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Man Dies After Trench Collapses and Traps Him 19 Feet Underground

The construction industry is one of the most dangerous areas to work in. Every year, around 150,000 workers suffer from injuries that occurred during a construction site accident. And construction work fatalities are around 1,000 every year.

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death on construction sites, but there are numerous other types of incidents that can be fatal. One such incident occurred just recently when a worker was trapped beneath a trench collapse on a construction site in Shelby County, Indiana.

The man was a 54-year old project supervisor for an Indianapolis-based construction company. He had been standing at the edge of a recently dug trench when the ground gave way, and he fell in. He was then buried as mud, water, and debris filled the trench on top of him. He was later pronounced dead on the scene after firefighters dug him out.

Incidents like this are scary but are, unfortunately, not all that uncommon on construction sites due to the dangerous nature of the work. If you are injured in a construction site accident, you may be eligible to receive benefits through workers’ compensation. For more information, get in touch with a local Indiana workers’ compensation attorney.

How Do Construction Site Accidents Occur?

There are often many things going on at once on construction sites, making them loud and chaotic. While there are strict safety protocols and regulations that construction companies and workers must abide by, it’s easy for things to go wrong or mistakes to be made when there are too many distractions.

Some of the most common causes of construction site accidents and injuries include:

  • OSHA violations
  • Safety code violations
  • Scaffolding collapses
  • Trench collapses
  • Forklift, crane, bulldozer, and dump truck accidents
  • Electrocution from wiring
  • Slip and falls
  • Machinery and equipment malfunctions or defects
  • Power tool accidents
  • Falling objects
  • Lack of safety gear
  • Distraction
  • Contractor or supervisor negligence

How Do I Recover Compensation for a Construction Site Injury?

Immediately following the incident, you should report what happened to your employer or supervisor and seek immediate medical attention. Your health and wellbeing should always be your number one priority after a workplace accident. As construction site injuries are often severe and even fatal, it’s crucial that you get the medical attention you need as soon as possible.

After your injuries have been addressed, you will need to file a workers’ compensation claim to receive benefits. These benefits will help cover your medical expenses and lost wages while you are recovering. As an injured worker, you have a right to these benefits without needing to prove fault. However, in many cases, workers’ compensation benefits do not adequately cover all expenses, and you may deserve more for additional damages, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and even permanent impairment and disfigurement.

If you feel you deserve more than your workers’ compensation claim is offering, or if your claim gets denied for some reason, you may be able to pursue additional compensation by taking legal action against the party responsible for causing the accident. Unlike with workers’ comp, however, if you take legal action against a third party for their negligence, you will have to prove fault.

Potentially liable parties that can be held accountable for construction site accidents can include:

  • The construction company
  • Contractors
  • Equipment manufacturers
  • Property owners
  • Developers
  • Construction supervisors
  • Engineers
  • Architects

Claims that you could file to recover additional compensation beyond workers’ compensation can include product liability claims, personal injury claims, wrongful death claims (if you are the loved one of workers who was killed), or you could even potentially file a lawsuit. The legal action you can take will simply depend on your individual situation. You will need to work with an attorney as they can review your case and inform you of your options. They can also guide you through the entire process to ensure you get adequate compensation to cover all of your expenses and damages.

How the Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Crossen Law Firm Can Help

At Crossen Law Firm, our team has over 20 years of experience helping injured workers and their loved ones seek justice and get the compensation they deserve. We can help you with your workers’ compensation claim or other legal options should you decide to pursue further compensation by holding the negligent party liable for the accident.

Contact us today or give us a call for a free consultation at (317) 401-8626.

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