What Repeat Ohio Construction Accidents are Teaching Us

Construction site injuries aren’t exclusive to those who work in the industry. Anyone from your average journeyman on a site to a pedestrian walking by on the street can become victims. Unfortunately, construction accident attorneys have seen no shortage of accidents in Ohio.

The latest construction injury statistics in Ohio may seem promising, but the past few years have cumulatively been disastrous. In fact, incidents from 2018 alone have barely left the local news cycle. Each of these incidents directly affects real people, but we all indirectly take lessons from these tragic events.

Lessons from Ohio Construction Accidents

While each of the following stories may just be another second in the news cycle for many, it’s important to remember that they could happen to absolutely anyone. That’s why it’s important to learn what we can from these incidents to protect ourselves.

Union County Skid Steer Accident

On September 20, 2018, construction was going on between Plain City and Dublin. Straps that were being used to lift over 100 pieces of lumbar failed, and a 53-year-old man onsite was struck by several boards. He later died at the hospital.

Lesson: Equipment failures can be as dangerous as reckless behavior.

US 24 Collision

Construction work was occurring along US 24 in Waterville Township on August 29, 2018. A worker driving a construction vehicle went into the wrong lane and struck a 42-year-old construction employee. The man died from his injuries.

Lesson: Not all construction site injuries happen in traditional construction zones. Road work is an especially dangerous field.

Construction Debris Strikes Car

Although it occurred in 2017, an incident involving falling debris put a woman and her 7-month-old baby in danger. The woman was driving under a Marysville overpass when wood from an overhead construction site fell and impaled her window.

Lesson: Construction workers aren’t the only ones in danger when it comes to carelessness at these work sites.

Ohio Construction Injury Statistics

An online search involving just about any state will reveal several construction injury stories. Of course, this doesn’t always mean the state has serious safety issues. Regarding Ohio, however, accident statistics paint a bleak picture. In fact, The Buckeye State has more fatal construction zone accidents than most geographically larger states.

Construction injury statistics released in 2017 showed that fatal injuries dropped in 2016 compared to the previous year. It’s worth noting, however, that this was only after three years of continuous increases in construction zone deaths. And even if one were to view 2016 as a better year, there are still some scary statistics.

The state also outpaces the American average for construction site occupational deaths in regard to harmful substance exposure, violence on the job and the combination of falls, slips and trips. Additionally, roadway construction accidents killed over a dozen and injured nearly 1,500 on Ohio streets in 2018.

So, what happens next when you or a loved one experiences serious construction site injuries? In all cases, a construction accident lawyer consultation is advisable.

Construction Injury Lawsuits

If you or a loved one was injured due to a construction site accident, it’s important to stay in contact with medical professionals. Once this help has been sought, however, you have legal rights you need to take advantage of.

It’s important that you contact a construction accident attorney quickly – as Ohio law has a statute of limitations on these types of cases. You should also note that, even if you are covered by workers’ compensation, you may still have a civil case. Gross negligence or third-party actions often allow for damages even when workers’ comp is involved.

Don’t Be Another Statistic

While some will assure us that construction site injuries aren’t as prevalent as they seem, the fact remains that Ohio outpaces most states in this respect. Whether you’re an employee or simply a passerby, accidents resulting from recklessness, tech failures and carelessness can leave you seriously injured.

If you’re a victim of one of these incidents, contact the injury lawyers at Friedman, Domiano & Smith today.