Two Brothers Involved in New York Wall Collapse Accident
On January 10, two brothers from Mexico were victims of a wall collapse in Queens, NY. One was crushed by scaffolding and cinder and died from his injuries. The New York Times reports that his brother and two other workers were injured in the accident.
These types of wall collapses are common at construction sites. In fact, 101 workers died from being crushed or caught in collapsing materials in 2008. In the past 20 years, the rate of work-related fatalities for Latinos/Hispanics has exceeded the rate for U.S. workers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported that between 2003 and 2006, the fatality rate for Latino workers exceeded the rate for all workers by nearly 35 percent. The possible reasons for the high injury rates for Latino workers include the high number of Latinos in very hazardous jobs and a reluctance to report unsafe conditions for fear of retaliation from employers.
The families of the worker who died in the wall collapse accident and the injured workers would be well advised to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.
If you have been injured while working at a construction site, please call Cherry Fieger & Marciano, LLP for a free consultation. Our Pennsylvania construction accident lawyers will look to see if any negligence on the part of a contractor contributed to your injury. If there was any negligence on the part of the developer of the building, he could also be held liable. Call our office today for a free consultation.
