Brooklyn Construction Accidents Attorney
According to data collected by OSHA, roughly 350 construction workers die every year due to electric shock. This means there are even more construction accidents that happen every year involving electric shock. While New York construction law has its own standards that are not necessarily identical to OSHA guidelines, code and safety violations due to negligence are often the cause of electric shock at construction work sites.
Electric Shock and the Construction Work Site
In many ways, the risk of electric shock on the job site is due in part to the fact that most jobs start from the bottom and build up from there. As a result, as supports, floors, and other structures are put in place, electrical boxes, wiring, and transformers must also be added. If wiring isn’t properly grounded, if its left expose, or if beams or girders fall and sever wiring, the risk for electric shock is increased. By and large, electric shock at construction work sites happen when workers come into contact with wiring while using tools or when they touch overhead power lines.
Negligence on the part of Construction Companies and Contractors
An additional problem related to construction sites is the number of construction companies and contractors that often work at a single job site. As a result, contractors and subcontractors may not always communicate effectively with each other or the principle construction company. This increases the potential for safety code violations and situations where one contractor is unaware of certain dangers related to wiring or transformers that another contractor failed to mention.
Holding Negligent Contractors Financially Liable
Electrocution is often fatal. In cases where it isn’t, serious burns, neurological, muscular, and heart-related problems can be long-term effects. As a result, medical costs and life-care expenses may exceed what you’re eligible to receive through workers’ compensation. In cases where a third party contractor (or subcontractor) acted negligently and caused your accident, you can sue them to recover damages over and above what you might be eligible for under workers’ compensation.
Contact Brooklyn Construction Accident Attorneys at The Pryor Law Firm
If you’ve been electrocuted or have lost a family member due to electrocution at a construction work site, contact Brooklyn construction accident attorney Kenneth A. Pryor today to learn how we can help you. We will act to ensure your rights to any benefits you’re eligible for are protected and advise you how you can protect your job under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) should you need to take time off for recovery from your injuries.
The Pryor Law Firm operates offices in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Nassau County, operates exclusively on a contingency fee basis (meaning you pay no fee unless we recover compensation for you) and can visit you or your loved one at home or at a hospital if travel is difficult. To contact us for help following a nursing home accident, call (855) 889-5311.