On Sunday afternoon, an operator was killed in a Bridgeport construction accident while grading a slope with a mini-excavator. The man was working on a hill when the excavator rolled backwards, ejecting the operator and then trapping him against a house.
According to the East Side Assistant Fire Department, the man was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. The operator passed away from serious torso injuries. This Connecticut construction accident happened at a house owned by the Bridgeport Housing Authority.
In 2010, there were more than 4,500 fatal work injuries in the U.S. Two out of every five fatal construction accidents were motor-vehicle-related, including excavator accidents, forklift accidents, car accidents, truck accidents and tractor overturns. Construction jobs are inherently deadly. However, that does not mean that families cannot recover compensation for their loved one’s injuries.
After a fatal construction accident, it is important to determine who and what caused the accident. Workers’ compensation will cover damages when the accident was caused by the victim’s employer or as a result of the employment. However, was a third party liable for the accident? If so, then the victim’s family may also be able to bring a third party claim for damages.
For example, in the Bridgeport construction accident, if the excavator malfunctioned, then the family of the deceased operator can bring a claim against the company that manufactured or maintained the excavator. Similarly, if a subcontractor had left the work site in an unsafe condition, causing injury, the subcontractor may be held liable through a third party lawsuit.
Source: Connecticut Post, “Machine Operator Killed on Sunshine Circle,” Michael Mayko, Jan. 8, 2012.