing thousands of pounds strikes a construction worker, even hard hats or other gear cannot fully protect them. A construction site worker recently died after a metal beam weighing about 1,500 pounds fell on him. The 40-year-old worker was trying to attach a safety cable to the beam when it fell. The fatal construction accident apparently occurred in an outdoor area where several beams were being erected. Officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.

Continue reading "Construction Accident Attorneys Help Those Injured from Falling items on Construction Site" »

Three construction site workers were hospitalized with critical injuries after they were electrocuted on the job. According to a news report, the workers were doing roof work on a commercial storage building. A ladder, which they were using to haul shingles up to the roof, fell backwards into a high tension power line. One worker sustained serious burns. The two other workers suffered cardiac arrest. All three were rushed to a local hospital. Police officials as well as investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are examining this accident.

According to the Center for Injury Sciences in Alabama, electrocution is the fifth leading cause of occupational injury deaths in the United States. It is particularly a danger faced by those who work near electrical lines such as electricians, utility workers and those employed in the construction and manufacturing industries. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that among 224 fatal electrocution incidents that were evaluated over a 12-year period dating back to 1994, workers did not follow proper safety procedures. In some cases, proper protective equipment was not worn. In some other cases, workers or supervisors were not provided with proper safety training. In a majority of the incidents, there was a failure to comply with OSHA and other federal safety regulations.

Continue reading "Electrocution at Construction Site Seriously Injures Three Workers - Raises Possible Need for Construction Injury Attorney " »

Falls are among the most common causes for Arizona construction accident fatalities. Falls can also result in catastrophic injuries that could disable a construction worker for the rest of his life. Such situations may impose severe financial and emotional strain on workers and their families. Injured victims typically receive Arizona worker's compensation benefits. However, when there are major or catastrophic injuries that prevent the worker from returning to work, worker's compensation benefits may not be adequate enough to compensate for past and future lost wages, continued treatment or care, or medical bills.

A recent news article reported an incident where a worker fell 12 feet at a construction site. The incident happened when the man stepped backward and fell on to an unfinished basement floor. The construction worker sustained head and internal injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Continue reading "Phoenix, Arizona Construction Site Injury Lawyer Addresses Serious Injury in Construction Site Fall" »

Trench collapses are one of the most common causes of construction site accidents in Arizona and elsewhere in the nation. According to a news report in the Shelby Star, a 30-year-old construction worker sustained fatal injuries after the dirt collapsed around him at a sewer line construction site. The man apparently fell into the hole. Workers rushed to dig him out of the collapsed trench. The worker was transported to an area hospital where he died shortly after the construction site accident.

Cave-ins are a deadly trenching hazard. There are also other dangers that lurk in trenches including asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen in a confined space, inhalation of toxic fumes, drowning, electrocution and explosions. In fact, the fatality rate for excavation work is 112 percent higher than the rate for general construction. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that workers in trenches and excavations be protected and that safety and health programs address the variety of dangers they face on the job. Trench collapses may be caused by lack of protective systems, unsafe access or exits, and failure to properly inspect the trench.

Continue reading "Injury Law Addresses Construction Site Trench Collapse Wrongful Death" »

Glendale, AZ construction accident attorneys and personal injury attorneys throughout the State of Arizona are extremely concerned about the increasing number of trench collapse accidents. These types of accidents can cause catastrophic injuries or death. A number of these trench cave-ins occur because construction companies fail to follow safety procedures or take preventive steps.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined a construction company about $55,000 for allowing a worker into a trench that was at risk of caving in, according to a recent news report. A federal inspector apparently found a construction worker in the 6-foot trench that had no safeguards in place to prevent a trench collapse. The trench had no ladder to facilitate an escape for the worker. Also, an excavator at the edge of the trench had caused soil and other debris to fall into the trench, OSHA officials said. The excavator operator was not wearing a high-visibility vest and the injury-and-illness log at the construction site was incomplete, which are also violations of federal standards.

Continue reading "Personal Injury Attorneys Help Workers Injured Due to Construction Negligence" »

Each year, a number of Arizona construction site fatalities and injuries occur due to falls. Recently, a construction worker was killed after he plunged three stories and landed on hard concrete. According to a news report, the fatal construction accident occurred at a residential site. The man died at the scene. It is not clear how or why the fatal fall occurred. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the cause of this accident.

According to the OSHA's web site, falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. An average of 362 fatal falls occurred each year from 1995 to 1999, a trend which is on the rise. In fact, falls from a higher elevation account for one-third of all construction accident deaths. It is extremely important that employers in the construction industry adopt safety and health programs to protect workers from falls on the job. Falls commonly occur at Arizona construction accident sites as a result of scaffold collapses, slip and falls, or structures being improperly secured or shored up.

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Working on and around ladders and stairways can be hazardous for Arizona construction site workers. In fact, stairways and ladders are among the major sources of injuries and fatalities for construction workers. Many of these injuries are serious enough to cause workers to take extended time off work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has rules and standards that apply to all stairways and ladders used in construction jobs such as painting, repair and demolition. Serious ladder injuries, like many other types of construction site accident injuries, are preventable.

A recent news report describes an incident where a construction worker fell 25 feet from a ladder into a concrete vault that was being built on site. The construction worker was apparently conscious when crews arrived, but he was in a lot of pain from enduring serious injuries. No one saw the man fall off the ladder. The worker was said to have been lying there for about five minutes before he was found by his co-workers. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of serious personal injuries.

Continue reading "Ladder Fall at Construction Site Leads - Personal Injury Construction Lawsuit Possible" »

A number of Arizona fatal construction site accidents occur each year as a result of heavy falling objects. According to an ABC news report, a construction worker was recently killed after a heavy granite slab fell on top of him, pinning him underneath. The fatal construction site accident occurred when four workers were removing stone slabs out of the back of a tractor-trailer. One of the heavy slabs shifted and fell on top of the worker. The man was crushed to death. The local police department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating this fatal accident.

In this particular case, it is not clear how or why the stone slab fell on the worker. In such situations, it is important to look into whether the workers who were involved received proper training to conduct such work. It is also critical to examine whether these employees received safety training. In addition, it is not clear whether a forklift was used to do this job or whether the accident occurred as a result of "load shifting."

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Arizona construction accidents often occur as a result of someone else's negligence. A construction site, simply because of the nature of the activity, is fraught with risk and danger. Unfortunately, these hazards can multiply very quickly when the people in a construction site lack the training, experience or the attention to detail, that they must have to conduct operations smoothly and safely.

A recent news article reported the death of a 58-year-old construction worker who fell to his death while helping build new dormitories on the campus of a university. The worker had apparently been walking up a slight incline when the operator of a forklift put the equipment in reverse and struck him. The man was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating this tragic incident.
According to the data compiled by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a government agency in the Department of Labor, forklift accidents claim 85 lives every year in the United States, while leaving 34,900 individuals with serious injuries and 61,800 individuals with minor injuries.

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Many Arizona construction workers each year are crushed by falling equipment, struck by swinging backhoes, run over, or pinned between vehicles and site walls or other equipment. Construction equipment is so large and heavy that sometimes, the probability that it will crush more than one worker when it topples over is quite high. Any time when there is overhead work being performed, workers face the risk of being hit by falling objects, heavy machinery or equipment. Such accidents will almost always result in catastrophic injuries or death because of the largeness and heaviness of this type of equipment. Even hard hats or other safety gear are no match for these humungous pieces of machinery.

A construction worker recently died in a construction site accident when a 100-foot-tall lift fell on him, according to a Fox News report. Another worker sustained serious injuries in the accident. He was also hit by the lift as it fell. The workers were helping with construction work on a performing arts center when the tragedy occurred. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating this fatal construction accident.

Continue reading "Arizona Construction Accident Lawyers Can Help Injury Victims Obtain Fair Compensation" »

Arizona construction sites are required to comply with federal and state safety standards. These standards are there for a reason – to ensure the safety and well-being of workers. It is the employer's duty to make sure that the work site is safe and free of any hazards. If death or serious physical harm results from a hazard that an employer should have known existed at the site, the employer can be slapped with a violation and fine from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency that monitors and investigates all work-related accidents and injuries.

Recently, OSHA cited a bridge and tower painting company after a worker fell to his death while painting a bridge site. OSHA investigators found that the fatal construction site accident occurred because of a lack of fall protection, training deficiencies, machine guarding issues and scaffolding hazards. In such cases, companies have 15 business days from the receipt of the latest citations and proposed penalties to comply and participate in an informal conference with OSHA officials to contest or appeal the findings.

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Scaffolding collapses can cause devastating injuries in Phoenix construction sites. Four construction companies are facing citations and hefty monetary penalties in connection with the deaths of three construction workers. Sadly, the deceased employees fell 100 feet to their deaths when the scaffolding they were working on failed and broke apart. According to a KVUE news report, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), issued citations and proposed penalties against the four construction companies that are working on the site.

The deaths were tragic indeed. But even more heart-wrenching is the fact that these three men could have been alive if only the scaffolding parts had been inspected and replaced or repaired as needed. One of the companies has been slapped with eight serious violations including one for failing to provide scaffolding capable of supporting four times the maximum load. Another company was cited for failing to provide a competent person to inspect a scaffold prior to use. Two other companies were cited for failing to provide adequate fall protection systems on scaffolds. The companies face nearly $160,000 in fines from OSHA.

Continue reading "Phoenix Construction Accident Attorneys File Personal Injury Claims on Behalf of Workers Injured in Scaffolding Accidents" »

Forklifts can cause serious accidents and devastating injuries in construction accident sites. Forklifts are industrial vehicles featuring a projected fork, which is inserted under the load to lift and move it from one place to another. Forklifts are quite commonly used in factories, industrial areas and Arizona construction sites where large loads need to be moved regularly. A number of forklift accidents are preventable and can be avoided by providing proper training to operators.
A recent news article reported that a construction worker sustained serious injuries in a hotel construction site after he was struck by a concrete slab being moved by a forklift, which suddenly shifted and flipped up. The concrete slab apparently hit the worker in the face and he was knocked unconscious. Workers at the site feared he may have suffered spinal or head injuries. The man was seriously injured, but is expected to recover.

According to the data compiled by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a government agency in the Department of Labor, forklift accidents claim 85 lives every year in the United States, while leaving 34,900 individuals with serious injuries and 61,800 individuals with minor injuries.

Continue reading "Worker Seriously Injured at Construction Site" »

Falls are a common cause of Arizona construction accidents. These construction site accidents could occur because of slips, loose embankments or trenches, or as a result of loose scaffolds. Whatever the cause, a fall from a higher elevation can cause devastating, even catastrophic, injuries to a construction worker including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and other types of back or neck injuries. Such serious personal injuries could prevent the worker from returning to his job for an extended period of time, thus causing tremendous financial strain. The sad truth is that most of these construction site accidents are entirely preventable.

A recent News 8 article reports a construction accident where a worker fell from the 31st floor of a hotel down to the 30th floor. The worker apparently fell more than 10 feet onto hard concrete. Rescue workers had to wrap the injured employee onto a backboard and carry him down three floors on a ladder because there was no elevator that went up to the construction site. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

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Construction equipment can cause serious injuries or even death in Arizona construction sites. Numerous construction accidents in Phoenix and elsewhere in the country are caused as a result of malfunctioning equipment, negligence on the part of someone other than the victim who is operating the equipment, or lack of proper training on the part of the worker who is operating the equipment. Whatever the cause, the possibility of a fatal injury or a debilitating injury, which causes a lifelong disability, is very much present when a worker is injured by heavy construction equipment.

A recent news report in The Star-Ledger details a construction site accident where a worker's leg was crushed by a steamroller on a highway. Workers were reportedly paving lanes in that area of the highway when the worker's leg was crushed by the heavy equipment. The construction worker was transported to an area hospital where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

Continue reading "Arizona Personal Injury Lawyers Help Construction Workers Receive Full Compensation Through the Personal Injury System" »

A worker sustained critical injuries in an Arizona construction site accident after he fell off scaffolding at a Fountain Hills construction area. According to a news report in The Arizona Republic, the worker fell 10 feet while working on a home, which was under construction. The man's injuries were said to be critical and he was airlifted to an area hospital's trauma center. No one else was injured, the news report said.

Construction accidents involving scaffolding are extremely common. The injuries from these accidents can be devastating because they usually involve workers falling from great height. Often, these easily avoidable and preventable injuries result in heartbreaking tragedy for the worker's family. Millions of construction workers operate on scaffolding every day. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set standards and criteria specifically to protect construction workers from dangers involving scaffolds such as falls, falling objects, structural deficiency or instability, electrocution or overloading.

In any construction site accident, especially those involving scaffolds, it is very important to determine who or what caused the accident. Was the scaffolding loose or unstable? Was the worker using harnesses? Were all safety procedures being followed at the time? Did someone else's negligence cause or contribute to the fall and resulting injuries?

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Tucson construction accident attorneys are always concerned about auto accidents that occur at construction accident sites. These are becoming extremely common. Some accidents occur because of drivers' negligence. Other accidents occur because of lack of communication or possibly, the lack of proper training.

According to a recent news report, a construction worker who was directing traffic, was struck and killed by a gravel truck that was going to the same company where the 56-year-old victim was working. The accident occurred as the construction crew was working on a road project. The truck hit the worker while making a right turn. Witnesses told police that the victim was signaling to the driver to stop, but the driver hit the worker and then struck him again while backing up in response to reaction from witnesses. Officials say they believe that this incident was a "terrible accident." The victim and driver were not co-workers.

Continue reading "Construction Workers Injured in Accidents Can Find Certified Specialist Lawyers with Expertise in Personal Injury to Help Them Bring a Claim" »

Critical construction site accident injuries in Arizona caused by structure and scaffold collapses can be entirely prevented by following proper safety procedures and guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A news report in the New Haven Independent reports about a construction worker who was pinned under a large rebar cage. The accident occurred when workers were putting up concrete supports for a new flyover. The man trapped under the rebar cage had to be rescued with a crane.

Workers had apparently put rebar supports in place before pouring the concrete. But a large rebar structure had collapsed to one side and several layers of scaffolding had fallen on top, the news report states. OSHA officials are looking into what caused this collapse. A second worker, who was standing on top of the cage when it crumpled, sustained a knee injury.

In these types of cases, it is important to ask the question: Who caused this accident and who should be held responsible for it? The worker will have his workers compensation benefits covering him to some degree. However, in cases that involve serious injuries or death, workers compensation benefits do not do justice. They are hardly enough to cover the costs of medical bills and the expenses of continuing care and treatment.

Continue reading "Arizona Personal Injury Lawyer Helps Workers Injured on Construction Sites, Including Injuries Caused by Scaffold Collapse" »

Structural collapse causes a number of Arizona construction accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death. According to a news report, a roof collapsed at a school construction work site sending two workers to the hospital with injuries. The school was apparently undergoing a two-story addition and about 10 construction workers were on the job when the accident occurred. Workers were reportedly cutting the first floor. The front wall of the building basically pitched out and the roof collapsed. Both workers were carried out in stretchers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been called to investigate this incident.

In cases where structural or roof collapses are involved, the most important question to ask is why it occurred. Why were workers allowed to go into the site when the roof was not secure? Did someone inspect the roof before workers went into the area? Was there any negligence on the part of the inspectors or those who were supposed to secure the roof? These are important questions to ask, the answers to which will help determine the liability in such cases.

Continue reading "Construction Workers Injured Due to Roof or Stair Collapse Are Often Entitled to Retain Arizona Personal Injury Attorneys in Addition to Workers Compensation Claims" »

A number of Phoenix construction accidents are entirely preventable. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employers, including construction companies, to institute state and federal mandated safety standard specifically in order to prevent tragic accidents that commonly occur at construction sites in Arizona and elsewhere in the nation. However, not all companies follow these safety standards. As a result, construction site accidents continue to cause injuries and claim hundreds of lives in the United States.

Whenever there is an industrial or construction accident, OSHA officials conduct an investigation to determine whether there was a violation of federal or state workplace safety standards. In fact, OSHA is currently investigating a construction site accident where a large section of concrete decking fell on top of a construction worker causing severe trauma to his head and neck. The man was working in a retirement community that was building a new apartment building.

Some of the aspects that OSHA investigators look into include where the injured worker was and what he was doing at the time of the accident, as well as what caused the particular incident to occur. Companies can be fined up to $7,000 per incident for a serious OSHA violation and up to $70,000 for willful or repeat violations. Each OSHA investigation could reportedly take between six weeks and six months.

Continue reading "Experienced Arizona Construction Injury Lawyers Help in Cases Where OSHA Investigates Fatal Construction Accidents" »

Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry in Arizona and the rest of the country. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, an average of 362 deaths occurred as a result of falls each year from 1995 to 1999, a trend that is apparently increasing. A number of construction site falls occur because workers do not use proper harnesses as required by federal law.

Here is an example of a fatal fall at a construction site where a worker fell 125 feet and died after a tall construction lift toppled over and struck an apartment building. Investigators are looking into whether the 40-year-old construction worker was properly strapped into the bucket of the boom lift as he worked on a church roof, according to an Associated Press news report.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Web site, employees are required to ensure that when stopping a fall, "fall arrest systems" will be rigged so that the employee can neither free-fall more than 6 feet nor contact any lower level. The harnesses are required to bring a worker to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance to three and a half feet. Also, the fall arresting system is required to have sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy of a worker free-falling a distance of 6 feet or the free-fall permitted by the system, whichever is less.

Continue reading "How Can a Construction Accident Worker Injured in a Fall Find a Construction Accident Lawyer?" »

A Phoenix Arizona construction site accident has injured a worker after he fell into an 8-foot deep trench. According to a Fox News report, the construction worker fell into a trench near the intersection of 7th Avenue and Buckeye in Phoenix. The man was apparently standing on top of a truck load of pipes when he lost his balance and fell into the trench. He was rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries, but his condition was later listed as "stable."

Construction site accidents occur due to a variety of reasons depending on the type of job that is being performed at the time. Defective or malfunctioning equipment, slip and fall injuries, electrocution, or injuries caused by live wires, falling objects, trench collapse, scaffold collapse or fires and explosions may all cause serious injuries in a construction accident. These accidents may occur as a result of someone else's negligence or the worker's own lack of training. Whatever the cause, construction accidents can be devastating to a worker and his family, causing life-threatening conditions, lifelong disabilities or disfigurement. These injuries could affect the worker's ability to work in the future, leaving him and his family without income or money to pay for quality medical or long-term care.

Continue reading "Phoenix Arizona Construction Site Accident Attorneys Help Injury Victims" »

Construction accidents in Arizona on highways and freeways are a major problem, as it is the case elsewhere in the country. Some of the most common types of construction accidents at freeway construction zones are those involving vehicles and heavy equipment. The resulting injuries can be devastating or even deadly to the construction worker. Such accident can be avoided by training workers properly to follow safety procedures and making the construction site secure.

According to a recent news report, a 57-year-old construction worker died recently at a bridge construction site. Apparently, the worker was operating an asphalt roller moving along a slope on the roadway. Suddenly, the operator hopped off the roller. The machine toppled on its side and landed on the worker. The victim was working for a contractor or subcontractor on the bridge project, the news report stated.

In construction accidents, it is very important to look into whether the incident was caused as a result of a dangerous or defective product. If a vehicle or piece of equipment/machinery was involved, then that product must be carefully examined by an expert for any evidence of malfunction or product defects. It would be in victims' best interest to preserve the vehicle or equipment in its current state so it can be carefully examined for defects. If it is determined that a defective product caused the construction accident, then the victim's family may be able to file a third-party claim against the manufacturer of the defective product.

Continue reading "Fatal Construction Site Accident" »

Arizona construction accidents have the potential to cause devastating injuries that can kill or leave workers disabled for the rest of their lives. In many cases, the injured worker is the only wage-earner in a family. This often causes serious financial problems for the injured victim's family as well. That is why it is extremely important to consult with an experienced Arizona construction accident attorney who can explain all your legal options and make sure you receive fair compensation for your construction accident injuries, damages and/or loss.

One such story involved a worker who was killed in a church construction site when roof rafters fell. According to a recent news report, construction crews were setting them in place when the accident occurred. Four others were also injured in the accident, two of them seriously.

Continue reading "Worker Killed in Construction Accident" »

A number of construction site accidents in Phoenix and elsewhere in the country occur because employers and contractors fail to follow federal safety regulations. These safety standards and regulations are there for an important reason – to prevent devastating injuries and deaths caused by construction accidents. When construction companies or contractors violate those standards and it results in a fatal or injury accident, the companies face severe fines and penalties.

According to a news report, two construction companies agreed to pay $4,875 in fines following a March 16 fatal construction site accident at a mall. A 60-year-old construction worker was working on the ground when a steel bar joist fell and struck him causing fatal head injuries. Officials said the joist was suspended on a sky truck, which is a type of crane. But a strap broke causing the joist to fall. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), cited the construction company for three serious violations including exposing an employee to a bar joist being lifted over him while he was drilling an anchor bolt hole.

Continue reading "Firms Fined for Fatal Construction Site Accident" »

Nail guns are extremely useful to have around construction sites. However, according to recent reports nationwide, these handy pieces of equipment have also been a significant hazard. Nail guns are quick, air-powered and automatically discharge multiple nails at a time. According to an article in the Sacramento Bee about the danger of nail guns, most nail guns can fire 30 nails a minute and those nails can travel 490 feet per second. In some cases, nail guns can become a dangerous weapon.

A national report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that the number of people affected by nail gun injuries adds up to 42,000 a year. That amounts to more than 100 people a day who are treated for nail gun injuries in emergency rooms across the United States. The cost of treating nail gun injuries is about $338 million a year in emergency medical care, rehabilitation and workers compensation, the CPSC study says.

In addition to operator inattention, serious nail gun accidents in Arizona also occur because of defective nail guns. Nail gun operators or even bystanders can be injured or killed when a nail gun is not used properly or when it malfunctions. Nail guns can cause head injuries, serious eye injuries, soft tissue injuries, serious infections, or even death. Employers also have the responsibility to train workers to use these tools properly.

Continue reading "Nail Guns Cause Serious Injuries in Construction Sites" »

Arizona crane accidents can cause catastrophic injuries including head injuries, broken bones, electrocution or even death. All these injuries have tremendous financial, physical and emotional consequences to injured victims and their families. Crane accidents usually occur when loads are dropped, when a crane collapses, or when individuals are hit by materials that fall from the crane. Sometimes, a manufacturing or design defect in the crane can also cause a devastating accident.

According to a recent Fox News report, a crane operator at a hospital construction site sustained head injuries after a 150-foot crane with a 160-foot boom tipped over. The crane was apparently moving a piece of concrete, which collapsed and caused the boom to break. Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are trying to figure out what caused this accident. Thankfully, the construction worker did not suffer major or life-threatening injuries.

In such cases, injured workers are often eligible to seek compensation for medical expenses, cost of physical therapy, psychological counseling or other expenses associated with the injuries. Workers can also seek compensation for earnings lost as a result of losing their ability to work for an extended period of time. In the event of a fatal construction accident, the worker’s family can also seek compensation. However, Arizona workers compensation law is not the only source for reimbursement and compensation. In some cases, victims can look to both workers compensation and personal injury as a way to become fully reimbursed for their losses. However, it takes an experienced personal injury lawyer in Arizona to help determine if personal injury claims are available after a construction worker injury on the job site.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Injured in Crane Accidents" »

Electrocution is a common occurrence in construction sites and a leading cause of construction site accidents in Phoenix and elsewhere in Arizona and the United States. Sometimes these construction site accidents occur as a result of the workers' error, but often these electrocutions, which can sometimes be fatal, also occur as a result of someone else's negligence.

According to a recent news report, two construction workers are in the hospital after they were shocked at a Phoenix work site. Fire officials say one of the men was in a 35-foot deep trench and was using a radio to give directions to a crane operator who was lowering a load into the trench. Both workers were shocked when the load swung into some power lines. The man who was operating the crane suffered several second- and third-degree burns. The man, who was working in the trench, also sustained injuries, but they were not as severe. Both were transported to an area hospital.

In Arizona construction site accidents, it is very important to conduct a thorough investigation and determine how or why the workplace accident occurred. The following questions are also critical to any construction accident investigation. Did the accident occur as a result of the workers' error? Did it happen because they did not receive sufficient training to do the job? Was the site properly secured? Did someone else's negligence cause the accident? These are questions that usually need to be answered in any construction accident case.

Continue reading "Workers Electrocuted at Phoenix Construction Site" »

Most Arizona construction accidents are easily preventable if government safety regulations are followed. These procedures are in place in order to prevent tragic construction site accidents like trench collapses, which are very often fatal to construction workers. A trench collapse is a classic example of a construction site accident that can be avoided by taking required safety precautions and by following federal safety procedures, including securing the work area.

A recent news report details a deadly construction accident where a worker suffocated to death in a trench collapse incident. Officials say the amount of dirt that fell on top of this worker was equivalent to a dump truck full of dirt. He died of compression asphyxia – death by suffocation. It took crews two and a half hours to dig the man out. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating this incident. The construction company could possibly face hefty fines if any violations are discovered.

In Arizona and in many other states, there are very specific industry and safety standards specifying the width and depth of excavations. These safety standards exist to prevent tragedies like this one. When a trench is dug, federal laws also require a foreperson to be physically present on the site to ensure that they adhere to these important safety standards. In cases where a construction worker is injured as a result of someone else's negligence, he may be entitled to additional damages.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Killed in Trench Collapse" »

A number of construction site accidents in Arizona are caused by crane accidents. About one-fourth of all crane accidents are caused by cranes overturning because loads are not secured properly or because of improper assembly or disassembly. Crane accidents in Arizona can be devastating and often fatal because of the sheer weight of the equipment that can crush and kill a worker instantly.

Such a gruesome tragedy recently occurred at a bridge construction site when a boom snapped off a small crane and crushed the crane operator. According to an article, the 48-year-old construction worker was standing next to the crane and operating the hydraulic boom when 8 feet of steel gave way and crashed upon him. Investigators are still trying to figure out why the boom fell. The man was killed on the spot.

In many cases, these entirely preventable accidents occur because of the lack of proper construction site safety procedures. The news article states that the contractor overseeing the bridge reconstruction project has been cited by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety violations in the past. It will be interesting to see whether safety violations or lack of training played a part in this fatal construction accident. The deceased worker apparently worked for a sub-contractor.

Continue reading "Crane Accident Kills Construction Worker" »

Nearly half of all construction accidents in Arizona and elsewhere in the country occur during transportation or contact with objects or equipment at the construction site. According to preliminary 2008 construction accident statistics from the Bureau of Labor, out of 969 total construction accident fatalities, 240 occurred as a result of transportation incidents and 201 occurred as a result of contact with objects or equipment. As with most construction accidents, these injuries and fatalities are entirely preventable.

When workers are run over by heavy equipment or machinery, there is very little chance of survival. It happened recently at a construction site. According to a news report, a 34-year-old worker was riding on the scoop portion of a front-end loader at a home construction site. He was reportedly run over by a piece of heavy equipment. Officials are looking into how this fatal construction site accident occurred.

Anyone who has been injured in a construction site machinery accident would be well-advised to promptly seek the help of experienced Arizona machinery accident lawyers who have a winning track record in handling these specific types of personal injury cases. Construction accident law is complex and often involves several parties and multiple pieces of information and evidence. When you retain the services of a lawyer who is experienced, you can rest assured that your case is being fully and thoroughly investigated and that all sources of financial compensation are being pursued in your case.

Continue reading "Worker Fatally Run Over by Construction Equipment" »

Construction accidents in Phoenix, Arizona and around the country are down. However, that is because construction activity is down, according to an article in the Phoenix Business Journal. Employment in the construction industry fell in July in 34 states and Washington D.C. Since July 2008, construction fell to some extent in every state except Louisiana, North Dakota and Mississippi. Arizona is apparently the hardest hit state in the country with construction employment that has declined 28 percent from a year ago. Nevada, Connecticut and Kentucky were right behind Arizona.

According to a 10-year analysis recently conducted by the Associated General Contractors, national construction fatality rates went down 47 percent and recordable safety incidents dropped 38 percent since the "collaborative safety approach" was initiated in 1998. That federal construction safety program was successful because it created incentives for companies to find and rectify safety problems proactively before incidents occurred. It also slapped strong penalties on companies that were lax about safety problems until someone got hurt or killed.

Continue reading "Phoenix Construction Accidents Decline with Economic Slowdown" »

Phoenix construction accident lawyers have always advocated a proactive approach to preventing construction site accidents that cause devastating injuries to workers and immense hardship to their families. Construction accident injuries are usually severe and could result in long-term disabilities that may cause a worker to lose his job or even his livelihood. This in turn leads to financial problems for the worker and his family. When a person is injured in a construction accident, there are many victims because one person's injury affects his entire family on many levels.

A positive and proactive approach is to prevent such construction site accidents from happening in the first place. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is apparently working with local contractors and agencies to improve safety in construction zones. According to a news report, this approach creates incentives for companies to find and fix safety problems before incidents occur while maintaining strong penalties for companies that let safety problems lag until someone gets hurt.

The construction business has its inherent risks simply because workers deal with heights, heavy machinery and electrical equipment. The type of injuries that can occur at a construction site range from electrocution and falls, to being run over by vehicles or getting hit by falling objects.

Continue reading "Preventing Devastating Construction Site Accidents" »

Scaffold collapses are a leading cause of construction site accidents in Arizona and elsewhere in the nation. Loose scaffolding is a common problem at many construction sites that cause devastating falls resulting in catastrophic injuries or even construction accident death in Arizona. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor's 2006 statistics, 88 workers died from scaffold collapse accidents or falls from scaffolding. Falls from ladders contributed to 733 deaths and 160 workers died as a result of falls from rooftops.

We see examples of scaffold collapses too often. According to a news report, one such incident occurred recently at an apartment building construction site where a construction worker fell to his death and at least one other was injured after a scaffold collapsed. The workers were repairing a façade of the building. When one of the workers moved from one scaffold to another, it gave way. One of the workers fell five stories to his death. Officials are investigating the cause of the scaffold collapse. Violations are expected to be issued in this case, the news article said.

There are stringent federal and state regulations when it comes to construction sites. When companies or contractors fail to adhere to those standards and a worker is injured as a result of such violations, the contractor/firm could face severe fines and penalties.

Continue reading "Fatal Construction Accident Caused by Scaffold Collapse" »

Falling objects are among the most common causes of Arizona construction accidents, which can result in deadly and devastating injuries to workers. Construction sites nationwide present a variety of challenges to worker safety. However, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as other state agencies, require stringent safety standards at construction sites to prevent accidents and tragedies, which can be easily avoided.

Injuries from falling objects can occur at construction sites when materials are stored haphazardly or when proper safety procedures are not followed. These serious construction accidents can also occur when workers do not receive proper training to do their jobs. For example, a 46-year-old construction worker was seriously injured as he was attempting to remove steel concrete moldings from a transport rack of a housing development site and several fell off the rack and onto him.

According to a news report, the man's life was probably saved by his co-workers, who rushed to remove the moldings and rescued him. Still, the victim suffered a broken ankle and possible internal injuries. OSHA representatives are apparently conducting an independent investigation of this construction site accident.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Crushed by Falling Moldings" »

All construction companies in Phoenix, Arizona, and elsewhere in the country are required in comply with certain federal and safety standards that are designed to make construction sites safer for workers. When large companies, contractors or subcontractors do not comply with these mandatory safety standards, they can face significant penalties. But the more serious consequence of non-compliance is having an incident at a construction site that could result in serious personal injuries or death.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the agency that enforces safety laws at workplaces, has apparently increased the number of inspectors in some states to bolster construction site safety compliance, according to a news report.

OSHA has started a new program called the Severe Violators Inspection Program, which officials say, will focus more on large companies rather than small businesses that violate federal construction safety standards.

Continue reading "OSHA Tightens Enforcement on Construction Companies with Safety Violations" »

Arizona construction accident attorneys understand that training is an extremely important part of any job. This is particularly true in the construction industry where workers deal with heavy equipment, machinery and material. Hundreds of construction workers in Phoenix and other cities are injured or killed because of falling objects. In most cases where workers are injured by falling objects, they suffer serious and debilitating injuries including head injuries, back and neck injuries, or even death.

A recent news report talks about a similar incident at a construction site where a worker was injured after 800 pounds of wood fell on top of him. The 25-year-old man who apparently worked for the construction company was putting together panels to pour a foundation in a basement when the walls collapsed. He was airlifted to a local hospital with serious injuries.

It is important for construction accident victims and their families to know and understand that a majority of construction accidents occur because of someone else's negligence or error. A worker injured at a construction site may be entitled to compensation from more than one source.

Continue reading "Worker Injured at Construction Site" »

Whether a construction operation is in Arizona or anywhere else across the country, when workers suffer injuries in avoidable accidents, construction accident lawyers must work to establish responsibility and show that lax safety standards resulted in unfortunate situations. Attorneys investigating job accidents find very often that these accidents are caused because of the negligence of a company or its subsidiaries. Arizona lawyers and public officials work to lay out a clear trail of causes leading to a safety related incident in that state.

Sometimes, it is not immediately clear what caused an accident; however, in many cases, professional construction accident attorneys can find a chain from cutting corners, shoddy construction or hurried work methods to an injury situation. That’s the case with incidents like the one from Kansas City. A recent report from an NBC online affiliate indicated that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined a contractor over $14000 last week. The fine was levied for a March incident at a Weston, MO construction site, where a 28-year-old worker, according to the report, was killed while inspecting a boiler for proper welding. Though the report does not go into detail about the safety incident, it does refer to specific safety violations that led to the OSHA fines. The safety violations allegedly included scaffolding that was not properly set up for access to some parts of the job site.

When these kinds of concrete safety violations are present on a job site, Arizona construction accident lawyers do critical research to prove that negligence of some kind put the safety of workers at risk. Because of the contracting that goes on routinely in construction situations, as shown in the Missouri incident, it can be tough to establish clear responsibility for a job hazard.

Continue reading "Fatal Plant Incident Triggers OSHA Audit: Subcontractor Fined $14,000" »

It looks like there's a problem with LUST in Arizona. Not the kind of “lust” associated with politicians under fire from the media investigating affairs that may have impacted state budgets. This LUST is an industrial problem. Why? Here, LUST stands for “leaking underground storage tanks.”

A recent July 10 article in the Phoenix New Times online indicates that the US federal Environmental Protection Agency has released over $3 million to help the state manage these kinds of chemical leaks. That adds up to a lot of liability, not just for homeowners whose water supplies may be compromised, but also for all of those people who work near these installations or help to clean up the results.

A startling visual in this article illustrates just how many Arizona facilities include leaking underground storage tanks and what that may mean for the cash-strapped state. Reports indicate that the state’s budget may be unable to handle the costs of dealing with these decaying installations, even with the E.P.A. donation.

Continue reading "Leaky Installations in Arizona: The E.P.A. Pitches In" »

News reports like this one from AZCentral.com, an online source for Arizona news, show that the National Weather Service issued an “excessive heat watch” for Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12. Even night temperatures stayed high, in the mid-80s.

Public officials know that high temperatures like these are silent killers. Every summer, thousands die across the nation from exposure to high temperatures and inadequate relief. Many of these are elderly citizens, and many others are out in the heat and sun for too long. In addition, law enforcement officials are on watch during heat waves, as high temperatures tend to boost crime rates.

The issue of a heat advisory is all well and good for those shuttered away from the sun in air-conditioned homes and offices, but what about those who need to labor out in the AZ heat? Too often, the laborers who contend with Arizona temperatures lack adequate protection in the form of periodic respite, protective gear or other safety standards. A combination of dehydration, solar exposure and physical labor in heated environments can cause a variety of life-threatening conditions. Are employers paying attention? If not, they can be contributing to a large roster of companies and businesses suffering from illness rates due to heat or sun exposure.

Continue reading "National Weather Service Issues Alert: Temps Top 113 in AZ" »

Those looking at the level of risk in the field of construction may often not be thinking about outdoor situations. There is a large potential risk in trenching and excavating operations, whether they are being done at a construction operation in Arizona or anywhere else in the U.S. When workers suffer injuries in avoidable accidents during excavating or related activities, construction accident lawyers must work to establish responsibility and show how lax safety standards resulted in unfortunate situations.

One of the more extreme recent cases of fatal accidents from slipshod excavation practices comes from a July 8 Detroit Free Press report that indicates a construction firm is facing possible litigation and fines resulting from a fatal sinkhole accident that killed a 36-year-old worker on July 7.

The report indicates that prior to the construction accident death, the company in question was already under investigation by the State of Michigan’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which delivered 11 citations after a March inspection of operations. One citation involved a lack of qualified personnel inspecting trenches; another addressed possibly improper sloping of trenches.

The Detroit Free Press story also indicates officials in the state of Michigan are working to ascertain what was to blame for the July incident. These kinds of accidents, which happen all across the country, are often scrutinized by professional injury and worker’s compensation lawyers and officials to determine the cause of an unfortunate, often tragic event. Each state has its own methods and agencies for looking into liability from unsafe business practices, whether in excavating, digging or any other construction field where cutting corners can have disastrous consequences.

Continue reading "Fatal Sinkhole Accident Feeds Probe of Excavating Firm" »

For those looking at the real situation on Arizona construction accident prevention and safety, National Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a “Pocket Guide to Overall Warehouse Safety” that yields some helpful tips about how to prevent Arizona construction accident situations in any industrial facility, including the warehouse.

A statistic by the OSHA identifies over 7,000 warehouses across the country, which by its estimates employ over 145,000 workers. For the safety of Arizona warehouse environments and those across the country, the Arizona chapter has posted this OSHA resource including a “top 10” list of hazards and solutions that warehouse workers and other involved parties can pay attention to for improved safety in the workplace. The first and foremost safety condition identified is in the use of forklifts, where the guide offers over a dozen detailed points on training solutions that will bring down the rates of warehouse work accidents in Arizona.

Other categories of hazard relates to the way buildings are constructed, with hallways, exits and other features being part of a comprehensive safety strategy.

Other hazards include belts and other moving equipment that may present dangers to untrained workers, where specific Arizona warehouse accidents involved workers or their clothing being caught in moving parts that could not be easily shut off.

Continue reading "Arizona Trade Society Provides Warehouse Safety Guide Online" »

When workers in the state of Arizona sustain injuries in the course of heavy and demanding work, skilled Arizona construction accident attorneys have to spring to the rescue to find the relevant details with sometimes difficult research processes. Now, lawyers in the state of Arizona, as well as those scattered across the U.S., may be able to have a helping hand. According to new reports from sources like IBWire, there’s a project underway by legal site LegalView.com to consolidate information about construction accident cases, applicable case law and more.

The goal of the site as reported will be to get all of the necessary information in front of injured workers and their families to allow for quicker processing of claims from construction accident cases and to help those impacted get the resources they need to continue forward with a claim. The organization cites a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics number that estimates over 1,000 construction accident cases per year from 2007 data. Planners realize that all too often, families do not have access to the right information while pursuing the case that ends in lost wages, medical bills and more costs for a loved one negatively affected by an unfortunate construction accident or similar event.

Sometimes, these situations are nearly unavoidable, but often, they result from a lack of safeguards, hurrying to end projects, cutting corners to save money or any number of other eventualities that can promote dangerous work environments where workers can eventually bear the brunt of negligent or irresponsible policy. When the accident occurs, construction accident lawyers and their staff sift through all of the evidence to find the parties responsible for conditions leading up to construction accident. This is even more difficult when the worker status is made more complicated by outsourcing, temporary hiring or even under-the-table hiring, which is in itself a violation of federal tax code.

Continue reading "Online Legal Info Provider Plans New “Construction Accident Guide”" »

In Arizona and across the country, workers suffer terrible injuries that could leave them disabled for the rest of their lives, often in avoidable accidents. These accidents often occur because of the negligence of an employer, a vendor, contractor or another party. When a family is dependent on the wages of a worker, a small accident can have a very big effect. When the injury is extensive, or results in a fatality, the tragedy is apparent.

Even those who work in comparatively stable, state-funded municipal departments can be the victims of an Arizona fatal construction accident. This is clear from reports elsewhere in the U.S., like this one on a recent accident affecting two municipal workers at a sewer plant construction site. Reports indicate a large amount of wet concrete “spilled” onto two men, killing one and injuring the other. Though the report showed that several public agencies are looking into the matter, it did not present evidence that established responsibility. The report does show that the probable cause of the accident was a concrete form that “gave way,” allowing the wet concrete to fall.

Establishing responsibility for these kinds of cases in the state of Arizona or anywhere else can be difficult. Arizona construction accident lawyers use thorough, tested research methods to get to the bottom of which business party is responsible for specific training objectives for every task done on the job. This can be complicated due to the contracting that goes on between municipalities and outside firms and even in the private sector.

Continue reading "Sewer Plant Concrete Spill Kills 1, Injures 1" »

Airport construction workers across the Southwest from Arizona to Nevada, California or Colorado all face the unfortunate prospect of dealing with the failure of large safety installations, resulting in significant workplace danger. Arizona construction accident lawyers and those in adjacent states work to investigate the serious lack of safeguards in high-traffic construction areas such as new airport building sites, where the failure to implement reasonable processes can lead to disastrous situations.

As an example of what can go wrong, a Las Vegas Sun article refers to a June 23 incident in which five steelworkers were injured. According to the story, the accident occurred at the $2.4-billion Terminal 3 Project at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The workers were constructing a rebar cage that was to be a structural component of a subterranean roadway bridge in front of the new terminal. The structure fell, trapping five workers inside for over 30 minutes. Other workers, with the assistance of a local fire crew, lifted the cage with a crane and cut the rebar, eventually extricating the workers. One worker sustained a punctured lung and a broken hip; others suffered less extensive injuries.

The failure of this structural component illustrates the care needed to construct metal frames to hold elements of infrastructure in place. In this case, the rebar cage was 6 feet in diameter and approximately 70 feet long. A completed cage of this type typically weighs 30,000 lbs. When industrial safeguards fail, it’s up to investigators and, often times, construction accident lawyers, to identify who is responsible. Workers injured in these kinds of incidents in Arizona routinely seek out skilled Arizona construction accident lawyers who help with fact-finding, case law precedent and other research to recover the high costs of injury, including medical bills and lost wages so that families can focus on helping an injured worker to recover from an airport construction accident.

Continue reading "Airport Construction Accident Injures Five" »

Arizona construction accident attorneys often help injured workers who suffer terrible injuries that could leave them disabled for the rest of their lives. We find very often that these unfortunate situations are caused because of the negligence of another party. These workers, who suffer major injuries on the job, undergo tremendous financial hardship because they are unable to work for long periods of time and more often than not, the injured worker is the sole breadwinner for his family.

These injured construction workers and their families depend heavily on Arizona workers compensation as a source of restitution after an Arizona on-the-job accident. However, a skilled Phoenix construction accident lawyer will be able to analyze all aspects of a case and determine the negligent parties. A claim against a third party could be worth a lot more than workers comp.

Construction accident injuries can be devastating just as in the case of this worker whose legs were crushed by heavy machinery during roadwork, according to this news report. The worker was apparently run over by a transfer machine, which transfers asphalt dumped by trucks into a paving machine that puts it on the road. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident.

Continue reading "Worker's Legs Crushed by Heavy Construction Equipment" »

A number of Arizona construction accidents occur because of falling objects. This can be quite devastating because construction workers often deal with heavy materials, machinery and equipment. When an object of significant size or weight falls on a construction worker, he can suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries.

A recent report from the Arizona Republic shows how such a horrific construction site accident can occur. According to this news report, a construction worker was injured at a construction site near 24th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix when a heavy piece of granite fell on top of him as he was working on a new office building. The worker suffered injuries to his leg. Phoenix Fire Department officials said the piece of granite that fell weighed between 700 and 1,000 pounds.

The unfortunate fact is that these construction accidents that severely injure workers and sometimes even leave them with permanent disabilities could be prevented. These accidents occur because of someone's inattention or negligence. It could occur because a contractor or sub-contractor did not follow proper safety procedures or neglected to maintain a safe working environment. Experienced Arizona construction accident attorneys can help these accident victims and their families secure fair compensation for their injuries, damages and loss. Often, these workers and their families go through tremendous financial hardship during such hard times.

Continue reading "Phoenix Construction Site Accident Involving Fallen Granite Injures Worker" »

Arizona construction workers have the right to be protected from injury when they do their jobs. Unfortunately, it takes skilled Arizona construction accident attorneys to protect the legal rights of construction workers in Arizona because very often, employers do not provide a safe and secure environment for their employees. As a result, construction workers, who are already working a high-risk job, are putting their lives on the line everyday as they try to make a living.

This recent article gives the example of what can happen when proper safety procedures are not followed at a construction site or when someone is not paying attention to what they are doing. This is a report about a construction worker who was thrown from equipment on a bridge on to a passing vehicle. He was part of a construction crew working on the bridge and was preparing to inspect the structure with a boom truck. However, one of the safety poles used to support the vehicle was not properly lowered, causing it to shake violently.

The operator, who was on the back of the boom, was thrown from his perch and on top of a pickup truck that was crossing the bridge. The construction worker suffered serious injuries including a broken hip. Although the fact that the construction site accident occurred is unfortunate, it's indeed fortunate that this worker landed on top of the pickup truck instead of on the roadway where a fatal injury most likely would have resulted.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Thrown Off Equipment Seriously Injured" »

The Phoenix construction accident lawyers at the Arizona personal injury law firm Breyer Law Offices P.C. take worker safety very seriously and have helped construction accident victims and their families for many years. Their lawyers help accident survivors and their families hold those responsible for the accident accountable for their actions and dissuade them from making decisions that risk workers’ lives. They also help victims and their families receive the compensation they deserve to help with the steep costs of hospitalization and recovery.

According to an article, officials investigating a construction accident scene say that a worker was impaled on a thick piece of steel reinforcement bar recently while working at the construction site of a nine-story building. They say the accident occurred around 11 a.m. and that the worker was erecting a metal form for a concrete column when he fell 15 feet onto a 3-foot-tall steel rod. The steel rod entered the worker’s lower back and exited his abdomen. When emergency response personnel arrived, they had to cut the steel rod before loading the man into an ambulance with the bar still passing through him. This type of horrible construction accident fall will obviously have serious repercussions for this man and his family. Holding any responsible parties to their obligation to help out the person they injured – if another was at fault – is one of the primary goals of the personal injury compensation system.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Impaled on Steel Rod in Construction Accident" »

Arizona construction accidents occur all too frequently, and many victims and their families are pressured to sign documents that they do not fully understand while under duress. These documents can potentially limit their options for receiving compensation for their injuries or loss. That is why it is very important to contact an experienced Phoenix construction accident lawyer. The attorneys at the personal injury law firm, Breyer Law Offices P.C. can help construction accident victims and their families receive the compensation they deserve to offset medical costs and other accident-related expenses.

This report gives an account of a 63-year-old Phoenix man who was killed when he was driving his water tanker through a road construction zone. According to the report, the man was backing the truck on a dirt road near Interstate 17 when the tanker’s left tires somehow left the roadway and the truck plunged down an embankment. As the truck overturned, the driver was thrown from the cab of the truck and crushed when the truck rolled over him. The rolling water tanker truck came to rest approximately 20 feet below the dirt road.

The construction accident death in Arizona is still under investigation by law enforcement personnel, but they said that they do not believe the man was wearing his safety belt at the time of the accident. It is also unclear whether any safety measures were bypassed at the construction site that might have prevented this fatal accident.

Continue reading "Phoenix Man Crushed to Death in Construction Accident" »

Experienced Tuscon construction accident lawyers are often faced with educating and providing information to injured victims – construction workers – after they have suffered an injury on the job. Very often, we observe that construction workers are not given sufficient information about all their legal rights and options. These injured victims and their families depend pretty much on workers compensation without the added protection of claims against the at-fault company. Construction accident attorneys, who have expertise in this area of the law, will know how to analyze all aspects of the case and determine who the at-fault or negligent parties are in a particular construction accident case.

Ladder falls are among the most common accidents on construction sites. A construction worker who was working on a tunnel project was recently injured when he fell from a ladder. According to this news report, the man had to be lifted by crane from a 60-foot deep hole. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital for treatment of back injuries.

A construction site fall from a broken or unsecured ladder while on a construction site can result in broken bones, neck injuries, back injuries and in more serious cases, spinal cord or brain injuries, paralysis or death. The severity of a ladder accident may vary. However, if a third party was at fault for your injury, you may be entitled to significant compensation for those injuries. If you slipped and fell off a ladder or scaffold at a constructions site, it may not be due to your fault or inattention.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Injured After Fall from Ladder" »

In a recent report about a man who died in trench accident, the chairwoman of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said that she believed OSHA’s enforcement is weak. The Phoenix construction site accident attorneys at the Arizona personal injury law firm Breyer Law Offices P.C. see evidence of OSHA’s lax safety enforcement on a regular basis. At Breyer Law, we help construction accident victims and their families receive the compensation they deserve to help with medical expenses, rehabilitation expenses, and burial expenses.

Celeste Monforton, chairwoman of the Occupational Health & Safety Section of the American Public Health Association, recently said that OSHA penalties don’t appear to have a strong deterrent effect for companies taking safety shortcuts to save money and endangering the lives of workers. She added that OSHA’s enforcement of workplace safety violations is too weak, and the penalties that OSHA imposes on violators are “a joke” in comparison to other violations.

"It’s not that OSHA isn’t doing the job. It’s the penalties authorized by Congress that put OSHA in that situation," said Monforton, who is also an assistant research professor at George Washington University. "What does it say about our respect for our workers and workers’ lives when the average OSHA penalty for serious violations is $900, compared to an EPA Clean Water Act violation, which is $25,000 per violation, per day?" she said. "It’s not OSHA’s responsibility to make sure workers are safe; it’s the employers," she said.

These statements provide several good reasons why it is important to have the assistance of an experienced Arizona construction accident lawyer if you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in a construction accident. They will help hold those responsible for the accident accountable for their actions and help prevent others from being hurt or killed on the job.

Continue reading "OSHA Chairwoman Says that OSHA Safety Enforcement is Weak" »

Workers performing their duties below ground level in Arizona must deal with the risks of collapse and suffocation every single day. The Arizona trench accident lawyers at Breyer Law Offices P.C. have helped the victims of trench collapses and their families receive the compensation they deserve to help with medical expenses, funeral expenses and other trench collapse accident-related expenses. If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed when a trench collapsed, the Arizona personal injury attorneys may be able to help you through this difficult period of your life.

According to a report about a trench construction accident, a soggy trench wall collapsed and suffocated a worker to death on May 6, 2009, while he was working on a 15-foot-deep trench. The day before the fatal trench accident, a city inspector had come on a routine inspection of the construction site and told the contractor that the trench was not properly secured. The accident victim was a subcontractor working on the construction of a new water tower just before 8 a.m. when part of the trench’s wall fell in on him and buried him in mud. Rescuers recovered the man’s body five hours later.

The construction death accident is currently being investigated by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Administration and local police officials. In many cases, trench accidents occur because proper safety procedures are not followed and the lives of workers are put at risk.

Continue reading "Worker Suffocates in Trench Collapse Accident" »

Arizona construction accident lawyers have often observed that a number of on-the-job injuries occur because workers and their managers do not follow proper safety procedures mandated by the state and federal safety agencies. Serious violations that cause major injuries or death are punishable by fines. For example, a worker who fell 54 feet to his death last summer at a construction site had been standing on an unsupported step ladder and failed to secure a safety harness he was wearing. According to this news report, his employer paid a $1,350 fine to the Department of Labor and Industry for a serious violation of safety regulations pertaining to ladders. Serious violations can bring as much as a $7,000 penalty.

The worker involved in that construction accident death suffered massive injuries after falling from the fifth floor of the building where he and another worker were placing a concrete, hollow-core slab above them. He was wearing a safety harness that went over his shoulders and between his legs, but a lanyard was not secured to an anchor point where he had been working. Federal records show that ladder and inadequate fall prevention plans are annually among the top leading safety violations nationwide on construction sites.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Suffers Fatal Head Injuries after Fall" »

Arizona construction accident attorneys, such as those at the Arizona personal injury law firm of Breyer Law Offices P.C., must keep a balanced perspective at all times no matter how difficult the circumstances. When someone has been hurt or killed on the job and their family turns to lawyers for help, it is the lawyers’ job to carefully explain the family’s options so that they can make the choices that are best for them. When the accident victims’ family is traumatized in the days and hours following the accident, the attorneys must help them through this difficult time by investigating the accident and basing their legal counsel on the facts, not emotions.

According to report, a 32-year-old construction worker collapsed recently at a construction site. The man was working at a pumping station undergoing renovation when he collapsed on a sidewalk. Co-workers initially thought the man was experiencing a heart attack, seizure or stroke, but an investigation by the coroner’s office and the State’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health found that the worker was electrocuted after touching a live wire. The investigation of the electrocution accident is expected to continue until the source of the electricity has been found.

Construction workers in Arizona face risks on the job every day. While some risks are inherent in the job, others are preventable. If you or a family member have been injured or killed on the job at a construction site, the Phoenix construction site accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices P.C. can help. To schedule a free consultation with their experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers, call them today at 602.978.6400.

Personal injury lawyers can help those who have been injured in construction accidents. Far too many workers throughout Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, and all of Arizona do not have the full information they need after they have suffered an injury. On the job injuries for construction workers happen all the time. Afterwards, these people are often told that Arizona Workers Compensation claims are their only resource. Even some lawyers may not understand that, in many construction accident cases, this is not true. An experience injury lawyer can help sort out the cases that offer the ability to get compensation from both workers comp and the at-fault party. If workers realized they are not risking their comp benefits, they would be more likely to bring these claims that can help their families overcome the financial burden caused by these incidents.

The fact that construction sites in Arizona and throughout the country occur regularly, and are preventable in many cases, cannot be ignored. For instance, according to an article, a construction site accident at a power plant has claimed the life of a 28-year-old worker. Officials investigating the construction accident death scene said that a radiographer was conducting an inspection on an elevated scaffold when he became pinned between the boiler wall and scaffolding and sustained fatal injuries. No other workers were on the scaffolding at the time of the accident.

The worker had reportedly been employed by the company on and off since 2005 as he had a specialty skill using x-ray equipment to inspect pipe welds to ensure that the welds were solid. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are conducting an investigation into what caused this fatal construction accident to occur.

Unfortunately, construction accidents like this continue to occur in Arizona and other states. Although the cause of this accident has yet to be determined, in most cases the causes of fatal construction accidents in Arizona are improperly trained employees, lax safety standards, lack of supervision and these are far too often combined with the use of heavy construction equipment.

Arizona construction accidents often result in higher rates of deaths and catastrophic injuries than other types of accidents, and accident victims and their families may not know who to turn to for answers. For many years now, Phoenix's experienced construction accident lawyers at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., have been helping construction accident victims and their families recover from these devastating accidents.

If you or someone you care for has been injured in a construction site accident, call the Phoenix personal injury lawyers at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., today at 602.978.6400. You may not have a claim, or may not want to bring the case you have due to other reasons, but you deserve to make the best decision for yourself and your family after getting honest feedback and answers from experienced injury lawyers in Arizona.

Finding a lawyer in Arizona to help someone who was hurt doing construction work can be a challenge. This problem does not come from a lack of excellent lawyers in Arizona, but a lack of lawyers that seem to discuss the claims that can be made for serious injuries or for families who lost a loved one on a construction job beyond just a workers compensation claim. These claims are available – and vital to the family – in many cases. Construction site deaths can be caused by truckers on road construction cases or negligent subcontractors on other construction sites. These tragedies are not limited to Arizona.

A tractor-trailer struck and killed a construction worker on an Interstate, recently. According to this report, law enforcement officials are investigating the accident and say that the man who was killed was working as part of a concrete construction crew when he was killed by the big rig. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will inspect the worksite and the accident scene

Highway and construction employees in Arizona work at high-risk worksites. These locations include construction sites with heavy equipment and highway work zones with cars and large trucks nearby moving at high rates of speed. When proper safety protocols are not enforced, when employees receive little training or supervision, or when safety measures aren’t in place, the chances of worker fatalities and serious injuries on the job are much higher.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or if you know the family of someone who has been killed in an Arizona construction accident, the skilled Phoenix personal injury attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., may be able to help. With many years of experience helping accident victims and their families, Breyer Law has taken on insurance companies and construction companies, and helped their clients receive compensation to offset steep medical costs and other expenses. To schedule a free consultation with experienced Arizona construction accident attorneys, call Breyer Law Offices, P.C., today at 602-978-6400.

Slip and fall lawyers in Arizona are not always considered when it comes to looking for a construction accident lawyer. However, there are times when negligence by one subcontractor or contractor leads to serious injuries for another on a construction site due to a slip and fall accident, trip accident, or fall accident.

A construction worker suffered critical injuries after he fell two stories while working on a new elementary school building, according to a report. The 30-year-old man apparently slipped on some wet concrete, which caused him to fall. The man suffered severe head and back injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Every time you hear about a construction worker who was seriously injured or killed in a construction accident, it breaks your heart because these mishaps occur as these workers are trying to do their job and put food on the table for their loved ones. These construction fall accidents especially affect the workers' families because very often, the injured victim is the primary breadwinner for their family.

Phoenix slip and fall accidents can be usually be prevented at construction sites. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict guidelines and safety standards for construction sites. If a contractor or sub-contractor has not followed these workplace guidelines and you are injured as a result, you may have a third-party claim. The term "negligence" in construction accidents, refers to the failure of an employer or a third party to protect the victim from injury. Arizona law does generally limit the claim against the employer to workers compensation and these benefits are hardly enough to compensate a severely injured worker or the family of a deceased worker.

A knowledgeable and experienced Arizona construction accident attorney will be able to tell you how a claim against a third party such as a general contractor or a sub contractor is often overlooked as a way to obtain fair compensation in an Arizona construction accident case. If you would like more information, please contact Breyer Law at 623-930-8064 to schedule a free consultation.

Construction workers who have suffered injuries due to negligent subcontractors may have legal recourse. However, not enough workers realize that they can turn to experienced Phoenix personal injury attorneys when they need help after a construction accident of any type. While even the best injury attorneys may not be able to seek compensation on every construction case, there are many times that claims are allowed beyond the lesser remedies made available in workers compensation claims.

Unfortunately, tragedies are a daily occurrence in the construction field, and far too often they are preventable. An employee working on a large natural gas pipeline project suffered fatal injuries recently when some large pipes fell off a rig mat and crushed him, according to this report. Officials investigating the accident have not yet released any details, but the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been called to conduct a review of the safety measures in place where the construction accident death occurred. The construction accident halted work on the project and all workers have been told to attend a safety meeting before resuming work on the pipeline.

The project is nearing completion but one worker on the site said that safety inspectors infrequently visit the site and also said that "safety seems like an afterthought" and "it seems like everybody is rushing it." All too frequently, the safety measures designed to protect construction workers from harm are bypassed or ignored for the sake of speeding up the completion of a project or saving money. Anything that compromises the safety of workers on any work site is unacceptable. The lives of Arizona construction workers are put at risk when proper safety protocols are not enforced.

While no amount of monetary compensation replaces a husband, father, or loved one, the families of Arizona construction workers killed on the job are allowed to seek financial compensation under Arizona law. In such cases, families often turn to skilled Arizona personal injury law firms such as Breyer Law Offices, P.C., to investigate the conditions leading up to the accident and hold anyone responsible accountable for their actions.

If you or someone you care for has been seriously injured or killed on a work site, the experienced Arizona construction accident attorneys at Breyer Law may be able to help you receive compensation to pay for medical bills and other costs related to the accident. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 602-978-6400.

Holding negligent Arizona construction companies responsible for the injuries they cause is a key part of injury claims brought by top Phoenix injury lawyers. However, the effort to stop unsafe construction practices and prevent unnecessary injuries must go beyond the borders of Arizona. Top level injury lawyers throughout the nation are called upon and needed to help construction workers after suffering preventable injuries or construction accident death.

According to a recent article, a construction company is being investigated by OSHA following a trench accident that claimed the lives of four workers in September 2008. OSHA has proposed nearly $202,000 in fines against the company for two alleged serious violations and three alleged willful violations of the OSH Act of 1970. The four workers were killed when a trench they were working in collapsed, trapping and suffocating the workers.

Charles Adkins—an OSHA administrator investigating the accident—said, "There is no excuse for this accident and these workers did not need to lose their lives. It is appalling to realize there are companies that would allow, or even require, their employees to enter excavations without having cave-in protection. It is imperative that employers take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards and provide a safe working environment for all of their employees to prevent accidents like this from occurring." The company has 15 business days from the receipt of the citations to comply with OSHA’s fines or contest the findings before an independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

As you can see, too many construction workers in Arizona and other states are working in dangerous conditions that could cause death and serious injury. In the aftermath of an Arizona construction accident, the victim’s family is often left without their primary breadwinner. Their unstable financial situation is then exacerbated by the pile of accident-related bills. In those moments, an experienced Tuscon construction accident attorney can be a very helpful resource for answering questions and helping families receive the financial compensation they deserve.

If you or a member of your family has suffered an injury or been killed in a construction accident, whether it is trench collapse or other matter, the experienced Arizona construction accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., may be able to help. They have helped countless construction accident victims and their families recover from these unfortunate, and often completely avoidable, incidents. This experience can be a huge asset when you need it the most. To schedule a free consultation with Arizona's skilled construction accident lawyers, contact the Arizona personal injury law firm Breyer Law Offices, P.C., today at 602.978.6400.

Finding the best injury lawyer in Arizona may be impossible due to the large number of lawyers that exist. However, we strongly encourage all construction workers to seek out the best construction accident and injury lawyer they can find before making any decisions following a serious construction accident. Throughout Arizona and the United States, these tragic injuries occur far too often.

For example, a construction worker fell from the fourth floor of a Marriott hotel and died of his injuries, according to a news report. The worker was apparently helping with the construction work on a new wing of the hotel.

Construction sites are among the most hazardous workplaces in any country. Injuries and fatalities from falls at construction sites are way too common. Arizona is no exception. Falls at construction sites account for one-third of all construction accident deaths in the United States.

Such construction site falls can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Slippery surfaces, lack of guardrails, unstable scaffolding or improperly set up ladders are just some of the reasons workers fall at construction sites. Also, when workers fall from a construction site, they face additional risks such as electrical wires, concrete, rebar, passing traffic and other exposed materials.

If you or a family member has been seriously injured or killed in an Arizona construction site accident, we encourage you to call Breyer Law to find out how we can help protect your rights and secure fair compensation for your damages and loss. Arizona workers compensation benefits are often inadequate to cover a majority of expenses you may incur in terms of medical expenses and loss of wages. Our experienced Phoenix construction accident lawyers will look into whether negligence on the part of a third party may have caused the fall. Please call us today at 623-930-8064 to schedule your free consultation.

Most people understand that serious injuries can occur throughout Arizona at construction sites, but many people do not realize how many injuries occur to construction workers doing freeway construction. Many construction workers injured on the job in Arizona do not realize that a skilled Phoenix personal injury lawyer can help them receive compensation in addition to the workers comp claim people may encourage them to bring. The extra compensation allowed under Arizona injury claims can be life-changing to many people who have suffered serious injuries. These injuries are not limited to Arizona, and they happen all over the country.

For instance, a 53-year-old construction worker was killed in a freeway construction site accident after he was run over by a flatbed truck, according to this news report. The construction accident death occurred April 15, 2009 when workers were dismantling and loading a crane onto a flatbed truck. Somehow, the worker fell under the wheels of the flatbed truck and got run over.

Freeway construction site accidents risk being at an all time high in Arizona in the coming years due to the increase in the number of freeway construction projects here. Increased freeway construction activity in Arizona may be attributed to the regional sales tax from Proposition 400, which provides funds for the state's improved freeway network. However, this increase in construction projects means the potential for more construction site accidents.

There are many reasons why these accidents can take place. The use of heavy machinery and equipment on a job site can cause dangers to workers who may be injured because of slip and fall accidents, falling equipment, flying debris, faulty scaffolding, auto accidents or defective/malfunctioning products.

If you have been injured in an Arizona freeway construction accident or have lost a loved one as a result of such an accident, please call the experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers at Breyer Law to find out how we can help you pursue your legal rights. Our experienced attorneys will take you through what can be a tough, confusing and complicated process and work hard to ensure that you receive fair compensation for your injuries and loss. Call us today at 480-753-4534 to schedule your free consultation.

Construction accident attorneys in Arizona and throughout the US often find themselves helping people who have suffered serious injuries on a job and need to pursue damages beyond those available under Arizona Workers Compensation laws. Often times, what begins as an OSHA investigations (or AOSHA investigations in Arizona) leads to information that can form the basis of a lawsuit for the injured person.

According to a report, the collapse of a crane in a construction accident is under investigation. The crane accident resulted in injuries to a worker on the construction site. Early reports indicate that the crane was lifting a steel beam when it appeared that the weight of the beam caused the crane to twist and collapse. An ambulance was called to the scene of the construction accident but by the time it arrived, the construction worker had already driven himself to a nearby hospital.

Although, thankfully, it appears that the construction worker was not severely injured in this accident, recent crane accidents indicate that many construction workers are not so lucky. Tragically, crane accidents result in preventable deaths or catastrophic injuries for construction workers and the victim’s family is left with a pile of bills and questions about their options.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in a construction accident, the experienced Tuscon construction accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., are ready to assist you. After a free consultation, they will launch an immediate investigation into the accident, answer any questions you may have, and hold the company or individual responsible for the accident accountable for their actions. Call 602-978-6400 today to schedule a free consultation with the Arizona construction accident lawyers at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., and get straight answers to your questions.

Arizona construction accident lawyers are often called upon to answer questions regarding payment of medical bills, money for lost wages, and pain and suffering claims owed to people hurt when injured on construction sites. A lack of OSHA required fall protection often leads to claims for money damages that can be explained by top Phoenix, Arizona construction injury lawyers.

A recent report indicates that police officials and OSHA are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fall and serious injury of a construction worker who fell 30 feet while preparing to pour a concrete floor in a building under construction. The injured worker was last reported to be in an area hospital in critical but stable condition. This type of accident occurs far too common.

Officials say that the building’s layout and construction materials made for a difficult rescue. Rescue workers had to set up a complicated rigging system to reach and extract the injured worker. He was then lowered safely to the ground for transportation to the hospital.

Falls at a construction site and other types of accidents happen throughout the country and repeatedly occur at Arizona construction sites. In many cases, these accidents are caused by inattentive supervision, inadequate safety procedures and training, and the dangers of working around heavy construction equipment. Arizona’s skilled construction accident attorneys are dedicated to helping accident victims and their families recover from construction accidents.

Over the years, Breyer Law has been retained to help many Arizona construction accident victims receive compensation to offset the steep costs of medical care, medication, and physical rehabilitation regimens. If you or someone you care for has been killed or injured in a construction accident, call the experienced Phoenix construction accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., today at 602.978.6400.

Can someone who was hurt get money in Arizona beyond just what workers compensation claims pay them? Often times, these claims are limited to whatever is allowed under workman’s comp. However, many people do not realize that construction accidents in Arizona and injuries are often different due to the number of sub-contractors on the job site. Thus, getting the top injury accident lawyer can be important in helping to determine if there is a claim.

A 24-year-old construction worker was killed in a construction accident after he was struck by glass panes that fell from a crane, as reported in a recent article. The worker was working on a building remodel when the glass panes fell off the top of a crane. The man was taken to a local hospital where he died shortly after the accident. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating this fatal construction site accident.

The sad and unfortunate truth about crane accidents in Arizona is that they are often totally preventable. Crane accidents can occur when loads are dropped, as it did in this worker's case. These accidents can also occur when the crane collapses or tips, or when individuals fall from cranes. No matter how crane accidents occur, the consequences are usually devastating and often fatal. Some of the serious injuries that could occur as a result of crane accidents include broken bones, chemical burns, brain injuries, paralysis and disfigurement. All of these injuries have severe financial, physical and emotional consequences for injured victims and their families.

Arizona law allows victims of construction accidents such as crane accidents to sue for injury-related compensation beyond just making a workmens' compensation claim in many cases. However, the law relating to such cases can be complex. Each case needs to be carefully investigated and convincing evidence needs to be collected to prove every individual case. If you have been injured in an Arizona crane accident, call a skilled Phoenix construction accident attorney at Breyer Law for a free consultation and evaluation of your claim. We will explore every possible avenue to secure fair compensation for your injuries and loss.

Arizona construction workers have the right to be protected from serious physical injury while working. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes injury lawyers who are specialists in what they do to bring these companies to justice and obtain money for construction workers; more than just what is provided under workers compensation claims. It is not just Arizona construction injury lawyers that are needed; instead, all the best injury lawyers in the United States and Arizona need to come together to protect these workers.

This report describes a recent construction accident death where a construction worker was crushed to death trying to help a truck driver get his rig unstuck on a muddy dirt road. Emergency response personnel responding to the construction accident scene say that a tractor-trailer hauling concrete pipes got stuck on a muddy portion of dirt road. The accident victim attempted to assist the truck’s driver by trying to hook a chain from the trailer to a nearby bulldozer to pull it free of the mud. While the victim was behind the trailer out of the truck driver’s sight, the driver mistakenly believed the man was no longer behind the truck and put the truck in reverse, crushing the victim to death.

When Arizona construction accidents involve heavy equipment such as tractor-trailers, workers are often killed or suffer very serious injuries that require costly medical care and lengthy rehabilitation regimens. The victims and their families seldom have the financial resources to cover medical care that quickly—which runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars—and don’t know what to do.

If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a work site accident, the skilled Phoenix construction accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., may be able to help. They have been hired by many construction workers and their families to help them receive financial compensation to assist with medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages and other aftereffects of construction accidents. To schedule a no-cost meeting with experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers who will give you honest answers to you questions – not just tell you what they think you want to hear - call Breyer Law at 602.978.6400.

Arizona families are far too often faced with tragedy when their family member is severely hurt – or in some cases even killed – while working on a construction job. Plumbers, electricians, framers, and every other type of construction worker are at risk. When tragedy strikes and a family member is badly hurt on the job, finding a lawyer that knows that they are doing and has experience in personal injury claims is vital. Without the help of an accident lawyer, construction workers are less likely to receive all of the compensation to which they are entitled under Arizona injury law.

Sometimes, tragedy can strike in unexpected ways. A construction worker using a saw to cut a pipe in a trench was killed after the saw kicked back and struck him in the neck, according to a recent Associated Press news report. The worker was working for an excavating company, which was building a water pump. He was apparently using a large, gas-powered saw to cut through a water main when the trench accident occurred. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officials are investigating the construction accident death, which is normal procedure to make sure that the company did not violate safety procedures. This same company reportedly received 11 OSHA citations for life-threatening violations involving a trench project in September. OSHA characterized those violations, which totaled up to $700,000, as intentional and that it showed "plain indifference" to federal workplace safety regulations.

Numerous construction accidents in Arizona occur each year as a result of unsafe workplace practices. These safety violations may include unstable scaffolds or structures, electrocution, auto accidents, slips and falls, and injuries because of machinery. Construction accidents can also occur as a result of malfunctioning or defective equipment. In such cases, the manufacturer of the defective product or another party that failed to properly maintain that equipment can be held liable.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an Arizona construction site accident, please call an experienced Phoenix construction accident attorney at Breyer Law to schedule a free consultation. Our successful team has represented Arizona personal injury victims for 12 years and we would be more than happy to provide a free a confidential case evaluation in your case. Even if you do not know if you want to bring a claim, we strongly encourage you to call any of the top Arizona injury lawyers you can find to make sure you know the answers to the questions (and even find out answers to questions you did not know existed!) before losing out on rights that are there for your legal protection.

Arizona construction lawyers help families of loved ones lost in deadly construction accidents in Phoenix on a regular basis. Many times, these unfortunate situations are caused by the neglect of another party. Too many people look only to workers compensation as a source of restitution after an on-the-job accident in Tucson, Arizona and throughout the state. Many times, more remedies are available, something a top Tucson construction accident lawyer can determine for the family who has lost someone.

According to this report in the Arizona Daily Star, a 61-year-old construction worker was electrocuted on Tuesday, February 10, while setting up a utility pole. Authorities have not yet released the man’s name, but investigating officials say that the man was working for a private firm located in the East River Road/North Dodge Boulevard area when the pole came into contact with overhead power lines.

Anne-Marie Braswell, a Rural/Metro spokeswoman, said that the electrocution accident in Tucson was reported just before 10:30 a.m. by someone near the accident site. After being taken to University Medical Center in Tucson, the man was pronounced dead. According to officials, the man was working on the Dodge Transportation Enhancement Project taking place from East Fort Lowell Road to East River Road, reported Annabelle Quihuis, a Pima County Department of Transportation spokeswoman.

At the time the report was issued, Ms. Quihuis did not know if he worked for a subcontractor or not, but the accident is being investigated by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Construction accidents and other work-related accidents are the third-most common causes of death in Arizona each year. Many of these Arizona construction accidents could be avoided with proper safeguards in place and preparation.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in a work-related accident, Arizona's skilled construction accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., may be able to help. It can be difficult to know what to do after someone close to you has been injured at work. But the Arizona construction accident lawyers at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., can help victims or their loved ones receive compensation to offset steep medical costs and other expenses after a work-related accident. For a free consultation with experienced Arizona work-related accident attorneys, call the Breyer Law Offices, P.C., today at 602.978.6400.

Experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers are often faced with educating workers on their rights after an injury. Too often, construction workers are not provided information on all of their rights after serious accidents, relying too heavily on workers compensation claims without the added protection of claims against the at-fault company.

Law enforcement officials have launched an investigation into the death of a worker at a construction site. As set forth in a report, the accident occurred shortly after 11 A.M. on Monday, March 9, 2009, at a construction site. Officials say that a worker was working in the basket of a scissors lift when it was hit by a forklift, throwing the worker to his death in a fatal construction site fall.

The man was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead due to the fatal construction accident. According to police, the man was an electrician employed by TP Electric working on a water filtration plant at the time of the accident.

Trooper Mark Schmelzlen said in a press release, "The front leading edge of the forks on the forklift came in contact with the underside edge of the scissors lift causing it to tip. The tilting of the scissors lift, coupled with the weight of the victim in the top basket, caused the scissors lift to fall over on its side. The victim was thrown from the lift basket."

The use of heavy equipment on a construction site is one of the leading causes of construction accidents and deaths. The power of this machinery is too much for the human body and the injuries from forklift accidents often involve crushed limbs, falls, catastrophic brain, spine, and internal injuries, and other life-changing injuries. These accidents create additional hardship for accident victims and their families in the form of medical bills which quickly run into the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Arizona construction accidents are just as deadly and costly. If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in an Arizona construction accident of any kind, our skilled construction accident attorneys in Phoenix can explain your options and help you receive compensation to offset steep medical bills. To schedule a free consultation with our experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers, call us today at 602.978.6200.

A multi-story crane working on a skyscraper under construction broke apart and fell across several buildings resulting in the deaths of 4 people and injuring at least 10 more according to a report. Officials investigating the accident say that the crane was at least 19 stories tall and split into several pieces as it fell, completely demolishing a four-story townhouse and causing significant damage to five other nearby buildings. Emergency response personnel rescued one injured man from the debris of the townhouse four hours after the crane accident occurred.

Details are still sketchy, but the authorities believe that the four people killed in the construction accident were all workers at the construction site for a condominium tower. Those suffering injuries are believed to have lived or worked in the buildings which were damaged. Accident investigators claim that a piece of steel somehow fell and sheared off one of the ties which held the crane to the building which then destabilized the crane, causing it to detach, topple and break into several pieces as it fell.

Residents in the area claim that they contacted the city several times about the construction site, saying that the building seemed to be going up too quickly and those crews were working illegal hours. City officials say that they have issued 13 violations to the construction site over the last 27 months, but claim that given the size and scope of the project, this is not an unusually high figure. Interestingly, the last inspection of the crane apparently took place the day before the fatal construction accident which raises a number of issues in and of itself.

Construction work sites are some of the most dangerous places to work in the country. As this and other recent crane accidents have shown, these types of construction accidents not only endanger the people who work at construction sites but also the people living and working nearby.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in an Arizona crane accident or another type of Arizona construction accident, our experienced Arizona construction accident attorneys may be able to help. After a free initial consultation, we’ll launch an immediate investigation and may be able to help you receive compensation to offset steep medical expenses and other costs. To schedule a consultation with our skilled Arizona construction accident lawyers, call us today at 602.978.6400.

An unidentified construction worker working on a road project outside a new terminal at an airport was killed on the job on February 23, 2009, when he was run over by a piece of construction equipment. As reported, the 25-year-old victim was working for the Las Vegas Paving Corporation in a ditch at the construction site when the operator of a Bobcat earth mover lost control of the vehicle.

Too often, people suffer serious injuries at construction sites that are preventable. Often, companies other than the one that employed the injured worker are responsible due to poor oversight. Even worse, sometimes these companies encourage their workers to take safety short cuts on the construction site to increase company profits, taking the risk that someone else will get hurt. Too often, Arizona constructions workers hurt on the job do not find the best, most experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers to help them after an accident, wrongfully assuming that only workers compensation benefits are available. In many cases, there are funds available to help the injured worker or his family in addition to comp benefits.

Authorities have not yet determined why the operator lost control of his vehicle, but said that the incident is under investigation. After the construction accident occurred, the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries an hour or so after arrival. Randy Walker—the County Director of Aviation—said, "Today's tragedy is an unwanted reminder of the risks which we've previously been able to avoid, and through continued diligence hope will never occur again.”

Machinery accidents on construction sites occur in Arizona and other states causing deaths and injuries which, in many cases, could have been avoided. When someone is killed or severely injured in a construction accident in Phoenix, their life and the lives of family members are changed forever. They’re left with steep medical expenses, loss of income and companionship, and are unsure of their rights and options.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in an Arizona construction accident involving heavy machinery, our skilled Arizona machinery accident attorneys can explain your options, launch an investigation into the accident, and hold any negligent individuals accountable for their actions. Call our experienced Arizona construction accident lawyers today at 602.978.6400 to schedule a free consultation.

The best Arizona construction accident and injury lawyers are often faced with proving the liability of third parties beyond just the fault of the employer of the injured Arizona construction worker. We see many reports of dangerous construction conditions leading to tragic injuries and wrongful death in construction zones, including the ever-dangerous trench situations.

A recent trench accident that resulted in the construction accident deaths of four workers on September 12, 2008 has led to a fine and citation issued by OSHA for alleged violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act according to this report. During the agency’s investigation, they found that a Construction company had been guilty of three alleged willful and two alleged serious violations of the act in connection with the trench collapse.

Agencies such as OSHA help protect workers from all sorts of construction site accidents including trench collapse accidents but regrettably, many companies still cut corners and put their workers’ lives at risk. Trench collapse accidents can be especially deadly as workers can be suddenly buried under tons of dirt and many suffocate before they can be rescued. These accidents devastate families and in many cases, could have been avoided if the companies had provided adequate protection for their workers. Often times, it is not the employer for the injured worker who was at fault, but a separate employer who was reckless and led to the injury. This “third party” employer can be held responsible.

These types of accidents also occur in Arizona and other states and cause economic hardship for victims’ families. If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in an Arizona trench collapse accident or another type of Arizona construction accident, the Arizona trench collapse accident attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., may be able to help. For a free consultation with our experienced Arizona trench collapse accident lawyers, call us today at 602.978.6400.

How does someone find the best injury lawyer in Arizona? What questions should be asked after an injury when hiring a lawyer? These are the types of difficult questions facing people after a tragedy unexpectedly hits their family. And, as reports show, no company or person is immune from the risk of construction accident death or serious injury on a construction site, not even the world’s biggest company.

An online article describes a tragic construction site accident on a Microsoft campus. An ironworker was crushed and killed by hundreds of pounds of rebar. Spokesman Jim Bove said that the man suffered massive head injuries in the 9:45 a.m. accident.

“He had been trying to set a rebar form — which had just been released from a crane — into concrete when it toppled onto him,” Bove said. “The man was tied to the form and was near the top of it when one of the supports at the bottom gave way,” he said.

Another ironworker who was helping guide the rebar into place was not injured.

Construction on the new Microsoft office building began in late summer, Beaudoin said. Workers are in the midst of installing the rebar supports on a lower level of an underground garage.

Construction site accidents in Arizona and other parts of the country are an all too frequent occurrence. Inexperienced workers, lax safety regulations and the inherent dangers involved in the construction of large skyscrapers all can contribute to accidents that claim innocent workers’ lives.

Continue reading "Construction Site Accident on Microsoft Campus" »

A recent article discussed the condition of safety in the construction industry during the Bush years. The article explains that in its first two years, the Bush administration pulled 22 items off the agency’s regulatory agenda, its working list of proposed safety and health rules. According to this article, the government also cut proposals that would have increased safety throughout the construction industry. As a result, many construction accidents in Arizona occurred.

Among the programs that OSHA ended as a result of decisions made were plans that would have increased protection for workers on scaffolding, as well as a requirements that would have added protection for workers on residential construction projects. The agency also shelved a mandate to make construction companies participate in safety programs designed “to reduce the incidence of occupational deaths, injuries, and illnesses.”

Continue reading "Arizona Construction Workers Less Safe During Bush Years, According to Published Report" »

A recent article describes a tragic construction site accident. An ironworker was crushed and killed by hundreds of pounds of rebar. The man suffered massive head injuries in the 9:45 a.m. accident.

“He had been trying to set a rebar form — which had just been released from a crane — into concrete when it toppled onto him,” the police officer said. “The man was tied to the form and was near the top of it when one of the supports at the bottom gave way,” he said.

Another ironworker who was helping guide the rebar into place was not injured.

Construction on the new office building began in late summer, Beaudoin said. Workers are in the midst of installing the rebar supports on a lower level of an underground garage.

Construction site accidents in Arizona and other parts of the country are an all too frequent occurrence. Inexperienced workers from other companies on site, lax safety standards with certain companies, and the inherent dangers involved in construction can contribute to accidents that claim innocent workers’ lives.

Continue reading "Construction Site Accident on High Rise" »

The Arizona Republic reported on November 15, 2008 that due to financial reasons the 10-year contract allowing the Arizona Department of Transportation to hire Arizona Department of Public Safety officers along with their patrol vehicles was no longer in effect beginning that day. ADOT will now be using police officers from other agencies whenever they feel it is required. Some officials with the Highway Patrol union stated that the hiring of other agencies was what led to the creation of the contract with the DPS in the first place. Now they are concerned that the safety of construction workers and motorists might be jeopardized, leading to more Arizona construction site accidents.

John Ortolano, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 32, said, “You’ll have an officer not familiar with working on the state highway, not radioed in, not properly trained.”

According to the Federal Highway Administration the number of free work-site accidents grew by 40% during the years of 1997-2005, with more than 1,000 deaths in 2005 and more that 40,000 hurt. Nationally safety standards do not mandate the use of uniformed officers at work zones. Often times on Arizona highways, uniformed officers are used in construction areas with heavy traffic and fast speeds.

Doug Nintzel, an ADOT representative said, “The use of officers has always been a situation of going above and beyond the safety standards. It does help because motorists do tend to pay attention to a patrol car with its emergency lights on.” Nintzel also stated that the principal safety measures included utilizing barrier walls, signs, reflective barricades, and energy-absorbing vehicles. The original contract between ADOT and DPS stated “the primary importance is for the officer to position himself where he can be easily observed by the public.”

Continue reading "No More Highway Patrolmen Monitoring Arizona Freeway Construction Sites" »

The azfamily.com website reported on December 10, 2008 that yet another Phoenix construction site accident had occurred, apparently due to improper safety worksite measures being observed. According to authorities, an unidentified 23 year-old construction worker fell through a twenty-five foot hole in the vicinity of 19th Avenue and Happy Valley Road. According to Phoenix Fire Captain Courtney Jenkins the worker fell through a hole that had not been shored up. Upon arrival the fire department found the man conscious and able to talk. The construction worker was taken to a local hospital and was being treated for his injuries.

No matter how stringent the safety standards are regarding construction, all construction laborers are at risk every day while on the job. Workers' compensation does benefit the injured, but it does not sufficiently compensate employees who have been hurt on the job. Also, while workers compensation may be the only remedy in many construction injury cases, there are many construction site injuries that allow for legal compensation in addition to workers compensation.

In the United States construction is a very large industry. It is also a high risk industry. It ranks third in the rate of injury caused deaths, following mining and agriculture. For every 100,000 workers 15 die due to injury. Due to the extremely complicated nature of construction accidents, including issues like comparative fault, multiple layers of insurance coverage, and other complexities, it is recommended that an injured worker consult with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as they are hurt to help determine the best course of care and legal action. It is important that construction workers injured in Phoenix, Arizona or Tucson, Arizona - or any construction workers’ injured throughout the State of Arizona - seek the advice of experienced lawyers to help determine all of their legal rights, in addition to making a workers’ compensation claim after being injured in a construction accident.

Alexis and Mark Breyer, “The Husband and Wife Law Team” - of Breyer Law Offices, P.C. have extensive knowledge and experience and are willing to answer the difficult questions that follow any serious injury. Not all construction workers that are injured have legal remedies beyond Arizona workman’s compensation, and bringing a claim is not right for every person or every family - but we it is highly recommended to at least get answers to the questions that arise and find out what remedies are available following a serious construction site injury. Please call 602-978-6400 for a free consultation or with any questions you have regarding an Arizona injury on a construction site.