A Texas construction worker, who was seriously injured in a trench collapse accident in El Paso in 2006, has been awarded $4.3 million in damages.
The 50-year-old worker had been working for a sub contractor for Nowark Construction. On the day of the accident, he was working in a sewer line. As he was placing a line in the 7-foot deep trench, the trench collapsed, and the worker was pinned under a 1,500 pound plate. He sustained serious injuries, including a ruptured spleen and pancreas, multiple fractures, a collapsed lung, shoulder impingement, and disk fractures. He had to undergo surgery to remove his spleen and parts of his pancreas. He remained in a coma for 10 days. He was left permanently disabled as a result of the trench collapse.
The worker blamed the company Nowark Construction, for not taking adequate safety measures in preventing the trench collapse. A jury has now awarded him $4.3 million in damages.
Trench collapse accidents are the most serious on any construction site. Any construction requires excavation, and excavation activities are full of risks to workers. However, the risk can be minimized if employers take safety precautions. For instance, metal shoring of the trench can reduce the risks of a cave in, preventing a collapse, and almost certain death for any worker unfortunate enough to be trapped. Before a worker is allowed to access the trench, the employer must make certain that the shoring is sufficient, and that the there are no risks of a collapse. In a trench collapse, death typically occurs due to asphyxiation. Even if other workers are able to reach the worker in time, it’s usually too late to avoid death from lack of oxygen. That’s all the more reason why it’s important to prevent these trench collapses in the first place.
Vuk Vujasinovic is a Houston work accident lawyer, representing injured victims of workplace and industrial accidents around Texas and nationwide.
Image courtesy: Flickr – Saad Akhtar
Vuk Vujasinovic is a Board Certified Houston personal injury attorney who practices Houston auto accident and other personal injury cases.
For more info on how Vuk can help you with your potential case please call him at (877) 724-7800 or fill out the contact form on the right.
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