Pennsylvania Personal Injury Blog

Two bridge-builders working on the Pennsylvania Turnpike were injured when a ten-foot circle of steel tipped over and them along with parked cars. The two men were immediately taken to local hospitals with what was thought to be non life-threatening injuries, according to the Parryville Fire Chief. They are employees of Walsh Construction and were working on laying the steel framework for a column support for a bridge replacement project in its early stages. The fire chief, one of the first to respond to the accident, reported that he was not sure what the cause of the accident was, but that an investigation would be carried out.

Construction sites are very dangerous work places and the state and federal government have imposed safety policies and regulations to ensure worker safety. Construction accidents in Pennsylvania continue to be common, despite the many state and federal regulations, as well as industry standards, requiring owners, general contractors and sub-contractors to implement a wide variety of safety measures to ensure worker safety. Negligent general contractors, sub-contractors, vendors, and employees can cause many of these dangers, which often result in substantial injuries to construction workers at the job site. In fact, construction accidents often cause life-threatening conditions, require amputation or extensive reconstructive surgery, and tragically leave innocent victims with brain injuries, disfigurement, and other conditions that impact their ability to hold down a job or even pay for their own care.

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A 33-year-old construction worker died in Southhampton Village, New York on January 4, 2010 when a foundation wall at a worksite collapsed and pinned him underneath. According to a report, the accident may have been the result of poor workmanship and attempts to cut corners.

The worker was trapped beneath the fallen concrete wall.

According the article, the victim was digging under the wall before the collapse to install footings, structural supports that should have been in place before the concrete wall was poured and the forms were removed.

An inspector for the Southampton Village commented that the concrete wall should have been reinforced with steel, but was not reinforced at all.

The construction site is being investigated by the Village Building department and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The family of this deceased worker would be well advised to contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

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A man working as part of a construction company at Calise & Son’s Bakery in Lincoln, Rhode Island, was rushed to the hospital after an accident partially severed his leg on December 29. According to an article, the local Fire District Chief said that the victim is 50-years-old, and was working on a hole in the ground that was getting ready to be filled with concrete when he was injured.

The man was taken to a nearby hospital and police have turned the investigation over to Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Continue reading "Construction Accident Severs Man's Leg" »

One worker was killed and another injured on November 10 when a crane tipped over at the construction site of a Kansas City, Missouri performing arts center. According to an article on KansasCity.com, the two men were in the bucket of the 100-foot-tall JLG Lift when it fell away from the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It then landed across a platform of steel beams.

One of the men was pronounced dead at a hospital and the other was listed in serious but stable condition.

The men were installing steel panels on the building for Detroit-based subcontractor Midwest Steel.

According to the article, the center will be the home of the Kansas City Symphony, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and the Kansas City Ballet.

Crane accidents kill up to 82 construction workers each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

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On October 12, a mobile crane working on a church steeple toppled near Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, killing the crane operator and injuring a woman standing nearby.

According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the orange aerial lift, working at the First Presbyterian Church at 21st and Walnut Streets, fell at about 1:15 p.m. that day. It knocked down a streetlight, sheared off a stoplight, and clipped the roof of a building on the north side of the street.

The crane operator was turning the machine when one wheel rolled over a cable access cover, the heavy lid gave way, the machine wobbled then fell. He was taken to a hospital, and was pronounced dead at 1:42 p.m.

The church had hired Masonry Preservation Group, of Merchantville, N.J. to perform a survey of the church’s stone exterior.

MPG does extensive work in Philadelphia on the maintenance and restoration of historic stone and masonry structures. It brought several of the truck-mounted cranes and set them up around the church.

According to article, the operator turned the crane, one of the four enormous wheels at the base rolled over a cable access panel. It started to tilt and it swayed out about 20 feet into the street. Then it swayed back towards the church. The second time it swung out, it toppled over.
The type of equipment involved in the accident, known as an AWP or aerial lift platform, is not technically considered a crane, and is not subject to the strict regulations put in place by Philadelphia last year.

The family of the crane operator would be well advised to contact an experienced Philadelphia worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

Continue reading "Rittenhouse Square Crane Accident Kills Operator" »

A construction worker from Eatontown, Monmouth County, NJ was injured after falling 20 feet while making repairs to a home in Barnegat. According to this article in the Press of Atlantic City, the construction worker was working in an attic at 12 Carriage Way and fell through a ceiling.

He landed on a stairway, breaking his left arm and inuring his elbow.

Police, fire, and paramedic crews responded right away to help him and he was airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center.

The construction worker would be well advised to contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Injured After Fall at Barnegat, NJ Home" »

On August 27, a worker for a lawn irrigation company was trapped for nearly five hours before being rescued from a muddy hole in Burlington County, NJ. According to an Associated Press article on Philly.com, a 24-year-old of Berlin, NJ was pulled out of the 6-foot deep hole by members of Task Force 1, the state police urban search and rescue unit.

The worker was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The worker became trapped shortly before 1 p.m. on August 27 while trying to repair a leaking water line in a Southampton Township retirement community. Soil and mud around him collapsed, covering him up to this thighs.

The worker in this incident would be well advised to contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

Continue reading "Construction Worker Trapped in Muddy Hole Rescued" »

On August 13, two construction workers working on a residence hall at Montclair State University in New Jersey were injured when the hydraulic lift they were working from tipped over.
According to an article, a University spokeswoman said the workers suffered “broken limbs” in the accident and were taken to a nearby hospital.

The building under construction is an unnamed six-story residence hall. It was not immediately clear how high the workers were when the accident happened and the cause is under investigation.

The injured workers at Montclair State University would be well advised to contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

Continue reading "2 Construction Workers Injured at NJ University" »

A Pennsylvania worker suffered severe injuries to his legs after being run over by a forklift, according to a recent news report. The 48-year-old man was taken to the hospital for treatment after the Pennsylvania workplace accident, which happened in Hatfield Township. Officials are still looking into how and why this forklift accident occurred.

According to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, forklift accidents happen because of many reasons including lack of proper training for workers who have to operate forklift trucks. Forklift accidents could also occur because or improper assignment of forklifts and operators; poor maintenance of forklifts; and the age of the forklifts, which could cause them to fail. Forklift accident can result in catastrophic injuries or even death.

If you have been injured in an industrial accident or construction site accident, you need skilled representation from experienced Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys who will inform you about your legal rights and options. If you are an injured worker, you will be entitled to receive worker's compensation benefits from your employer. If a third party (someone other than your employer) caused your on-the-job injuries, then you may be able to file a third party claim against that individual or entity.

Continue reading "Pennsylvania Forklift Accident Injures Worker" »

On July 16, a driver in University City, PA struck three construction workers — including flipping one onto his hood and smashing his windshield — then drove around the block to argue with them. According to this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the man was driving a Chevrolet Malibu east on Chestnut Street approaching 30th Street in Philadelphia when he got stuck in traffic.

The traffic was caused by a construction crew directing trucks loaded with supplies onto a site next to the intersection. First, the angry driver confronted a 33-year-old flagman who was stopping traffic and screamed at him to get out of the way. He then sped into the construction crew and caused a rare case of a pedestrian and work accident in Philadelphia.

The flagman was flipped over the hood of the offender’s vehicle and hit the windshield head first, breaking it. The driver then ran down two other construction workers and drove around again to confront the construction workers one more time. He was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

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Police in Port Carbon, Pennsylvania are saying that a construction worker is lucky to be alive after an 88,000-pound backhoe he was operating crashed through part of a Pennsylvania bridge about 70 miles northwest of Philadelphia. According to an Associated Press news report, the backhoe's cab was crushed against the bridge. The worker wasn't seriously injured in this construction accident in Pennsylvania, but a heavyset man would have been killed, officials said. It is not yet clear how or why the crash occurred.

Construction sites are extremely prone to risk of injury or death because of the nature of the job and the heavy equipment involved. Workers often do jobs in high-rise buildings, which make them prone to falls. Construction accidents can result in catastrophic injuries such as brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and even death. Contractors and sub contractors are required under federal and state law to follow various procedures that will make a construction site safer for workers. All workers are also required to get the necessary training to do their jobs safely.

Continue reading "Worker Escapes Serious Injury in Pennsylvania Construction Accident" »

On June 10 in Austin, Texas, scaffolding on the 11th floor of a building collapsed and two workers who were on it fell to their deaths. A third worker was critically injured. According to this article, four men were on the scaffolding last week when it collapsed. The fourth worker suffered minor injuries.

Authorities do not know what caused the scaffolding to collapse, resulting in the wrongful death of two workers.

The workers here who sustained any injuries and the families of the workers who died because of the collapse are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits through the employer. These benefits often are inadequate and may not be enough to cover a worker and his family, especially if the incident involves serious injuries that could keep the worker away from his/her job for a long time. It may be in the worker’s best interest, however, to also contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing.

An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

Continue reading "2 Workers Killed in 11th Floor Scaffolding Collapse" »

An audit of a nuclear weapons complex in South Carolina says the construction site did not meet several safety standards when constructing a new facility and could have resulted in a serious construction accident. According to an article, the Department of Energy released a report in April that a mistake was found at the Savannah River site near the South Carolina-Georgia border that could have resulted in a spill of high-level radioactive waste.

The safety issues involved a facility that is being built to convert weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for commercial nuclear reactors.

The report stated that three structural components were obtained and installed by the prime contractor at Savannah River during construction of the mixed oxide fuel fabrication (MOX) facility that did not meet safety specifications.

The faulty steel was discovered after a piece of it broke during construction.

According to the article, these substandard items led to costly and time-consuming remedial action to ensure that nonconforming materials and equipment would function within safety margins.

The Department of Energy’s report said that weaknesses in internal control could have led to installing critical components that didn’t meet standards and could have injured workers and the public.

If any worker at this South Carolina site had been injured here, he or she would have a potential workers’ compensation claim. It is usually in a worker’s best interest to contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine an incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for an accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

In Pennsylvania, every company must carry Worker’s Compensation Insurance in the case an employee is injured on the job, becomes ill due to circumstances surrounding their job, or even if death results from their job. Benefits can include medical expenses, lost wages and death benefits. Workers’ compensation in Philadelphia exists both as a way to benefit injured workers and as a way to protect employers. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system, which means that no guilt needs to be proved in a case; only that the injury sustained occurred while on the job.

If you or someone you love has been injured at work, Cherry, Fieger, & Marciano can help you. These dedicated and skilled PA work injury lawyers will do everything possible to get the monetary compensation that is owed to you to help pay medical bills, physical therapy, loss of work and more.

Vatthana Vongtheva, a 28-year-old from Emporia, Kansas was killed in a construction accident at a power plant under construction north of Kansas City. According to this article by the Associated Press, Vongtheva was employed by Team Industrial Services of Alvin, Texas.

Kansas City Power & Light (KCP &L) officials said that on March 28 he was inside a boiler inspecting equipment on an elevated scaffold at the utility’s Iatan 2 power plant site, near Weston, MO. He became pinned against the boiler wall and was fatally injured.

Last May, at Iatan 1 (KCP& L’s operating power plant), a crane collapsed and killed a worker and injured three others.

Mr. Vongtheva’s family is entitled to Workers’ Compensation through his employer, Team Industrial Services. These benefits often are inadequate and may not be enough to cover a worker’s family. It may be in the family’s best interest, however, to also contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing. An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” These are claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

Any worker who has sustained an injury arising out of and in the course of their employment has a potential workers’ compensation claim in Pennsylvania. The injury can occur while traveling on business, doing a work-related errand, attending a required business-related social function, or even while on a break or using restroom facilities.

Whether your injury was a simple slip and fall, or involves serious injuries, Cherry, Fieger, & Marciano can help you. These dedicated and skilled PA work injury lawyers will do everything possible to get the monetary compensation that is owed to you to help pay medical bills, physical therapy, loss of work and more.

A New Jersey construction worker was killed in Piscataway after falling at a construction site, according to this news report. The construction worker, who has not yet been identified, fell about 10 feet and suffered severe head trauma. He was taken to a local hospital where he died shortly after the fall. The fatal construction accident victim was apparently a member of a construction crew that was building single family homes in the area. Police are saying that the fall was an accident although an investigation is ongoing.

Construction sites are extremely dangerous because of their inherent risks for serious injuries. However, every construction site is required to follow stringent safety procedures mandated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The proper implementation of these safety procedures can reduce and prevent many of these construction site dangers, injuries and unnecessary fatalities.

Construction accident victims undergo tremendous pain, suffering and expenses both in terms of medical costs and loss of wages. Pennsylvania workers compensation benefits are hardly enough to compensate an injured construction worker for all these costs and expenses.

If you have suffered a serious Pennsylvania construction accident injury, then you need an experienced construction accident attorney in Pennsylvania from Cherry, Fieger and Marciano LLP on your side to fight for your rights and secure fair compensation for your injuries and loss. Our goal is not only to get you the compensation you rightfully deserve, but also to make the employer correct the hazardous situation so more workers are not hurt. Please call us today for a free and comprehensive evaluation of your Pennsylvania construction accident injury claim.

Investigators are looking into the cause of a construction accident at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood, Colorado that injured a construction worker in early April. According to an article in USA Today, the accident occurred at a new St. Anthony Hospital that is under construction at the center.

A U.S. Geological Survey employee told The Denver Post he was eating lunch and watching the construction when the crane collapsed and twisted while lifting a beam.

The article said that the injured worker drove himself to a nearby hospital to be treated for injuries.

The construction worker here is entitled to Workers’ Compensation through his employer. These benefits often are inadequate and may not be enough to cover a worker and his family, especially if the incident involves serious injuries that could keep the worker away from his/her job for a long time. It may be in the worker’s best interest, however, to also contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who can carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing.

An experienced attorney would also look into a “third party claim.” Suing a third party involves claims that are filed against parties that are not the worker’s employer. It could be a contractor, a sub-contractor, or even the manufacturer of a defective product. If it is determined that one of those parties was responsible for the accident and any injuries, then they could be held liable.

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A Scott County, Iowa jury awarded more than $7 million to a Wisconsin man who fell three stories in a construction accident.

According to an article that appeared in USA Today, Allen Frohne was a sub-contractor who had been doing gutter work at a Holiday Inn Express in Leclaire, Iowa in 2005. The hotel was under construction at the time. Frohne fell when a lift tipped over and he suffered permanent injuries.

The award was made against Leclaire Hotel Group, LLC and Gibbs Construction.

Any worker who has sustained an injury arising out of and in the course of their employment has a potential PA workers’ compensation claim. The injury can occur while traveling on business, doing a work-related errand, attending a required business-related social function, or even while on a break or using restroom facilities and you are still legally covered by workers compensation.

Workers compensation benefits often are inadequate and may not be enough to cover a worker and his family, especially if the incident involves serious injuries that could keep the worker away from his/her job for a long time. It may be in the worker’s and their family’s best interest, however, to also contact an experienced worker’s compensation attorney in Philadelphia who will carefully examine the incident to identify any negligence or wrongdoing.

Continue reading "Injured Worker Awarded $7 Million by Jury" »