Scaffolding accidents can result in some pretty serious injuries because the victim usually falls more than a few feet. It therefore falls upon the construction company managers to ensure that scaffolds are secured and safe before they allow their construction workers to stand on them. When scaffolds give way, workers can suffer back injuries that result in permanent disability, preventing them from returning to work or being able to support their families.
A carpenter was working on a commercial building in East Amherst and needed to take some measurements for a wall on the second floor. He stood on what he thought was plywood and crashed 14 feet down. Instead of plywood, someone had put particle board over an opening, which was unable to support his weight. The accident paralyzed him, preventing him from moving into a new career opportunity and working.
Now the construction worker can move forward and concentrate on his recovery after coming to a settlement of $18.5 million, ending the lawsuit he filed in New York’s State Supreme Court. The property owner and the construction company were legally responsible, according to the judge, because of the state’s Scaffold Law. The settlement will cover medical care, past and future, as well as provide for the man and his family.
When a construction worker is injured because of the negligence of another, it is important that they receive all of the support they can. Serious injuries can take years to recover from and by pursuing the negligent party in a court of law a victim can obtain compensation to help them financially deal with the aftereffects.
Source: The Buffalo News, “Carpenter paralyzed in job-site accident gets $18.5 million settlement,” Patrick Lakamp, April 11, 2013