By: Matthew A. Paré, Attorney at Law
On November 21, 2008, four construction workers were injured in a scaffolding collapse accident. All suffered personal injury due to the collapse. The construction accident occurred at an apartment complex that was under construction on the 9300 block of Corbin Avenue. Currently the circumstances of the accident are under investigation, including whether the workers were wearing safety harnesses. Unfortunately these accidents are not uncommon. According to OSHA, an average of 88 deaths happened between the 2000 and 2004 from scaffolds collapsing.
When a construction worker is injured in a workplace accident the injured workers will be covered under workers compensation benefits. However, California’s workers compensation benefits are low and may not provide the maximum compensation. It may be possible to bring a civil suit against various entities that could be liable. For example, responsible parties could be property owners, general, prime and sub-contractors, architects, engineers or other designers, construction managers, suppliers and manufacturers of equipment and materials, and insurers.
Berman & Riedel, LLP has extensive experience and success at litigating construction site accidents. Additionally, attorney Matthew Paré has expertise on the interplay between the workers’ compensation system and the civil justice system. If you have been injured in a construction site accident Matthew Paré is available to discuss your rights and can give advice on maximizing your recovery.