In an incident on Tuesday, November 14, a construction site in North Falmouth became the scene of a potentially life-altering event for one worker. A wall fell as it was being raised at a home under construction and left the individual pinned and suffering traumatic injuries.
As reported by NBC Boston, emergency services were alerted to the incident, which occurred as the wall was being raised to the second floor of a residential construction project on North Falmouth Highway. The wall trapped a construction worker beneath its weight. The worker was apparently extricated by colleagues before paramedics arrived.
The injured worker was transported to Falmouth Hospital via ambulance and, due to the severity of the injuries, was subsequently transferred to the Rhode Island Hospital Trauma Center by a medical helicopter.
Legal Ramifications of Construction Accidents
In the aftermath of the incident, representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and town inspectors were reportedly dispatched to the construction site. Law enforcement authorities are usually the first investigate the scene of a construction site injury, and they typically determine whether any safety regulations or protocols were violated. After the initial investigation, construction accidents often continue to involve complex legal considerations. Potential legal avenues to consider include:
- Workers' Compensation. The injured worker may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits, which typically cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. It is essential to assess the adequacy of these benefits in light of the severity of the injuries.
- Third-Party Liability. Any negligence of a third party (meaning someone other than the injured worker’s employer) that potentially caused or contributed to the injury should be considered as the basis for a potential lawsuit. In residential construction development injuries, those parties typically include, but are not limited to, the property owner, the general contractor, other involved subcontractors, and even the equipment manufacturer.
- OSHA Violations. If evidence of safety violations are identified, they are often used to support a personal injury claim against the party or parties responsible for maintaining a safe work environment.
Massachusetts Construction Accident Attorneys Pursue Justice
Hiring an attorney as soon as possible in any construction injury case can greatly improve the amount of information that is preserved, which will in turn greatly aide in any subsequent legal actions.
The injured worker in the North Falmouth incident above would be well advised to seek experienced legal representation to navigate the complexities of personal injury law. Our team of personal injury attorneys has experience representing injured construction workers throughout Northern New England, including Massachusetts. We stand ready to leverage in-depth knowledge of OSHA regulations, workers’ compensation, and premises liability law to seek justice when construction accidents occur. If you or a loved one has been injured on a construction site, call (888) 801-9916 or contact us online to set up a free case consultation.
