Construction Worker Loses Arm in Florida Worksite Accident
A construction worker on a work site in Hillsboro Beach in Broward County was recently catastrophically injured in an example of how dangerous construction sites can be for both those who work on such sites as well as persons who may just be passing by or happen to be in the vicinity. In this most recent instance of what can go wrong when proper safety precautions are not followed on a job site, the worker’s arm was actually severed as a result of the construction accident. According to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the 44-year-old worker was using an industrial auger, a type of drill that is used to bore holes in the ground on construction sites, when his arm became trapped in the drill bit and was severed at the shoulder.
He was somehow in stable condition and still conscious when Broward Fire Rescue emergency personnel responded to the scene and helicoptered him to a nearby hospital for treatment. According to a Sun-Sentinel story, surgeons attempted to re-attach the man’s arm as soon as he arrived at Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Surgeons credited the heroic actions of police and emergency personnel, who responded nearly immediately and helped to stop the bleeding and stabilize the man after the incident, with having given him a chance to keep his arm. The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is investigating the incident to determine if appropriate safety measures were taken by the injured worker’s employer to protect workers and other individuals on and near the site from harm.
Worksite Injuries to Third Parties and Non-Employees
In most cases in Florida, workers are limited to the worker’s compensation process in order to obtain compensation for injuries suffered on the job. This is true even in cases of truly horrible injuries like the unfortunate construction worker who recently may have lost his arm as a result of what may have been his employer’s failure to maintain a safe workplace.
Although in this case it was an employee of the company performing the construction on a job site who was injured and lost an arm, worksite accidents involving third parties are extremely common, much more so than most people would think. One of the most common scenarios is when someone walking, biking or driving by a construction site (of which there are thousands all over the Sunshine State) is hit by flying debris from a construction or worksite and suffers serious injuries as a result. Construction zones and other worksites can be particularly dangerous for not only those who work in such environments like the worker in Broward who recently had his arm severed, but also for those who may temporarily be visiting the site or simply passing by. This is particularly true when the contractor or the company performing the work is not following proper safety precautions, as may have happened in this case given that OSHA is now investigating the incident.
If a non-employee is injured on a worksite or as a result of a worksite accident, then he or she would not go through the worker’s compensation process but would instead be free to file a personal injury lawsuit against the owner or operator of the worksite depending on who bears responsibility for the victim’s injuries. Pursuing justice through the courts allows the injured individual to recover any financial losses incurred as a result of the worksite incident, including any lost wages, medical bills, and other economic damages the victim may have suffered as a result of his or her injuries, in addition to recovering compensation for the pain and suffering the victim’s injuries caused him or her.
Contact the Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys of Schwed, Adams & McGinley
Worksite accidents, like the employee who may have lost his arm in Broward County recently, are regrettably not uncommon in a state where so much construction is going on like in Florida. Worksite injuries, whether they occur to workers or non-workers alike, can occur suddenly and without warning. These incidents can cause death or devastating injuries to both workers on the job as well as innocent third parties unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity or those who are visiting a job site when something untoward occurs. At Schwed Adams & McGinley, P.A., our experienced personal injury attorneys have more than 150 years of combined legal experience representing those who have suffered catastrophic injuries or have been the victim of a wrongful death in a worksite accident like the recent Hillsboro Beach incident. If you have been injured in a worksite accident, contact our experienced personal injury attorneys at contact@schwedlawfirm.com or (877) 694-6079 today.