Worker Injured in Bremerton Construction Accident
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.