Construction Accidents in Sherman Oaks

Sherman Oaks is a growing city with over 9 percent population increase in the last decade, and with this much growth comes construction. New construction and remodel or repairs of homes, roads, business, streets, sidewalks strip malls and other types of construction is a regular occurrence in the community.

With these construction sites mean construction injuries to both workers and visitors or passersby. These accidents happen for many reasons, some by human error, others by equipment failure and others by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Trapped Construction Worker Freed and Resuscitated by Fellow Workers

On Thursday, December 5, 2019, a stack of lumber fell on a worker trapping him for several minutes. His colleagues came to his rescue pulling off the lumber and then gave him CPR under instructions from a 911 dispatcher. EMS rushed the man to a local trauma center in critical condition where he was expected to recover.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the accident happened around 9 a.m. at a site on W. Ventura Boulevard. It’s unclear what caused the accident, but officials are still investigating the incident.

Construction Injuries

Construction sites are dangerous places for both workers and those visiting or passing through. Injuries can happen in many ways, and the injuries can be mild to severe with some being fatal. Some of the causes of injuries that are common to Sherman Oaks construction sites are:

• Trench/Hole Falls
• Falls from Heights
• Ladder related injuries
• Struck by Materials
• Electrocutions
• Vehicle/Forklift Accidents
• Gas Leaks/Explosions
• Fires
• Pinnings/Crushings
• Chemicals
• Machinery

These are just a few of the most common, but an accident can happen in any form at any time. The circumstances of the accident, the cause and who the victim is will have an impact on compensation for the victim.

Worker Accidents

When a worker is injured, there is workers’ compensation that will pay certain benefits such as all medical bills, lost time from work and disability. When these accidents happen to the worker without any third party involvement, then workers’ compensation is the only recourse.

However, if the cause—full or partial—is because of someone other than the employer, then the injured worker can claim a third-party injury claim. A third party claim is against someone other than the employer of the worker. Some of the examples of these are:

• Supply Vendor: A supply might have given defective materials or equipment to the workers which caused the accident.
• Worker’s from Other Company: The cause might be from a visiting or helping construction crew.
• Owner of the Site: The hazard might come from the owner of the construction site like a gas leak or live power lines, chemicals, or any other conditions that were in the control of the site owner.
• Manufacturing Defect/Design: Any materials, equipment, tools or anything that can cause an accident might have been manufactured with a defect in production or design.
• Member of the Public: The most common is a road construction crew member being hit by an automobile. There are many other ways a member of the public can cause an injury to a worker.

Public Member Accident

Members of the public are at risk of construction site injuries in many ways. Sites are often “open” to the public such as sidewalks, building facings, road construction, remodels, utility construction, building sites, and many others where people are allowed to be or travel through.

When these accidents happen, the victim will have a claim against any person or company that is at fault. Some of the most common of these are:

• Auto Accidents: Worker vehicles or equipment that collide with automobiles.
• Falling Objects/Debris: Equipment such as cranes or stacks of material or items falling from heights can cause serious injuries.
• Electrocution: Live power lines or defect in equipment can cause an electrocution.
• Trips/Slips/Falls: Construction sites have many potential hazards that can cause a person to fall and become injured.

Call a Personal Injury Attorney Today

The best thing to do when injured at a construction site is to talk to an attorney. Even if you don’t hire one, you owe it to yourself to be advised of the law by an impartial professional. Then if you decide to get representation, then choose someone who is experienced and understands the law.

Call the Law Offices of Steers & Associates at 800 824 5416 or click here to contact us online. We have attorneys with years of experience dealing with every type of motor vehicle accident, and we get results against the insurance companies and their highly-paid lawyers. Call us now to even the playing field and get the compensation you deserve.

Allen Vaysberg

Allen Vaysberg practices personal injury law and works tirelessly to defeat the tactics of insurance companies and large corporations who try to deny justice and fair compensation to injured people.