Of all the types of construction work in existence today, working on tall bridges and/or skyscrapers likely ranks highest where personal safety risks are concerned. Construction accidents frequently occur, resulting in serious injuries and sometimes fatalities to New York workers. This state does not stand alone, however, when it comes to construction tragedies, as made evident by a recent incident south of here.
The tragic accident took place when a man was working on a bridge. He was reportedly disassembling a certain component from a section of concrete when the device somehow broke away and sent him plummeting some 30 feet below. Amazingly, the man initially survived his fall and was said to have suffered a severe head injury, but was somewhat conscious on the way to the hospital.
Sadly, after arriving at the medical facility, he was pronounced dead. An investigation was launched to determine the exact cause of the accident. In the meantime, construction work on the bridge project is expected to be suspended. Understandably, families are devastated upon learning their loved ones have suffered fatal injuries on the job.
In addition to the utter grief and sorrow of such situations, spouses and children are often met with undue financial strain as their main source of income is lost, yet medical bills and funeral expenses need to be met. Workers’ compensation benefits typically apply, but there may be other avenues of legal recourse. Although workers generally cannot sue their employers, New York workers injured in construction accidents can, in certain circumstances, file personal injury claims against third parties based upon evidence of their negligence. A spouse of a fatal accident victim may want to discuss such matters with an experienced attorney.
Source: courier-tribune.com, “Man dies in bridge construction accident“, Larry Penkava, March 21, 2017
