Queens Construction Worker Killed in Avoidable Trench Collapse
This past April, a 22-year-old Queens man was recently killed in a construction accident when the trench he was working in collapsed. According to an EHS Today news report, safety investigators have determined the fatal trenching accident was completely preventable. Officials with the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) say that neither the general contractor nor subcontractor provided cave-in protection for the trench. They didn’t even brace a section of the trench to support the sidewalk.
Worker Injured at Manhattan Accident
A construction worker was injured after falling 40 feet to the ground at a Manhattan development site. According to a report in The Real Deal, the construction accident occurred at the Manhattan West development site on the Far West Side. Officials say the man fell off one of the buildings at the project site and was seriously injured. A bucket crane was needed to rescue him. It’s unclear how the accident happened or how it could have been prevented.
Recovering from a Catastrophic Work Accident
Whether you work in a small office or work long shifts on major construction projects, your employer is required to follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) regulations when it comes to preventing work-related accidents. In 2013 alone, roughly 4,585 workers lost their lives due to workplace accidents and thousands more suffered serious or even catastrophic injuries on the job.
While OSHA reports that the 2013 statistics for work injuries and deaths are, in fact, the second-lowest since 1992, many of these tragic incidents could have been prevented, if it weren’t for negligence. For example, the top four causes of fatal and catastrophic injury accidents on the job are simple slip and falls, electrocution, being struck by an object, or getting pinned between two objects.
Are Employees Compensated for Work-Related Car Accidents?
Whether you work as a delivery person or have been sent out on a business errand, it is not uncommon for New York employees to get into a car accident during the course of a work day. As with all NY work-related accidents, you may file for workers’ compensation benefits if you have sustained injuries among other damages. You may also get additional financial support by filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver. In order to recover compensation, you must provide evidence that the at-fault driver was negligent and caused the collision.
When seeking workers’ compensation for any work-related injury, it is not necessary to prove negligence. The only thing that matters is that you were injured while performing your job duties. You can pursue financial support through workers’ comp if you were:
OSHA Ruling will Make Healthcare Worker Injuries Public
When a person hears that a worker was injured on the job while lifting and moving heavy items throughout the course of a 12 hour shift or from exposure to harmful chemicals and gases, the likely assumption is that the injured worker must be in the construction industry. However, while construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the country, those in the medical profession face equally harmful, if not more so, work conditions – the main difference is that the public is less likely to hear about a nurse’s occupational injuries.
One of the main reasons the high injury rate among medical care workers goes underreported is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) failure to conduct regular inspections to ensure that hospitals and healthcare facilities are safe for workers. Additionally, employers in the medical industry are required to keep records of workplace illnesses and injuries, but the information is not made public.
Are You Getting Your Fair Share of Workers’ Compensation?
According to a recent investigation by New York-based non-profit Propublica, the landscape of workers’ compensation has quickly shifted under workers’ feet as legislators, insurers, and employers have sought different ways to escape costly payouts. One by one, up to 33 states have passed new laws and regulations to cut down workers’ rightful benefits and set up ever-more difficult roadblocks in the claims process.
The declining workers’ compensation system is no more apparent than in the stark disparity between each state’s allotted benefits – divided up by body part and extent of the injury, in many cases. For example, if a construction worker loses an arm in a worksite accident in New York, s/he could potentially receive a maximum of $252,299 in coverage, whereas a worker with a similar injury in Alabama could only receive a maximum of $48,840.
Protecting Your Right to Workers’ Compensation in New York
If you have been injured while at work, you may be worried about how it will affect your livelihood. How long will you have to miss work? Can you still afford to pay the bills while out of work? What if you can’t return to work at all? Almost every employer in the United States is legally required to provide employees with workers’ compensation insurance. In the event that an employee suffers an injury while on the job, this insurance should help cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of fault.
Under the workers’ compensation law, employees have within 30 days to report an injury to his or her employer. Since there is a time limit on filing a claim, it is important to consult with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible to help ensure that you receive the fair and full amount for your circumstances.
What to Do If You Are Injured on the Job
If you’re injured on the job in New York, you may be entitled to coverage by workers’ compensation. To protect your potential right to workers’ compensation, follow these steps if you are injured on the job:
First, seek medical attention. If you need emergency medical care, get it as soon as possible. Otherwise, apply first aid and seek treatment from a provider authorized by the Workers’ Compensation Board. Your employer should be able to provide a list of authorized providers.