A construction accident took the life of a man working on residential development project in the New York Hudson Valley community of Woodbury in Orange County. The 43-year-old worker was digging in a 10-foot trench at the construction site. The trench collapsed on the man, burying him. Rescue attempts failed to extract him from the collapsed trench before he died.
The worker was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel. His name has not been released to the media or public pending notification of next of kin, according to the Woodbury Police Department.
No other people have been reported injured in this construction accident. Evidently, the deceased worker was the only individual in or near the trench at the time of the deadly collapse.
The exact cause of the trench collapse has not been identified as of this time. One important piece of information has been garnered from investigatory efforts to date, however. The trench lacked what is known as a safety box. A safety box is a piece of safety equipment designed to provide a worker like the man in Hudson Valley with at least some protection in the event of trench collapse. No information has yet been released as to why a safety box was not located in the trench.
The stark reality is that construction site accidents oftentimes result in severe and even fatal injuries. The 11 most commonplace construction site accidents in the United States are:
- Trench collapses
- Struck by vehicle
- Machinery accident
- Explosions and fires
- Crushed between objects
- Overexertion
- Scaffolding accidents
- Falls from heights
- Slips and falls
- Electrocutions
- Struck by falling debris, materials, objects
Construction workers are in one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to data complied in 2020, the construction accident rate in the country is approximately 250 injured workers for every 10,000 full time equivalencies.
In 2020, nearly 196,000 construction accident injuries were reported. This figure includes workers who suffered fatal injuries in construction accidents in 2020.
The specific facts and circumstances surrounding a construction accident that results in the death of a family member govern the types of compensation to which a surviving family member might be entitled. Of course, the reality is that no amount of money can every make a family whole who has lost a loved one in a construction accident. With that noted, common examples of compensation in such a tragic situation include:
- Last medical bills and expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Lost wages or financial support
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Loss of companionship
Laws governing who can pursue a construction accident wrongful death claim vary from one state to another. With that said, family members typically legally able to pursue a construction accident wrongful death claim include:
- Spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Siblings
In some instances, the laws of a particular state allow the estate of a deceased individual killed in a construction accident the authority to pursue a wrongful death claim for compensation.
If you’ve lost a family member as the result of a fatal construction accident, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is available to answer any questions you might have. We are also here for you if you or a loved one suffered injuries as the result of construction accident.
We’ve established a 24-hour phone line that is staffed 365 days a year, including all major holidays. You can reach our firm right now or at any other time that is convenient for you by calling us at (800) 349-0000.
A nationwide law firm, we can arrange an initial consultation and case evaluation with an experienced construction accident lawyer at any one of our 40 offices located from coast to coast across the country, including in New York City. A construction accident lawyer can also meet with you at your home or via a virtual appointment online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm construction accident attorney.
The legal team at The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee pledge to you. We will never charge you an attorney fee unless we win your case for you.