Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog

According to the Yale Daily News, investigators from the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are still investigating whether safety violations were a factor in the September 13 construction accident that killed one worker and injured three others.

None of the three injured workers have returned to work following the accident, and of two of the three are still in the care of doctors. One of the workers underwent three surgeries at the Yale-New Haven Hospital, according to the president of the worker union Local 424 United Ironworkers. The worker’s injuries reportedly included eye damage, a broken pelvis, and a concussion. He was at a rehabilitation center in New York and expected to be sent home soon.

Another worker said that two months after the accident twisted his leg from the knee down, he has finally been able to bend his knee again, though he cannot put weight on his foot.

Many workers involved in accidents suffer similar injuries that require months of surgery and rehabilitation. Some injured workers are not able to return to work for months, if at all. That’s why our Massachusetts construction accident lawyers are committed to ensuring that you get the medical attention you need and the compensation you deserve following a serious accident.

Source: Investigation of fatal accident continues, Yale Daily News, November 30, 2010

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Last Thursday afternoon, a scaffolding collapse at a construction site injured two people. The workers were papering the side of a duplex house and reportedly fell 22 feet when a chain being used to secure the scaffolding broke. The construction accident occurred around 1pm in Sea Isle City, NJ

Police identified the workers as a 32-year-old man and a 24-year-old man. Both injured workers suffered chest and back pain. One of the workers may have broken his wrist. They were airlifted to the trauma unit of a local hospital.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 88 people died as a result of scaffolding accidents in 2007. Even if these types of accidents are not fatal, they can lead to serious and debilitating injuries such as broken bones, fractures, brain injuries, and even paralysis.

Source: Two Injured in Sea Isle City Construction Accident, Cape May County Herald, November 18, 2010

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Earlier this month, a construction worker suffered burns to over 50% of his skin after a major gas line explosion in Fort Myers, Florida. The 30-year-old worker was in critical condition at Tampa’s General Burn Unit. He was reportedly working the bulldozer that punctured the 8 inch line, and his brother rescued him.

Another accident victim sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene of the accident. The construction accident occurred around 2pm, and barriers surrounding the scene of the accident came down around midnight that night. Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration plan to investigate.

Here in Massachusetts, a gas explosion in Readville damaged several buildings, causing 40 homes to be evacuated earlier this month. Such explosions can cause significant damage to property and cause debilitating personal injuries.

Source: Roads back open after gas line explosion, WinkNews.com, November 12, 2010

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Earlier this month, an accident on a construction site in Salem, Massachusetts claimed the life of a 39-year-old man. He was killed when a bag filled with gravel fell four stories, landing on top of him. Three workers from a Beverly construction company were working on repairing a roof in downtown Salem when one of the bags fell roughly 60 feet.

According to NECN, emergency medical crews were able to briefly revive the construction accident victim before taking him to Salem hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Firefighters say a bystander across the street saw the bag of gravel falling and tried to prevent the fatal accident. Here in Massachusetts, bystanders who make a good faith effort to assist in an accident, providing emergency care, are protected by Good Samaritan Laws.

Source: Man killed by falling bag filled with gravel in Salem, Mass., NECN.com, November 13, 2010

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Here in the Bay State, authorities have recently updated the paperwork requirements for workers’ compensation for some out-of-state contractors doing business in Massachusetts. The Division of Industrial Accidents started requiring a Form 154 this summer to verify workers’ compensation insurance for businesses that had no physical location in the state.

However, the form reportedly subjected workers’ comp insurance agents, carriers, and their clients to fine and stop work orders, because it required a 10-day advance notice of cancellations, a requirement that many insurers are not able to issue. Safety regulators apparently agreed to drop the requirement last month.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue website, out-of-state contractors undertaking a construction contract in Massachusetts are also required to deposit with the Commissioner of Revenue a sum equivalent to 6.25% of the total amount of the contract. Alternatively, they may provide the Commissioner with a Guarantee Bond equivalent to 6.25% of such total amount.

Source: Massachusetts Revises Workers' Comp Paperwork Snafu, Insurance Journal, November 5, 2010

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Juan Alvarado, a 39-year-old Lynn man, was killed on Saturday when a sandbag fell from the roof of a construction site and struck him on the head.

The accident occurred at 60 Washington Street in Salem where a crew from Victor Sosa Construction Inc. was working on the roof. Alvarado was working for the company when the fatal accident occurred. He was taken to the North Shore Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently investigating the cause of the accident.

Source: The Boston Globe, Lynn man killed in worksite accident in Salem

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A construction worker was killed instantly last Monday when a concrete slab collapsed on him at a house construction site in Connecticut. Emergency responders arrived at the scene of the accident around 3pm and worked to rescue the 27-year-old man and a second worker was who also injured. The other worker was taken to Greenwich Hospital, and his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the fatal construction accident.

Here in Massachusetts, several local companies have been cited by OSHA for alleged trench hazards. The goal of OSHA safety investigations is to prevent workplace accidents like the one that recently claimed the life of a construction worker last week.

Source: Police ID man killed in slab collapse, WTNH.com, November 2, 2010

Worker killed by concrete slab collapse in Conn., NECN.com, November 1, 2010

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A Freetown man and former Massachusetts prison guard is accused of worker’s compensation fraud. Prosecutors allege that the 45-year-old man collected over $50,000 in worker’s comp benefits between January 2009 and Mach, during which time he ran a half-marathon and a full marathon.

He’d apparently sustained a work-related injury in July 2008.

The man has pleaded not guilty to the fraud charges and was released on personal recognizance at his arraignment several weeks ago in Suffolk Superior Court. The charges reportedly resulted from anonymous tip.

Source: Mass. prison guard accused of worker comp fraud, Boston Herald, October 27, 2010

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Last night, a Massachusetts police officer sustained injuries to the cheek and hand after being shot in the line of duty. The officer was connected with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. He and two ATF agents were serving a warrant in Somerville when a 21-year-old allegedly opened fire. The suspect was shot and pronounced dead at Somerville Hospital.

According to Somerville’s Police Chief, this was the first Somerville cop he knows of to be shot in the line of duty. The officer was in stable condition at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Although police officers are exposed to hazards are the job, such as gunfire, car crashes, and explosions, they are not covered by Massachusetts’ workers’ compensation system. Firefighters, railroad workers, and independent contractors are also excluded from the system.

Source: Officials ID officer shot in line of duty, Boston Herald, November 3, 2010

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On Thursday afternoon, a construction contractor employee was injured in a work zone after a protruding rail was reportedly hit by a passing vehicle, causing the rail to be deflected into the worker. The worker was loading piping that is used as railing to guide a concrete finishing machine, according to the incident report.

After suffering head injuries, the worker was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Local engineers checked the work area to ensure that applicable safety regulations were being followed.

Here in Massachusetts, the Brain Injury and Statewide Specialized Community Services maintains a list of resources and services for those have suffered an externally caused traumatic brain injury, Massachusetts residents of all ages who have a documented brain injury caused by external forces such as a car accident or a serious fall are eligible to apply.

Source: Construction worker hurt on Natcher Parkway, WFIE.com, October 29, 2010

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