Falling Materials Injury

In any construction or industrial job that requires workers, equipment, waste, or building materials to be elevated, there is a potential for materials (e.g. lumber, bricks, cabling, gravel backfill, dirt, loose or sheet rock, etc.) to fall and injure other workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008, approximately 17% of all reported fatal injuries were a result of “struck-by” hazards, and over half of those (10% of the overall fatal injuries) were related to falling objects. In 2012, 78 construction workers were struck and killed by falling materials. As if those shocking statistics weren’t enough, they don’t even begin to include the many non-fatal falling materials injuries that occurred that year.

Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does provide extensive guidelines and training on prevention of falling materials injuries, adherence by some companies and/or individuals is not 100%, and every year some unfortunate workers find themselves the victim of these unfortunate job site hazards.

Of course, falling materials injuries can lead to more than just the obvious physical distress. Workers who have been injured by falling materials on the job may be subject to legal challenges, difficulty maintaining a household due to lost wages from being out of work, eventual unemployment and loss of livelihood due to being completely unable to return to work, numerous insurance company dealings, and/or complications with the payment of medical bills and physical therapies for serious falling materials injuries such as:

• Amputations
• Lacerations or Impalement
• Paralysis (sometimes permanent)
• Concussions
• Skull Fractures
• Traumatic Brain Injury (sometimes potentially permanent damage)
• Internal Injuries
• …and more.

The importance of seeking a rigorous, experienced lawyer when dealing with the repercussions of a serious falling materials injury/accident cannot be understated. When facing legal, financial, and medical difficulties, a lawyer is an irreplaceable legal resource for advice and navigation through such challenges, and can also professionally represent injured parties in court and on paper when fighting legal resistance or seeking deserved appropriate compensation beyond the minimums of worker’s compensation benefits.

For over 35 years, the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. has been representing individuals who have suffered serious falling materials injuries. If you, or a loved one has suffered a serious injury after a fall, please call 877-FL-INJURY (877-354-6587) for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights.