Kirk Bernard – Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer

A 48-year-old man was injured in a construction site accident in Bremerton. According to a news report in the Kitsap Sun, the man was working for a subcontractor at the Naval Base when he was hit by a spreader beam that was being lowered by a barge crane. The injured worker was taken to a local hospital with chest and back injuries. Officials are still investigating the cause of the accident.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates there are as many as 82 fatalities annually associated with cranes in construction sites. A majority of crane accidents occur due to operator error. And, many of these crane accidents can be avoided if construction companies and contractors follow safety standards that are spelled out by the state and federal governments.

Washington state Governor, Chris Gregoire, signed into law HB 2171 which states that effective January 1, 2010, no employer or contractor may permit a crane operator engaged in construction work to operate a crane unless the crane operator is qualified. The new law also requires cranes to be certified at least annually by a certified crane inspector. In any crane accident case in Washington State, a skilled Seattle personal injury lawyer would advise an injury victim to look into whether the crane operator was certified and whether the accident occurred due to the operator’s negligence.

Injured construction workers can seek compensation through their employer. However, they can also file a claim against a negligent person who caused the accident and injuries such as a contractor, sub-contractor or a defective product manufacturer. Such claims, which involve parties other than the employer, are known as “third party claims.”

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington construction accident, please contact the construction accident lawyers with The Bernard Law Group. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/feb/16/man-injured-at-naval-base-inserious-condition/?partner=yahoo_feeds

A 66-year-old man in Auburn, Washington, sustained severe head injuries after he fell from a business while repairing their roof. According to a report in the News Tribune, the man was hired to repair the roof. He either fell off the ladder or the roof. Bystanders called 911 after they found him on the pavement unconscious. The worker was transported to a Seattle hospital. Emergency personnel were able to stabilize him before he was transported. However, his current condition is not known.

Falls are the leading cause of construction site accidents in Washington and elsewhere in the country. Falls may occur because of loose or incorrectly erected scaffolding, slippery surfaces, defective ladders or improper use of ladders, or because of the lack of safety devices such as harnesses. Whatever the reason, there is potential for severe injuries when construction workers fall from a higher elevation. The most common types of injuries that can result from a fall include brain injury, spinal cord injury, broken bones or even death.

Liability in such cases depends on the person or entity for whom the worker was doing the job. For example, if he was hired by a certain property owner for the job, that person or entity might be held liable. If a construction company or general contractor employed him, he could get worker’s compensation benefits through his employer. If the accident occurred due to the negligence of someone other than the employer, that individual or entity can also be held liable. Examples of third parties include a contractor, sub-contractor or the manufacturer of a defective product.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Seattle construction site accident, please contact the experienced Seattle construction accident lawyers with The Bernard Law Group for a free consultation and comprehensive assessment of your claim. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/1033986.html

A construction worker was killed in an Air Force Base after he was struck by a beam. According to a news report, the 38-year-old man was helping with construction of a new Army headquarters and was on an I-beam 20 feet above the ground when another I-beam being lowered by a crane struck him. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating this fatal construction accident.

Accidents involving cranes in construction sites can be devastating and often fatal because of the sheer weight of the equipment that can crush and kill a worker instantly. If a crane accident is caused as a result of negligence on the part of another party, a third party claim may be filed against the negligent party. This is in addition to the worker’s compensation claim. A third party could be a contractor, a sub-contractor or the manufacturer of a defective product.

An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able guide workers and their families through these complicated legal processes and make sure that they receive fair compensation for their injuries and loss. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington construction accident, please contact the skilled personal injury Seattle lawyers with The Bernard Law Group. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20091231/NEWS/91231005/1004/NEWS01

Only 10 percent of construction cranes in Washington State have been certified to new safety standards, which took effect January 1, 2010, the Department of Labor and Industries has announced. According to a news report in the Puget Sound Business Journal, out of the 7,000 cranes used in Washington construction sites, only 700 have been certified. That includes only 20 out of the estimated 100 tower cranes in Washington State. The Department of Labor and Industries is now warning businesses that they should work on getting these cranes certified. Washington State adopted new rules for crane safety after a November 2006 construction accident in Bellevue where a 210-foot crane fell, killing a Microsoft employee in a condominium complex nearby.

Washington State, in April 2007, became the 15th state in the nation to require crane operators to be certified after Governor Chris Gregoire signed HB 2171 into law. Effective January 1, 2010, no employer or contractor shall permit a crane operator engaged in construction work to operate a crane unless the crane operator is qualified. The new law also requires cranes to be certified at least annually by a certified crane inspector. I certainly hope that the state enforces this new law and pushes businesses to comply with this much-needed safety standard.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Seattle crane accident, please contact the skilled personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Group. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/12/21/daily12.html

Working with heavy equipment and building materials when balancing on the limited space of a scaffold is a challenge and a danger for construction workers. Without fall protection of safe access, it can be extremely dangerous. Falls from such improperly constructed scaffolds can result in injuries ranging from minor sprains to catastrophic injuries and deaths. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that all scaffolds be constructed according to manufacturer’s instructions, that guardrails are installed along all open sides, ends of platforms, and guardrail systems, and that personal fall arrest systems are used.

In fact, OSHA recently proposed a $140,000 fine against a masonry company for workplace safety violations, which contributed to the death of a worker in a scaffolding collapse. A 52-year-old man died in July when scaffolding collapsed as he and two others were laying brick at a construction site. The man fell 37 feet to his death. The company was cited for 11 violations, including improperly modifying the scaffolding, failing to properly install bracing and not ensuring the scaffolding was secured to prevent tipping.

Where construction accident deaths are caused by such serious violations on the part of the employer or a contractor, workers may seek compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, cost of hospitalization, therapy and other related damages. In case of fatalities, families of deceased workers may file a wrongful death claim.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington construction accident, please contact the skilled Seattle personal injury lawyers with The Bernard Law Group. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has useful educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/12/30/osha-proposes-fine.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

A construction worker died in Redmond, Washington, after he fell about 30 feet from the roof of a house, according to a Fox News report. The man sustained severe head injuries after he fell off the home that was being built on 161st Court Northeast. He was taken to a Seattle hospital. He initially survived the fall, but died hours later in the hospital. It is not clear how or why this fatal construction site accident occurred.

A fall from a higher elevation can cause devastating injuries or death to a construction worker including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and other types of back or neck injuries. Such serious personal injuries could prevent the worker from returning to his job for an extended period of time causing tremendous financial strain.

According to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry. An average of 362 fatal falls occurred each year from 1995 to 1999, a trend which is on the rise. In fact, falls from a higher elevation account for one-third of all construction accident deaths. These are accidents that can be easily prevented by following federally-mandated safety standards. In such cases, negligent contractors or sub-contractors who failed to maintain a safe working environment can also be held liable. Workers who are injured on-the-job are usually entitled to receive state worker’s compensation benefits.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington construction accident, please contact the skilled Seattle personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Group. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has educational information to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-122209-fallfromroof,0,4821996.story?track=rss

Crane accidents are among the more scarier and deadlier of construction site accidents. To a crane operator, few experiences may be as frightening as when a crane becomes unbalanced while a load is being lifted or when the crane collapses under the weight of an excessive load.

According to a recent news report, one worker died and another was seriously injured after a 400-ton crane collapsed onto a welding shop near a construction site. The crane operator was injured and a worker inside the welding shop was killed. About 50 workers were in the shop at the time when the crane’s 200-foot boom landed on its roof, crushing part of the building. A 30-year-old worker was pinned under the metal debris and a roof beam. He died at a local hospital. The crane carried a 30-ton weight from an 18-wheeler’s flatbed to the ground near the shop where it collapsed. Authorities are looking into the cause of this deadly crane collapse.

In such cases, the company that is operating the crane could be held liable for injuries or wrongful death caused as a result of the accident. Where negligence is involved, families of deceased accident victims may file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation to cover funeral expenses, loss of earnings and other related damages. Very often, in construction and industrial accidents, we see that families lose their sole breadwinner when tragedy hits. In such cases workers compensation benefits are inadequate to cover the expenses the family has to go through without its primary wage earner.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Seattle construction accident, please contact the reputed Seattle personal injury lawyers with The Bernard Law Group. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about Washington construction accident cases, which has useful educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20091118/articles/911189954&tc=yahoo

Two workers suffered major injuries in a construction accident after they slipped and fell from the Dallas Cowboys Stadium’s roof onto a lower level. According to a news report, the two men were completing work on the top hatch of the stadium’s retractable roof just before they fell. According to fire officials, the men were not wearing the required safety harnesses. Both men fell 75 feet. One worker lost consciousness and suffered a broken leg. Another sustained a back injury and had to be airlifted to an area hospital.

Freezing and icy conditions may have caused the workers to slip and fall, officials say. The workers were employees of the stadium’s general contractor. According to the report, 175 construction accidents have been reported since work on the stadium began in 2006. Apparently, the construction group entered into a partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for additional safety measures to reduce these accidents.

This accident is another example of how following safety standards will go a long way in preventing construction accidents. When construction workers are working at a higher elevation such as the roof or from a scaffold, they are required to wear harnesses so they are protected in the event of a fall. In this case, these workers may not have been as badly injured or injured at all had they worn safety harnesses. I trust officials from OSHA will be looking into how and why this accident happened.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington construction accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Group for a free consultation. Our experts will get to the scene of the accident moments afterward to secure evidence that can be invaluable to your case. We will take the steps needed to get you the best possible results in your case. That includes holding the negligent parties accountable. If you are a construction worker who was not educated or trained properly to do your job or follow safety procedures, it is simply not acceptable and we will help you fight to remedy the situation. Call Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today for a free consultation and to receive a free copy of our informational brochure about Washington construction accidents.

Source:http://www.theshorthorn.com/content/view/18484/265/

Falls from higher elevations are among the more common causes of construction accidents in Washington State and elsewhere in the nation. According to a news report in the Seattle Times, a man installing a carpet at a new hotel in the Lynnwood area was injured when he fell four stories from a window. The 45-year-old man was offloading carpet that was extended in the air four stories up from the outside of the building by a forklift. He fell off from the fourth floor to the sidewalk below as he was offloading the rolls of carpet. The extent of his injuries is not known.

Thousands of construction workers are seriously injured or killed as a result of suffering falls from construction accident sites. Sometimes, these falls occur because of the construction worker’s own carelessness or lack of caution. However, very often, falls occur because of an unsafe work environment or as a result of someone else’s negligence. Falls could occur because workers slip, as a result of loose or poorly constructed scaffolds or because of defective ladders or other equipment. In some cases, it could also happen because someone else was being negligent or inattentive.

In construction accident cases, workers will normally receive Washington worker’s compensation benefits from their employer. However, if the worker is seriously injured or cannot get back to work for a long time, these benefits are hardly enough to cover medical expenses and loss of wages. In such cases, the worker and his family might want to file a claim against a negligent party (other than the employer) who may have caused or contributed to the serious personal injury. Such claims, known as third party claims, may also be filed against the manufacturer of a defective product, which caused the injuries.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Washington construction accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers with The Bernard Law Group and find out how we can help with your Washington construction accident claim. Contact Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today for more information regarding your potential case.

Source:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2010259507_carpet_installer_injured_in_fo.html?syndication=rss

A 24-year-old woman was seriously injured in a Washington construction accident at the U.S. Naval Base in Bremerton, the Kitsap Sun reports. The serious job injury accident apparently happened when a crane and crews were moving fabricated concrete pilings. A piling shifted and fell, trapping the woman beneath it. The female construction worker was an employee of a California contractor that is helping build an aircraft carrier pier.

Crane accidents are among the more common causes for construction accidents in Seattle and elsewhere in Washington. Crane accidents can be deadly or result in serious injuries that may leave a worker disabled for the rest of his or her life. These accidents, just like many other construction accidents, can be prevented by following standard safety procedures. There are specific requirements for securing and moving loads by cranes, or other equipment.

Accident victims who are injured while on-the-job will receive worker’s compensation benefits through their employer. However, if another party other than the employer was responsible for the accident or the injury, the injured worker may be able to file a third-party claim seeking compensation for injuries and damages. State worker’s compensation benefits are usually not enough to cover medical expenses or other costs, especially if the accident involves serious injuries or death.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, please the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys of The Bernard Law Group, who will determine the facts of the case and whether there was any negligence involved. Injured workers could claim compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages and continuing medical treatment. In cases where the accident results in the worker’s death, surviving family members may be able to file a wrongful death claim. Call Kirk Bernard today for a free and detailed consultation.

Source:http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/nov/23/woman-injured-construction-accident-naval-base-kit/?partner=yahoo_feeds