RSSFlorida Construction Worker Injured During Highway Project
Drivers need to be aware when driving through a construction zone. Construction workers are often close to moving traffic and speeds are reduced in a construction zone to try and limit the potential for injuries to construction workers. But these precautions did not help a 23-year-old construction worker in Orlando.
Christopher David Cattaneo was working for Oglesby Construction, Inc., of Sanford, Fla., on the Interstate 4 construction project on March 3rd. He was striping the pavement near the Longwood and Winter Springs exit. Cattaneo was working within a cordoned off area when he was struck by a vehicle. He suffered significant injuries in the accident and was taken to an area hospital. He was listed in serious condition.
The driver of the vehicle fled the scene of the accident. It took police several days, but law enforcement officials located the vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado. They say the vehicle suffered damage to the passenger-side mirror, and the reflectors on the vehicle were damaged. The vehicle was impounded and police spoke with the owner of the vehicle. They are not sure who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. Law enforcement officials were not sure if the driver of the vehicle was a male or female.
Law enforcement officers and the contractor on the site say drivers were given ample warning about the construction zone. The area had warning signs, work vehicles equipped with flashing lights, workers in reflective vests and construction-zone cones.
Construction accidents are common in an industry that works with heavy equipment and where workers are often many feet above the ground. In fact, construction workers suffered the most number of accidents of any private sector industry, and construction workers were three times more likely to be in an accident than other industries. In 2013, 824 workers were killed in construction accidents, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. There were 3.3 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses to construction workers in 2009, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you, or someone you love have been injured in a construction accident, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. immediately at 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free initial consultation.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.