Construction Accident Crush Injuries
The typical construction site is jammed packed with heavy machinery, motor vehicles, and materials. Unsurprisingly, crush injuries are a sad reality. Whenever a heavy weight lands on a limb, a construction worker can end up needing an amputation. They might also struggle with “crush syndrome,” a potentially life-threatening condition which can lead to renal failure. Call our office to discuss any construction site accident, including those resulting in crush injuries. Our firm can walk you through the process of requesting compensation, including whether you can file a lawsuit for pain and suffering.
How Crush Accidents Happen
Any number of heavy objects could land on a limb and cause a crush injury:
- Overturned motor vehicles, including dump trucks or forklifts
- Materials sliding off a roof or a forklift
- Walls caving in during demolition
- Trench collapse
- Scaffolding collapse
Many accidents on construction sites are avoidable if contractors dedicated themselves to safety. Sadly some contractors cut corners to save money or finish a job on a tight deadline.
A crush injury can cause major damage from the traumatic impact alone. Many construction workers are dealing with fractures, dislocated joints, nerve injuries, and infections. A heavy object could shatter bones into dozens of pieces, requiring the insertion of plates to keep the fragments together. But crush injuries can also lead to crush syndrome, when the skeletal muscle breaks down and releases myoglobin and potassium into the bloodstream.
Crush syndrome is potentially life-threatening. The technical name is “traumatic rhabdomyolysis,” and one way to prevent it is to amputate the affected limb. If doctors choose not to amputate, then a patient is likely to require close monitoring.
Construction workers are entitled to certain workers’ compensation benefits in Florida, including payment of medical care and wage loss benefits. This compensation is no-fault so long as the injury happened while you are working.
Other workers might sue a third party for causing the crush injury. A common example is suing the manufacturer of defective scaffolding or a dangerous forklift. This type of product defect claim seeks damages, including compensation for pain and suffering.
Contact Our Law Firm to Find Out More
Crush injuries are devastating. Anyone who loses a limb can struggle with mental anguish and depression for years afterward. They also probably need to learn new ways of getting around, as well as completing daily tasks like getting dressed or cooking. These injuries lead to substantial economic costs, including lost income. Many construction workers will never work in the construction trades again. Instead, they need to learn a new profession and might end up earning less.
Contact Pita Weber Del Prado to discuss your construction accident and crush injury. Our firm can analyze what benefits you can request and whether a third-party lawsuit works for you. If hired, we will gather evidence and negotiate for a fair settlement, allowing you to focus on healing. An experienced Miami construction accident lawyer is ready to meet for a free and private consultation if you call our office.
Source:
ems1.com/patient-handling/articles/4-things-ems-providers-must-know-about-crush-syndrome-iGLMvsYAEi0JZael/
