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Worker Killed at Pennsylvania Construction Site

Goldstein Heslop Steele Clapper Oswalt & Smith Dec. 10, 2021

A man who worked for a firm in the area died at Pennsylvania work site where demolition was taking place. The man, who is from a neighboring state, was in his late thirties.

According to authorities, the man was working at the former site of a large building in Lehigh County. The building had been intentionally collapsed at the beginning of the summer, and he was part of a crew that had been assigned to clean up the wreckage. It was not clear how long the man had been assigned to this project when the fatal accident occurred.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Federal officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, are investigating the accident in order to determine whether any workplace safety rules were violated. The corner described the man’s injuries as trauma to his pelvis and abdominal organs due to crushing.

After the initial shock and grief of this man’s death wear off, the man’s family may want to evaluate their legal options. Certainly, workers’ compensation benefits may be available, but these do not cover non-economic damages and may not even pay for all of a family’s actual bills and lost wages.

However, at most construction, or demolition, sites, a number of businesses and individuals may be involved. Several contractors and subcontractors may be working on the project at the same time. All of them must take reasonable care to prevent workplace accidents.

Likewise, the owner of the property and even the companies which supply the tools and equipment have an obligation to keep everyone at and around the worksite safe.

Should the pending investigation reveal that a third party was at fault for this man’s tragic death, the family may have other legal options available to them.