Austin Personal Injury Blog

Construction workers in Austin and other areas of Texas will always face multiple occupational hazards, some of which are more prevalent than others are. Workers in this industry spend a significant percentage of work time in elevated areas. This explains why a considerable number of construction accidents involve trip and fall incidents. Trip hazards can cause falls from scaffolds and other high areas, but uneven terrain, random pieces of equipment, building materials and debris can cause falls at ground level.

Electrical hazards cause threats on scaffolds and at ground level through direct contact or indirect shocks by touching objects that conduct electricity. Threats include incomplete electrical installations, exposed wiring and overhead power lines. Caught in or between objects pose significant risks on construction sites where mobile equipment and heavy building materials can trap, compress, squeeze or crush workers or their body parts.

The Texas Department of Public Safety commiserated with the families of sanitation workers whose lives were lost in recent weeks while they were on duty. The latest incident occurred in Texas on a recent Monday evening when a vehicle struck a waste collector in Orange. When such fatalities are caused by the reckless or negligent actions of third parties, wrongful death lawsuits might follow.

According to a preliminary accident report, the vehicle struck the sanitation worker while he was completing his route. Although he was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries later. Reportedly, the driver whose vehicle allegedly smashed into him was an 18-year-old female who was also taken to the medical facility for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening. A blood sample was obtained from the driver, and initial investigations also determined that she was not using her mobile phone when the accident happened.

The holiday season beckons Austin residents to travel across the network of nearby cities to visit with friends and family. The increase of driving long distances with little sleep or rushing to make it places fast, along with alcohol and partying increases the likelihood of motor vehicle accidents. What is meant to be a time of thanksgiving and quality time with loved ones can easily become tragic when pedestrians and drivers encounter dangerous situations while in transit.

Heavy holiday traffic puts law enforcement on guard for expected fatalities. Unfortunately, many families will grieve in the next few months due to accidents that could have been prevented. While prevention is routinely stressed in televised public service announcements, news interviews and online content, many people young and old will be the victims of serious accidents in the coming months.