Construction workers face a higher risk of injuries and fatalities on-the-job than most workers in other professions do because of the physical nature of their work and the difficult work conditions construction workers must work in on unfinished buildings.

It is the job of employers to comply with OSHA regulations and try to make construction workplaces as safe as possible, but unfortunately accidents still happen all the time. New York City construction accident lawyers should be consulted after an incident occurs so the affected worker and his family can get the compensation and benefits necessary for recovery.

Unfortunately, some construction accidents result in fatalities. NY Daily News, for example, reported recently on a horrific construction accident that resulted in the death of a man from Queens.

Fatal Construction Accident Occurs on Construction Site

According to New York Daily News, the terrible construction accident that took the life of a Queens man occurred on a work site in Brooklyn. The construction worker who was killed was 46 years old. He was walking on the construction site and passing between a vehicle and some equipment when the incident occurred.

As the man was walking around the construction site, a forklift that was carrying a payload of scaffolding pipes tipped over. The construction worker became pinned between the tipped fork lift and a flatbed truck that he had been walking next to.  First responders came to the collision scene and were able to pull the forklift upright, freeing the construction worker who had been crushed.

A witness described the accident scene as horrible, and the construction worker was in grave condition. The witness, who works across the street at a towing company, indicated that the worker who had been crushed by the forklift was completely passed out when he was freed by first responders.

The construction worker was rushed to a nearby medical center for emergency treatment, but unfortunately the injuries that he had sustained were too severe. The construction worker died at the hospital from the injuries that he had sustained due to being crushed by the fork lift.

It is unclear at this point what caused the forklift to tip over on top of the victim or whether all safety protocols were followed on the construction site.

Regardless of whether protocols were followed or whether workplace safety regulations were complied with, workers’ compensation insurance should provide benefits to family members of workers who are killed while performing work duties in most circumstances.  If there was a problem with the machinery or equipment and a design defect of product malfunction caused the incident to occur, it is also possible that a lawsuit could be brought against the equipment manufacturer.

New York City construction accident lawyers can provide assistance in determining who can be held accountable and in pursuing a claim for benefits. An attorney can represent not just victims of work accidents, but also surviving family members of those killed on-the-job.  Contacting an attorney as soon as possible after a work accident is advisable to get an advocate on your side who can help to protect your rights at a difficult time.