Your Trusted Attorney 

For Personal Injury, Business Disputes Or Landlord/Tenant Issues

Worker injured on California rail may face permanent injuries

Workplaces have to be safe to keep California working. From cubicles in office parks to the foundations of construction projects, safety is the first priority for responsible managers and contractors. If working conditions propose an undue danger for workers, they have to be corrected under California law.

The family of a 48-year-old worker injured at a high-speed rail work site fear that he has permanently been deprived of his ability to walk. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) investigated the incident and concluded that the rigging around a metal rebar wall failed, causing the wall to fall and crush the victim.

The worker broke his ribs, clavicle, arm and foot, as well as suffering significant tendon and ligament damage. His spine may also have been damaged in the accident. Surgeons attempting to repair the spine claimed the man may be a paraplegic, unable to use his legs, for the rest of his life.

The state agency responsible for the project claimed that safety is their top priority for work sites. However, evidence exists that an accident four months earlier injured five workers with two hospitalization on a similar project after a rebar tower collapsed. Cal/OSHA is still investigating that incident as well.

Californians who have become the victim of a construction accident or other workplace injury may be eligible for financial damages in addition to workers’ compensation payments. These damages may include actual costs related to the accident as well as additional compensation for pain and emotional distress.

An attorney can help victims and their families assemble civil lawsuits and file them in the appropriate jurisdictions. Legal representation may increase the chances of a suit’s success.

Source: KFSN, “New information on High Speed Rail construction accident,” Dale Yurong, March 08, 2018

Archives