New York Crush Injury Lawyer
Hazards literally surround construction workers daily. Some of these dangers are small and can cut or puncture a construction worker. Others may be large and fast-moving. Heavy machinery could inflict serious crushing injuries.
Have you been crushed or squashed on a construction site or in another location? The attorneys associated with the New York Law Firm of Hill & Moin LLP can assist you after your accident. We understand how the law applies to construction worker accidents like yours.
With the help of an experienced lawyer, you can get what you need to file a workers’ compensation claim on time and correctly. This gives you a much better chance of winning your claim.
Our personal injury attorneys do all we can to ensure that each of our clients receives the compensation they deserve. Our crush injury lawyers are particularly driven to pursue the interests of those hurt in crush accidents.
Contact the New York Law Firm of Hill & Moin LLP at (212) 668-6000 to schedule your initial free consultation today. We can make your claim and lawsuit options clear to you.
Why Crush Injuries Can Be So Serious?
A crush injury can result in severe and long-term injuries. A survivor may experience permanent disability and diminished enjoyment of life.
With immediate medical attention, some injuries can be mended completely. However, other injuries may only improve to a degree and remain permanent.
Here are just some of the injuries that can result from being crushed:
- Torso injury – A crush injury affecting the torso of the human body can rupture an organ or significantly fracture bones. Consequently, extensive surgeries may be necessary to prevent further damage and help with a measure of healing. A transplant may even be necessary to regain your health.
- Crushed limb injury – Unfortunately, the damage done to crushed limbs is often permanent. The heavy machinery used on construction sites can severely damage a person’s muscles, bones, and nerves.
- Compartment syndrome – Compartment syndrome is one type of medical emergency that, when not helped quickly, can result in a limb needing to be amputated. The amputation of the limb can prevent a fatal amount of blood loss.
- Head and brain injuries – A crush injury that affects the head of the victim can cause irreversible brain damage. The victim’s ability to live a normal life will be impeded, and the ability to work at a job can be diminished if not eliminated altogether.
What Are the Possible Financial Consequences of Crush Injuries?
Due to a crush injury, a victim’s ability to earn a living may be negatively affected. A family may have to adjust their lives significantly without the victim’s previous income. They may have to change the living conditions to provide care for the injured family member.
Crush injuries can also create enormous debt while causing severe physical trauma, mental anguish, and less enjoyment of life.
The victims of these accidents, caused by the negligence of a coworker, construction company, or another party, deserve restitution for their losses. Personal injury attorneys can help victims obtain the compensation they deserve.
How Likely Are Crush Accidents to Occur?
We may think that an object heavy enough to crush a portion of the human body might be large and slow. It may seem easy to avoid being crushed by heavy machinery or equipment on a construction site.
The reality is, though, that the majority of heavy equipment and machinery used on construction sites can move at a quick speed.
Additionally, because of their enormous weight, these heavy machines can quickly cause severe injury. In just seconds, they can cause permanent damage to the human body. In fact, the possibility of suffering an injury because of being crushed is so common that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regularly warns of this danger.
OSHA uses the expression “Fatal Four” to describe the four major causes of injuries and death on a construction site. Of these four causes, “Caught in or Caught Between” is one category included. This shows just how common crush injuries can be.
Why Do Crush Injury Accidents Occur?
Fundamentally, a crush injury occurs when a heavy object comes in contact with the human body. The heavy object does not necessarily need to be large, nor does the heavy object need to encounter a large portion of the human body.
A crushing accident does not need to pin a part of the human body between two objects. That is a bad situation, but not the only way that crush accidents occur.
For example, a heavy iron bar that is perhaps only the size of a cell phone can crush fingers or hands and shatter the bones in a forearm. Falling demolition debris can hit the human body and cause crushing-like effects. A heavy swinging object, like materials being moved on a crane, can hit and cause crushing damage to the human body.
In addition to the above, some of the common causes that result in crush injuries on a construction site are the following:
- Large or heavy machines – Large, heavy machines including cranes, excavation vehicles, and large pistons, are found throughout construction sites. With sufficient force, not necessarily a lot, a large machine can crush a limb or person. Construction workers driving or operating heavy machines of this type need to exercise care and be cautious constantly.
- Falling objects – Demolition can lead to heavy portions of a building collapsing. Additionally, even small tools, if dropped, can cause a crushing injury to someone they hit below. Workers’ heads are often protected by hard hats, but other portions of the body, including limbs, may be exposed and seriously hurt by falling objects.
- Run-over accidents – Excavation equipment such as bulldozers, graders, loaders, and tower cranes can run a person over on a construction site. Equipment of this sort weighs thousands of pounds. Even a run-over accident that lasts only a few seconds can cause serious injury.
- Trench collapse – The installation of foundations for buildings, their footings, and utility lines requires trenches to be dug. These trenches must be secured correctly. Otherwise, the sides of the trench can collapse and crush a worker. In fact, research from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that in a recent 14-year period, 373 workers died in trench collapses.
What Compensation Is Available to You?
The consequences to you and your family because of a crush injury accident can be catastrophic and permanently life-altering. Severe financial hardship can result from mounting and endless necessary medical costs. The pain and suffering you experience on a daily basis because of your injuries can be difficult to equate in a monetary amount.
If your injury is the result of neglect on the part of someone else, you may be able to receive compensation including financial restitution for your medical costs. In certain cases, you could also receive a monetary amount for your pain and suffering.
The most common forms of compensation victims of a crush injury accident can receive are the following:
- Medical costs – The medical expenses caused by your accident include hospital bills, doctor’s appointments, and the ride in the ambulance.
- Pain and suffering – The psychological damage caused by your accident can take the form of fear, PTSD, and anxiety, for which you can be compensated.
- Lost wages – It is likely that your crushing injury will cause you to miss work temporarily. If so, you can receive financial restitution for the wages that you are unable to earn while healing. But if the accident eliminates your ability to work entirely, your compensation can include restitution for future earnings that you will no longer be able to earn.
How Construction Crush Accident Lawyers Can Help You
A crush accident can happen quickly and unexpectedly when you are working on a construction site. It may be that a coworker or your employer is responsible for the accident. Regardless of who is responsible for the accident, you will likely be hurt. The cost of your medical care for these injuries will require financial compensation.
How will you pay for these injuries? How will you obtain the financial restitution that you are entitled to receive? How will you overcome resistant and obstinate at-fault parties? With the help of skilled attorneys, all these obstacles can be overcome.
Even if you are an undocumented worker, New York law protects your rights. Hill & Moin can help you find a way to get workers’ compensation, no matter your immigration status.
The personal injury law firm of Hill & Moin LLP can help you. We can either take on your case or connect you with construction crush accident injury lawyers who can provide you with essential assistance.
Contact our personal injury attorneys by calling (212) 668-6000 to schedule your initial free consultation today to learn about your Personal Injury Recovery SolutionsⓇ.
Don’t wonder about your rights!