Many people in Northwest Indiana work in the construction industry. While this is good for the Porter County economy, it also means that many workers are facing the dangers associated with most construction sites.
Workers frequently have to do jobs from heights or in other dangerous locations, and they also have to work around heavy or dangerous tools and equipment. Especially with construction in or around roads, traffic is also a hazard.
It is no wonder then that construction workers frequently fall victim to fatal accidents.
According to the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, or OSHA, of the 5,333 people who died in work-related accidents, around 20% of them worked in construction.
OSHA’s statistics suggest that many of these accidents could be prevented.
For example, industries were frequently found to be in violation of safety standards with respect to protecting workers from falls. Improper fall prevention training, scaffolding issues, and issues with ladder safety also were also frequently cited safety issues.
Workers’ families may have a variety of legal options after fatal accidents
After a tragedy, a construction worker’s family may be able to Indiana’s workers’ compensation system for help. However helpful they may be, these benefits do not cover all losses.
Moreover, the tradeoff for having a worker’s compensation system is that employees’ families generally cannot sue the employers for wrongful death after an accident, even if the employer was negligent.
However, especially at construction sites, there may be many parties who share responsibility for a deadly accident.
For instance, if the accident involved a motor vehicle collision, the driver of the other car may be legally responsible.
Likewise, sometimes another subcontractor, the contractor or even the property owner or a manufacturer of dangerous equipment can be held responsible for a construction worker’s death.
A grieving family should explore all of their legal options after a fatal construction accident.