Arizona Construction Accident Lawyer Blog

Phoenix construction fatal accident attorneys are extremely concerned about the increasing number of construction worker fatalities involving loose or unsafe scaffolding. Recently, another worker died in a construction accident after he fell from scaffolding while working inside an elevator shaft on the third floor of the building site. According to a news report, the 51-year-old worker went into cardiac arrest after the fall and died shortly afterward.

The causes of a construction accident could range from falls, explosions, electrocution or defective equipment. Sometimes, these tragic accidents occur because of the worker's error or because he or she is not following proper safety procedures. However, in many cases, these fatal construction site accidents occur because of negligent general contractors, sub-contractors, vendors, employees, or manufacturers of defective or malfunctioning products and equipment used in construction sites.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Killed in Scaffolding Accident" »

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.

Continue reading "Phoenix Construction Accident Worker Killed by Forklift" »

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.

Continue reading "Arizona Construction Accident Lawyers Emphasize the Importance of Getting Medical Attention" »

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.

Continue reading "How to Find the Best Construction Accident Attorney" »

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.

Continue reading "Arizona Construction Accident Lawyer Discusses Scaffolding Accidents" »

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" »

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.

Continue reading "Construction Site Injury Accident Fall Proves Fatal for Construction Worker" »

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."

Continue reading "Phoenix Construction Accident Lawyers Help Victims Receive Fair Compensation" »

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.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Killed in Forklift Accident" »

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.

Continue reading "Company Cited by OSHA for Failure to Comply with Safety Standards" »

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" »

Trench collapse accidents are among the most common types of construction site accidents that occur in Arizona and elsewhere in the nation. These accidents can result in devastating personal injuries or death to workers. However, the unfortunate fact is that these trench collapse accidents can be easily prevented by following the safety standards spelled out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which monitors and investigates workplace accidents and injuries in the United States including construction site accidents.

According to a recent news report, a worker sustained a fractured leg and a broken pelvis when a dirt trench wall fell on him when he was helping to put down concrete sewer pipes. The worker was trapped in the trench because of his injuries. He was safely removed from the trench and treated for serious injuries. OSHA officials are investigating this incident. Officials issued a citation to the contracting firm for a safety violation that resulted in the accident, specifically, the absence of shoring in the area of the trench where the dirt wall fell.

Continue reading "Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help Victims of Trench Collapse Accidents File Injury Claims" »

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.

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

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?

Continue reading "Personal Injury Attorneys Who Can Help Workers Injured in Scaffolding or Construction Site Accidents" »

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" »

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" »

Construction accident injuries in Arizona and elsewhere in the United Sates are often caused by several factors. Construction zones present an inherent danger to those who work in them. Workers in construction sites are dealing with heavy machinery, large objects, and unfinished structures. Danger lurks in scaffolds, cranes and loose dirt. But the fact is that a majority of construction site accidents are totally preventable. However, when these accidents do happen, they cause devastating injuries or even death.

A recent news report talks about an incident where a construction worker who was working in a trench cut himself in the throat with a saw. It's not clear what kind of saw the worker was using at the time of the accident. He had to be airlifted to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating this incident.

In many construction site accidents that involve equipment, there are a few questions that come up. Was the equipment or product the worker was using defective in some way? In other words, did the accident and resulting injuries happen because of a defective product? Was the worker properly trained to work with the equipment he was handling at the time of the accident? Did the accident occur as a result of someone else's negligence? Were all required safety procedures in place? OSHA investigations for most of these workplace accident cases will usually delve into these issues. But those investigations could take several weeks or months to be completed.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Injured By Saw" »

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" »

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" »

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" »

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" »

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" »

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" »

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" »

When it comes to finding a construction injury lawyer in Arizona, it is important to look for the best Arizona injury lawyer you can find. Construction sites include so many hazards to the workers that can be missed by lawyers that do not have a certain level of experience in this area of the law. For instance, pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, and other claims may all be paid by another subcontractor on a job site if they violated OSHA and were negligent in causing the injury to the other person on the job. Many lawyers do not realize there are claims above and beyond Arizona workman’s comp claims. OSHA is active throughout the US, and their investigations are sometimes revealing.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has accused a company of failing to properly protect workers at a job site and is considering levying fines of nearly $181,000 according to an article. OSHA claims that the Construction Company has been cited for 13 violations of construction safety standards. They claim that the company failed to protect workers adequately from falls at the construction site, drowning and other hazards at the construction site.

An inspection in December conducted by OSHA personnel found that workers at the site were exposed to possible falls up to 43 feet into the river without fall protection on unprotected or inadequately protected sections of the bridge they were working on. Inspectors also found that workers were using an access ladder of inadequate height on the site. Additionally, inspectors found that workers faced additional drowning risk on the construction site due to lack of ring buoys, life jackets and no rescue skiff on the worksite in case a worker fell into the river.

C. William Freeman, OSHA’s area director, said, “The significant hazard of a four-story plunge was exacerbated by the lack of required lifesaving rescue equipment. While it's fortunate no fall or drowning occurred, the potential for a fatal or serious accident was real and present at this jobsite."

It is very unfortunate and dangerous for workers, but many Arizona construction companies also fail to provide adequate work site protection for their workers and workers for other subcontractors. Even under the best of circumstances, construction sites are dangerous workplaces. But when proper safety measures, training and equipment are not provided by construction companies, the risk of catastrophic injury or construction accident death in Tuscon is greatly enhanced.

If you or someone you care for has been injured or killed in an accident at a construction site, the experienced Tucson construction accident lawyers at Breyer Law Offices, P.C., may be able to help. Their personal injury attorneys have helped countless injury and accident victims and their families over the years, and can answer any questions victims may have after an accident has occurred. To schedule a free consultation with experienced Arizona construction accident law firm, Breyer Law Offices, P.C., call them today at 602.978.6400.

A recent article reported a construction worker who fell about 35 feet from a platform of an extended forklift died on February 13th.

Local authorities said the two men suffered from a construction accident fall from a platform that had been raised about 35 feet into the air by a forklift at the site of a home under construction.

The men were applying stucco to a chimney while standing on the elevated platform. As the platform was being lowered, other workers in the area said they heard a popping sound, and the forklift jerked, throwing two of the men off.

Construction sites are widely accepted to be among the most dangerous workplaces in the nation. Construction accident deaths in Arizona have a myriad of causes and can affect workers of all positions with various job descriptions. No one is immune to the dangers of construction accident sites.

Although nothing can undo these tragedies, the law allows some families to pursue compensation that can at least help the family financially get back on its feet after such a loss. The law allows the families of victims of construction accident deaths to seek financial compensation for the loss of their loved one.

Continue reading "Construction Accident Kills One Worker, Injures a Second" »

The NBC affiliate news channel 12 in central Arizona reported on December 8, 2008 that Casey Johansen is completely healthy and back to work at construction sites after nearly dying in a terrifying construction accident in Arizona over two years ago. Johansen recalls the date of August 8th, 2006 quite vividly. A building he was working on collapsed, trapping him under eight feet of debris for nearly eight hours. Although he survived the incident, his legs had to be amputated by doctors.

In a most inspirational story of unimaginable determination and hope Johansen would not allow the amputation to set his life back nor did it keep him from the thing he loved, construction. As a matter of fact Johansen can be found on construction sites almost every day as the co-owner of Valley Construction equipment. According to Johansen his business is very busy and he has even begun designing construction equipment.

Johansen attributes his remarkable recovery to his positive attitude, accepting his injuries and committing himself to making the best of it.

Johansen said, “I shouldn’t have survived, but I’m certainly glad that I did.”

Every year thousands of workers are killed or seriously injured on the job. This occurs even though many state and federal regulations, as well as industry standards, require employers to implement a wide variety of safety measures. We applaud the remarkable courage of Mr. Johansen. At the same time - making no comment on his particular incident - we would like to see the construction sites throughout Phoenix, Arizona and across the state kept as safe as possible to limit workers’ injury on the job. Sometimes, after a serious construction injury, workers’ compensation is the only available compensation. In other cases, a full personal injury claim after a construction accident can be pursued. Determining whether a case can go offer compensation to a seriously injured construction worker requires the analysis of a capable and knowledgeable attorney. For anyone with questions on their rights following a serious construction incident, feel free to contact Breyer Law Offices, P.C. in order to get an honest assessment of the rights available to you, and to determine whether pursuing such a claim is the “right fit” for you after a construction site accident. Please call 602-978-6400 for a free consultation.