A worker was seriously burned this month in Middleton Township, N.J., when his gasoline-soaked clothing caught fire. According to news reports, the man was driving a skid-loader when he and other workers smelled gas. The worker tried to take the lid off the gas tank, but the lid blew off the tank and gas sprayed out, soaking his clothes. Later, a hot muffler or other ignition source from construction equipment caused a spark, and the man’s clothes caught fire. Co-workers were able to put out the blaze with a garden hose, but the man had to be hospitalized with burns over 20 percent of his body.
New Jersey and New York Construction Accidents
Anyone who works in the New York or New Jersey construction industry knows that workplace accidents are common. Despite federal and state laws and regulations aimed at keeping construction sites safe, workers are injured, even killed. The Middletown Township accident illustrates how easy it is to be injured on a construction site.
In 2010 alone, there were 802 fatal construction accidents in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And thousands of workers and bystanders receive serious injuries each year as a result of construction accidents.
Construction accidents can occur for a wide variety of reasons. Some of the common situations in which a worker or bystander is injured at a construction site include:
- Crane accidents
- Falls from scaffolding or other heights
- Electrocution
- Being struck by an object
- Machinery accidents
- Chemical burns or fires
- Inhaling toxic chemicals or dust
Legal Options for Construction Accident Injuries in New York and New Jersey
If you have been injured in a New Jersey or New York construction accident, or have lost a loved one as the result of a fatal construction accident, you may have more than one legal avenue. Some situations fall under the workers’ compensation system. Workers’ compensation pays for wage replacement and medical treatment for a workplace injury, regardless of whether the employer was negligent. If someone’s negligence played a part in your injuries or your loss, you may pursue a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death lawsuit. For example, if another contractor, not your employer, was responsible for your injuries, you may need to pursue compensation outside the workers’ compensation system.
If you pursue a personal injury lawsuit and are successful, you may be entitled to compensation for your out-of-pocket expenses such as lost wages and medical bills as well as pain and suffering.
Contact the New York/New Jersey construction accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd to find out your legal options. With six offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation or fill out our online contact form.