Anyone who works in the construction industry already knows that it can be a dangerous. In 2011, 721 construction accidents in the private sector resulted in the deaths of construction workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number was down 7 percent from 2010.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor whose primary roles are to measure labor market activity, price changes, and working conditions throughout the U.S. economy. The bureau accumulates and analyzes statistics each year that relate to fatal workplace accidents throughout the United States.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011:
- 666 workers lost their lives as a result of falls, slips or trips, accounting for approximately 14 percent of all fatal work accidents in 2011. Falls to a lower level accounted for 541 of those fatalities, though not all took place on construction sites.
- 219 workers were killed as a result of being struck by falling objects or equipment.
- Fatal construction accidents have declined over the past five years, but the construction industry still had the second highest number of fatal work injuries, behind only the transportation industry.
- Injuries in construction and extraction occupations resulted in 770 deaths.
- Injuries among construction trades resulted in the deaths of 511 workers.
- Construction laborers accounted for the highest number of deaths at 190 within the construction trade worker category.
If you have been injured or lost a family member as a result of a New York or New Jersey construction accident, you could be entitled to third-party compensation in lieu of, or in addition to, workers’ compensation.
All too often, workers’ compensation benefits fail to adequately compensate the victim of a construction accident. Furthermore, given the fact that numerous different companies are often working at the same site, there is a chance that someone other than your own employer may have contributed to your injuries.
Contact the New York/New Jersey construction injury attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., to learn about your legal options. For your free consultation, call 888-446-2783 or fill out our online contact form.