Construction accidents are all too common in New York, and they can sometimes lead to serious injuries on the part of workers or even bystanders. The causes of injuries are numerous; below are just a few of the most common that you might encounter.
Falls and Falling Objects
According to the CDC, falls accounted for 22% of all non-fatal construction injuries and illnesses reported in 2009. You run the risk of falling from scaffolding, ladders, cranes, roofs and other elevated surfaces. Objects may also fall from a great height and strike you, leading to a catastrophic injury even if you’re wearing a hardhat.
Equipment-related Incidents
In addition, you may be injured by construction vehicles when they back into you or crush you against a wall. Other equipment can cause harm by accident: Dumpsters can fall over, or a nail gun may misfire. When the equipment caused injury because of a defect, then it could form the basis for a product liability claim.
Respiratory Conditions
Construction workers, especially miners, are at a high risk for respiratory disease. For example, coal miners can develop pneumoconiosis, a lung disease caused by dust. Black lung is another real threat, but it does not affect as many people as it did, say, a century ago.
Filing a Claim After a Serious Injury
In the event that a construction injury is catastrophic, you may want to find out who was at fault. If the employer neglected some aspect of workplace safety, then you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim rather than just filing for workers’ compensation.
Workers’ comp benefits provide wage replacement and cover all medical bills. They can also pay out for disability leave. Personal injury claims, if successful, can cover more, such as pain and suffering and loss of consortium.