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Scaffolding is most often used in the construction industry. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) “2.3 million construction workers, or 65 percent of the construction industry, work on scaffolds.” (1)
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported 61 fatalities occurred in the year 2018 from scaffolds, staging.” (2) Scaffolding related incidents cause “4,500 injuries and over 60 deaths every year,” indicates the BLS. (3)
“Falls from scaffolds are the third leading cause of construction falls,” according to The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR). (4)
Unfortunately, scaffolding injuries and deaths are common occurrences in New York. There were 29 construction deaths due to slips, trips, and falls in New York state from 2019-2020, says CPWR. (5)
“In New York City; falls, slips, and trips resulted in 24 fatal work injuries… Worker deaths from falls, slips, and trips were up from 17 in 2018,” indicate BLS statistics for 2019. (6)
“The construction and extraction occupational group had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 29,” also notes BLS. (7)
The hazardous nature of scaffold accidents warrants closer attention to what causes them.
If you've been seriously injured in a scaffolding accident, contact us today for a free consultation and more information about your legal options.
Get a Free Case Review“Falls from scaffolds occur when the scaffold collapses due to instability and/or overloading, a worker is struck by falling tools, work materials, or debris, a worker is electrocuted due to the proximity of the scaffold to overhead power lines, and/or there is a lack of fall protection,” says CPWR. (8)
Here are more details about the causes of scaffold accidents:
A scaffold accident can lead to a wide range of injuries, including traumatic ones.
Among the most common serious injuries resulting from a scaffold accident fall are:
While the people working on the scaffolding are most likely to be injured, passersby and people near the scaffolding are also at risk from falling objects or collapse.
If you have suffered a serious scaffold injury, or a loved one has died, you should carefully consider your legal options. An attorney can help you determine any steps you should take.
Scaffold accidents may fall under negligence. Negligence is the legal concept someone (a person or business) has failed to act with the same “level of care that someone of ordinary prudence” would have under similar circumstances. (22)
The concept hinges on convincing the court how the defendants you are suing owed you a “duty of care” and they breached their duty in some way. This breach could be through their actions or failure to act. (23)
You must prove to the court the party you are suing was negligent and their negligence caused your injuries.
If you've been seriously injured in a scaffolding accident, contact us today to discuss your legal options.
(833) 544-0604For example, you are a construction worker who gets hurt. You are on a scaffold and you trip over a bump in the flooring. The scaffold has no guardrails. You fall 20 feet to the ground. Unfortunately, the fall paralyzes you.
Or you are walking down the block on your way to lunch. At one point, you pass under scaffolding being used while workers are overhead. As you move under it, the scaffolding gives way and collapses on top of you. You are rushed to the hospital because you are severely injured on your head and suffer a traumatic brain injury.
Who’s fault is your injury?
The company installing the scaffold may be responsible for failing to put it up correctly. The building owners may be held accountable for failing to maintain the scaffolding properly. If the scaffold fell because it was made defectively, the manufacturer could be the party you need to sue. Or it could be the company you work for, because they didn’t give you appropriate safety training or necessary equipment.
Such cases can be very complex. This is why we recommended the services of an experienced attorney. Here at W&L we have an entire team of personal injury attorneys ready to assist clients.
W&L has years of experience helping clients with their injury cases. Cases like these examples illustrate our successful representation of our clients: