Common Injuries from Accidents on Construction Sites

Construction site accidents can cause severe injuries. When they are, a victim can experience prolonged pain and suffering and extensive medical bills. Get the help you need today from a San Francisco construction accident attorney. 

Construction sites are dangerous by nature. Construction sites are ever always changing and have plenty of moving parts. Workers use machinery, work from heights, carry heavyweights, and deal with an ever-shifting workplace. The shifting nature of the environment can make it difficult to ascertain safety issues as they occur. Old hazards disappear as new ones take their place.

Additionally, though larger safety issues may hold a prominent place in a worker’s mind, sometimes smaller issues that are just as dangerous get overlooked. Safety regulations are in place to make the workplace safer, but accidents still occur. Unfortunately, because of the work involved, when a worker is injured, often the injury is serious.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in comparison to other industries, the construction industry suffered the most fatalities in 2019. Over 5,000 construction workers died in 2019, according to the U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA).

If you suffered injuries in this type of accident, you should speak with a San Francisco construction accident lawyer today.

Common Causes of Construction Site Accidents

Many of the accidents that occur at a construction site occur from the following list of common accidents:

Falls

Falls are extremely common. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for almost 1/3 of the total number of fatalities. Most of these falls occur from scaffolds, rooftops, or ladders. Scaffolding can collapse, workers can lack the training needed to use safety harnesses properly, the safety equipment may fail.

Electrocution

Electrocution in the construction business is more common than you would think. Workers come into accidental contact with live wires due to general wiring methods and electrical requirements. In 2015 alone, electrocutions in the construction industry comprised 61% of all electrocutions in  U.S. workplaces. Electrocution often results in death.

Machinery

Heavy equipment is commonly used at construction sites and causes many construction accidents. Backhoes, cranes, trucks, bulldozers, excavators, compactors are all examples of the types of heavy equipment that can cause a construction site accident. Workers can be injured when caught between two or more pieces of equipment. Equipment operators may be unaware of the presence of the worker. Other times, equipment malfunctions or is defective. Equipment can collide and rollover. Due to the weight of these pieces of equipment, the injuries can be catastrophic.

Being Hit by Heavy Objects

This category of danger often includes being struck or hit by a piece of heavy equipment as described above. But it can also include falling equipment and debris. A worker can be hit when the driver of a piece of heavy equipment is backing up.

Injuries Suffered by Construction Site Workers

Injuries can range from muscle sprains and strains from lifting heavy objects or from slips and trips at the worksite to catastrophic injuries and death. Among the more serious types of injuries are:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a grouping of injuries that occur because of external force to the head. They occur when the head is hit with force. This injury can also occur when the head is penetrated by an external object. On a construction site, this injury may occur because of a fall or falling debris. It can occur because of equipment malfunction or because of an explosion.

In 2019, approximately 166 people died in the U.S. every day as a result of TBIs. Trauma to the brain affects how the brain works. A concussion is a mild form of a TBI. The brain bounces inside the skull, causing tearing of tissue and chemical changes. Even a mild TBI is serious. It can cause a person to experience problems with their vision, vomiting, cognition, sleep disruption, anxiety, and depression.

Falls especially falls from a height, are associated with more severe TBIs. Not all victims of TBIs survive. In those who do, symptoms are exacerbated. These individuals will need a lifetime of care to manage the tasks of daily living. Most are unable to continue working. Many need round-the-clock care.

Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body. It carries the brain’s signals to the rest of the body. Falls, crushing accidents, falling debris, explosions, and being caught between pieces of machinery can all lead to a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord can be compressed, crushed, or severed in an injury.

The higher in the body that the injury occurs, the more catastrophic it is. When the cord is injured up toward the neck, everything below that area is affected. Brain signals are disrupted, which can cause loss of movement, organ failure, and death. Paralysis may be temporary or permanent. Those who survive will require lifelong medical treatment and assistance with all tasks of daily living. For some, this may include breathing assistance for the rest of their lives.

Burns

Burns suffered as a result of a construction site fire or explosion are more common than you would expect. Gas lines, electrical wiring, and explosive chemicals are all common components of a construction site. Construction site burns which result from construction site accidents can be severe. Treatment and prognosis depend on the severity of the burn. Burns are extremely painful, leaving permanent scars. In some cases, burns cause death.

Fractures

Fractures can occur because of a fall or falling debris. They can occur as a result of an explosion or as a result of being crushed by machinery or other machinery accident. Fractures vary depending upon the bones involved and the severity of the fracture. Regardless of severity, a fracture can be categorized as either simple or compound. A simple fracture is a fracture in which the bones do not extrude from the skin. In a compound fracture, the bones puncture the skin and are visible.

A single clean break can be relatively simple to treat. A cast or boot is used to immobilize the bone until it heals. Healing time can vary, but generally requires no more than several weeks.

Other fractures require surgical intervention. This is especially true in the more complicated fractures where bones splinter or where the break is slanted or at an acute angle. Bones may require internal affixing with pins, screws, and rods.  Healing time is protracted for these types of fractures, and a victim may require physical therapy to regain function.

Construction site injuries are often serious and require both extensive medical care and healing time. If you have been injured, you will need the help of an experienced San Francisco construction accident lawyer. An experienced construction accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you need to help you navigate this difficult time.

Speak With an Experienced San Francisco Construction Accident Lawyer Today

If you have been injured through no fault of your own, our legal team at The Cartwright Law Firm, Inc., is here to help. We offer a free initial case evaluation to see what we can do for you. Call us at (415) 433-0444 or contact us online today.

Sources: 

Number and rate of fatal work injuries, by industry sector

Commonly Used Statistics | Occupational Safety and Health Administration