Scaffolding Accidents
Scaffolding creates temporary elevated work platforms that allow workers, equipment, and other materials to reach extensive heights. Scaffolding is found on most construction sites. These complicated systems are, unfortunately, not always constructed or used correctly, which can lead to catastrophic or deadly scaffolding accidents.
Scaffolding accidents are a leading cause of injuries and deaths among construction workers. Victims of scaffolding accidents in the Arlington, TX, area can work with construction accident lawyer Roger “Rocky” Walton to pursue financial compensation for injury damages.
Causes of Scaffolding Accidents
There are strict guidelines in place regarding how scaffolding should be constructed, how much weight scaffolding can bear, and the type of safety measures that need to be utilized when working on and around scaffolding. Sadly, it is not unusual for shortcuts to be taken or for safety guidelines to be ignored, and it can lead to catastrophic scaffolding accidents. Some of the most common causes of scaffolding accidents include:
- Improper scaffolding assembly
- The use of defective materials in scaffolding assembly
- Slippery scaffolding surfaces
- Lack of appropriate safety guardrails
- Inadequate fall protection
- Falling objects hitting workers on scaffolding or those below
- Collapse of scaffolding due to overloading
Scaffolding Accident Injuries
Scaffolding is put in place to allow access to heights that would otherwise be inaccessible to workers. Because scaffolding accidents often involve falls from an extensive height, the injuries caused by these types of accidents tend to be catastrophic or deadly. For those of our Arlington clients who survive a scaffolding accident, it is not unusual for them to suffer potentially life-altering injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Head or neck injury
- Broken bones
- Severe lacerations
- Paralysis
- Internal organ damage
Compensation for Scaffolding Accident Damages
Individuals who are injured in a scaffolding accident are likely due financial compensation for related damages. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, and whether the injury victim was a construction worker or a bystander, they may be able to file an injury claim through workers’ compensation, or through civil court (by filing a personal injury lawsuit).
Workers’ Compensation Claim for Scaffolding Accidents
Workers’ compensation is an insurance that provides compensation to employees who are injured on the job, or while performing work duties. Construction workers who are injured in a scaffolding accident have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim regardless of who is at-fault for the accident. Workers’ compensation compensates workers for injury losses such as the cost of medical care, loss of income, and temporary or permanent disability.
Personal Injury Claim for Scaffolding Accidents
If a bystander is injured in a scaffolding accident, or if a construction worker is injured in a scaffolding accident caused by defective equipment or other third-party negligence, they should consider filing a personal injury claim. A personal injury lawsuit allows our Arlington clients to pursue compensation for economic losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and/or a loss of wage earning potential, along with non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering.
Contact Roger “Rocky” Walton, P.C.
Roger “Rocky” Walton has helped numerous construction accident victims collect compensation for injury damages, and he can do the same for you. To learn more about the type of damages you may be due following a scaffolding accident, contact our law firm online, or call (817) 429-4299 to schedule a personal consultation.