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You’ve heard it before: risk is part of your job. As a New Jersey construction worker, you’re constantly climbing ladders, scaling scaffolding, and walking across the tops of half-completed structures as part of your daily work. But how can you continue to work after that structure falls out from under you?
Unfortunately, New Jersey roof collapse injuries are a constant danger to construction employees. There are many ways a collapsing roof can reduce your earning capacity for the rest of your life, including:
- Sudden fall – Many roof collapse injuries are worsened by great heights, which can cause dangerous pitches off of the roof or a multi-story drop into the fallen structure.
- Compression – Workers who fall through the roof and into the incomplete building will often be trapped or crushed by material falling on top of them, leading to deadly compression injuries.
- Amputation – Workers who cannot be freed from the rubble or who have lost a great deal of blood may suffer amputation in order to save their lives.
- Paralysis – If the worker lands on his back or suffers a blow to the spine in the fall, he may lose function below his waist or even below his neck—suffering permanent loss of function.
- Brain damage – Employees who strike their heads during the fall may suffer brain damage, stroke, memory loss, or even permanent personality change.
- Death – In many cases, workers will not survive a NJ roof collapse injury due to suffocation, compression, traumatic brain injury, or internal bleeding before they can be rescued.
As you can imagine, many of these injuries are so severe that worker’s compensation will not be sufficient enough to cover an employee’s medical bills. However, workers can file a claim against the contractor or property owner if the injury was a result of negligence, potentially increasing the amount of their disability payments.
For example, roofers and other construction workers should be provided safety gear when working on elevated platforms, including safety harnesses, railings, lanyards and hoists for equipment and materials. The property owners may also be held liable if there was a problem with the existing structure, such as water damage or termite damage, which increased the likelihood of a cave-in.
For the definitive guide to what you could be owed in your case, click the link above to download our FREE report, What the Injured Worker Needs to Know: Your Workers’ Comp Guide. If you need specific information on your case, contact the legal team at Manfred F. Ricciardelli, Jr. today at 877-360-0183.