Last Wednesday, two workers were injured after a crane toppled over at a South Austin construction site. Dramatic video of the incident shows the crane falling over as it attempted to pick up a heavy concrete wall panel. Multiple workers were seen dashing out of the way as the massive crane tumbled over. One of the workers was later taken to St. David’s South Austin Hospital to be evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The video shows how this accident could have resulted in multiple fatalities. Last August, a construction worker was crushed by a 30,000-pound concrete slab, similar to the one that was being hoisted by the crane in last week’s accident. Cranes used at construction sites can also weigh thousands of pounds.
Statistics published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) show that 21.4 percent of the fatal work accidents during 2015 involved construction workers. Motor vehicles are responsible for the majority of construction worker deaths. However, hundreds of workers are also killed by falls, electrocution, being struck by objects and being caught in-between objects.
Can Workers Receive Compensation for Construction Accidents?
Texas does not require employers to carry workers’ compensation. Some employers may have nonsubscriber plans while others choose to operate without any type of insurance policy. Therefore, the options for compensation can vary depending on the situation. The claims process for work injury benefits in Texas can be extremely difficult to navigate without the help of an experienced attorney.
A third-party lawsuit could be another possible option for pursuing compensation after a work accident. This may be possible if a party other than an injured worker’s employer or coworker is responsible for causing the accident. We have a list of third-party work accident examples on our website.
If you or a loved one were harmed in a workplace incident, Austin construction accident attorney Aaron Allison could inform you of possible options for compensation. The Law Offices of Aaron Allison is one of only 40 law firms in the state of Texas that represents injured workers in workers’ compensation cases.
