Tragic accidents occur when the regulations for safe scaffolding installations are violated on construction sites. The physical, emotional, and financial losses can be extensive if you’ve suffered an injury due in a scaffolding collapse. At Park Chenaur Injury Lawyers, we understand what you are going through. Our team is committed to helping injured workers, and their families seek the justice and compensation they deserve. We are passionate about giving our clients the ability to rebuild their lives. We fight to protect the rights of injured workers, holding the responsible parties accountable.
What Causes Scaffolding Collapses?
Scaffolding is designed to provide safe access to elevated areas during construction, but it can fail catastrophically when improperly constructed, maintained, or used. Scaffolding collapses are typically caused by several factors, including the following:
- Faulty construction or assembly: If scaffolding is not built according to safety standards or improperly assembled, it can become unstable and collapse.
- Defective materials or equipment: Faulty materials, such as weak supports or damaged platforms, can cause scaffolding structures to fail.
- Improper load bearing: Overloading the scaffolding with too many workers or heavy materials can cause the structure to collapse.
- Lack of safety inspections: Routine inspections are essential to ensure that scaffolding is safe for use. If inspections are skipped or inadequately performed, dangerous conditions can go unnoticed.
- Negligence: Failing to provide proper safety training, equipment, and supervision can lead to unsafe working conditions for workers required to perform their duties on scaffolding.
Common Injuries Resulting from Scaffolding Collapses
The injuries caused by scaffolding collapses can be life-changing, catastrophic, or fatal. When the worker survives, they often require long-term medical care, rehabilitation, or skilled nursing. Some common injuries from scaffolding accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Falls from scaffolding or being struck by falling objects can result in head trauma, such as concussions or severe brain injuries.
- Spinal cord injuries: A scaffolding collapse can damage the spinal cord, leaving the worker facing life with paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- Broken bones: Fractures to arms, legs, ribs, joints, and other physical structures are common in scaffolding collapse accidents.
- Internal injuries: The trauma of the impact in a collapse can lead to internal bleeding and damage to vital organs.
- Lacerations and soft tissue damage: Some soft tissue injuries are so severe that the worker is disfigured, facing the future with extreme personal challenges.
These injuries can require long-term medical care. In some cases, the injuries will permanently affect your ability to work or live independently.
Liable Parties in a Scaffolding Collapse
Determining liability is critical to ensuring the injured parties are properly compensated when a scaffolding collapse occurs. Several different parties may be held liable in a scaffolding collapse, including:
- Property owners
- Construction companies
- Scaffolding installation contractors
- Equipment manufacturers
Proving Fault in a Scaffolding Collapse Case
To recover compensation after a scaffolding collapse, the injured party must prove fault by showing that negligence or failure to follow safety standards was the cause of the collapse. This involves documenting the scene with photos and witness statements and working with engineers or safety specialists. An experienced scaffolding collapse attorney in Tacoma, WA can assist you with these actions.
