Falls from scaffoldings, ladders, and other elevations constitute the leading cause of injury in the construction industry and account for over 100,000 injuries per year. Fall accidents also are the number one cause of construction-related fatalities with one in ten fatal construction accidents involving a fall. The injuries sustained from a fall can have long-lasting financial consequences for both the worker and his or her family. The chances of permanent disability are high, and catastrophic injuries are common. The types of severe injury associated with falls from scaffoldings on construction sites usually result in enormous medical expenses and long periods of painful rehabilitation.
If you have a fall on a construction site and suffer serious injuries or a loved one dies in a fall, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our experienced Mississippi construction accident attorneys at Barrett Law conduct careful investigations into the circumstances of our clients’ injuries so that we can pursue the fullest recovery.
Falls from scaffoldings and ladders can result from a variety of causes including:
- The scaffolding collapses because it is improperly set up or poorly maintained.
- The ladder or scaffolding is defectively designed or manufactured.
- The worker is not trained on proper safety practices and use of the equipment.
- The worker is not furnished with proper safety equipment.
- Careless workers on the ground strike the equipment or damage the equipment in some way, which leads to its weakening.
“Fall through” accidents constitute another type of serious fall incident that is common on Mississippi construction sites. These construction accidents involve workers on rooftops or upper floors falling through an open floor. These accidents usually result from improper safety measures or failure of a co-worker to properly mark an unfinished open floor. By adhering to government safety guidelines and regulations, nearly all of these types of construction falls could be prevented, or the severity of injuries might be substantially decreased. These guidelines include education of workers, the use of protective equipment, and installation of rail and netting to prevent falls.
OSHA safety measures must be complied with to protect construction workers from serious falls. If an employee is injured during a fall while working on a construction project, the injured construction worker might be entitled to medical treatment, partial wage replacement, and disability benefits. A claim against an employer would be in the form of a worker’s compensation claim.
Because worker’s compensation benefits are typically more limited than damages awarded in a personal injury lawsuit, our experienced Mississippi construction accident attorneys will carefully investigate negligent conduct by third-parties. We typically pursue both worker’s compensation claims against an employer and a personal injury lawsuit against negligent third-parties.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a fall on a construction site, our attorneys help injured construction workers pursue both personal injury damages and worker’s compensation benefits. At Barrett Law, we are here to help. Contact our seasoned Mississippi Construct Accident Lawyers today at 800-707-9577 to schedule your free consultation, so we can answer any questions you may have regarding filing your claim.