Porch collapses in construction accident, injures 3 workers
On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Construction Workers’ Accidents on Monday, July 27, 2015.
A collapse at a residential construction site injured three workers, sending at least two of them to the hospital. When Illinois workers suffer injuries from a construction accident, workers’ compensation benefits are often one of the more critical tools for the best recovery possible. These benefits are especially important when workers are prevented from returning to work for an extended period of time.
The three men were performing construction work on a porch located on the third-floor of a multi-family residence just prior to the collapse. According to reports, the men had been tasked with removing the porch in order to clear room for the installation of two windows. However, during the process of removing a post, the porch collapsed, sending the men tumbling down through the second-story porch and onto the porch of the first-floor residence.
Two brothers on the team were taken by hospital to an area hospital for treatment, while the third worker reported that he planned to seek medical treatment on his own. Luckily, at the time of the collapse, fire fighters were undergoing training just across the street and were able to respond in record time. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating what events ultimately led to the collapse.
The property owner has made it clear that the repairs and renovations were being made under a building permit that had been obtained prior to the construction, but this does play any role in the injured workers’ rights to file for workers’ compensation benefits due to the construction accident. Under Illinois law, injuries suffered during the course of carrying out work duties are typically covered through the workers’ comp system. These benefits normally address any medical bills related to an injury as well as lost wages from time spent recovering away from work.
Source: southcoasttoday.com, “Workers injured in New Bedford porch collapse“, Curt Brown, July 15, 2015
