Construction Site Accident: Peter Chamas recently recovered $1 million for a construction worker who fell twenty-four feet from an unsafe scaffold that collapsed. As a result, he suffered multiple hip and back injuries, including fractures that required surgery. The Somerset County suit settled in July 2013.
Fall from Elevation: Falls are a persistent hazard found in all occupational settings. A fall can occur during the simple acts of walking or climbing a ladder or as a result of a complex series of events affecting an ironworker one hundred feet above the ground. The most common fall-related injuries or fatalities are in the construction industry. High-rise building cleaning and maintenance, transportation, material moving, and construction & extraction occupations are particularly at risk of fall injuries. Things that may cause fall incidents usually involve slippery or unstable walking surfaces, unsafe edges or floor holes, unsafe ladders, or incorrect fall protection. There are federal rules and regulations that require specific industry safety standards. Persistent unsafe practices and violations of safety regulations have led to steady fall injury rates each year.
