A construction worker expects the aches and pains that come with the physical work that they do. Unfortunately, the hazards on a job site can prove much more dangerous than just those sore muscles.
Spokane construction sites can be hazardous places when safety isn’t the first concern. Employees can suffer severe injuries and even a loss of a limb in extreme cases.
Amputation Risks on Construction Sites
In a report from the Amputee Coalition on workplace injuries, there were around three amputation victims for every 20,000 construction workers. The risk matches up with injury statistics for other industries with high amputation incidents like manufacturing and agriculture.
The Coalition also reports the most dangerous risks for amputation accidents occur around unguarded machinery. This is just one of the situations that can increase the likelihood of a loss of a limb.
- Machine Hazards. The danger is high around machines that pinch, bend, or shear materials. Maintenance and repair projects on machines can be especially hazardous because workers are exposed to so many moving parts.
- Fall Hazards. A fall is one of the most common accidents on construction sites. An injury to an arm or a leg can eventually lead to the limb having to be removed.
- Explosion and burn accidents.
- Being crushed or pinned between two objects or an object falling from above.
- Construction Vehicle accidents.
Researchers point to a lack of adequate training and appropriate practices and procedures to safeguard employees. These are factors all controlled by owners and operators on construction sites.
The state mandates they make a job site as safe as possible for employees. That includes proper training in a language the worker can clearly understand. The responsibility also entails that proper safety gear is provided to everyone on a construction site. It extends to proper maintenance and repair on heavy machinery where amputation accidents most often happen.
Getting Help After a Spokane Construction Accident
As most workers will tell you, these safety requirements are sometimes neglected in favor of the bottom line for the sake of the project. An employee can face injury and the loss of a limb due to the negligence of an employer. The victim can face a complete change in lifestyle and expensive rehabilitation.
The victim may seek to hold an employer responsible after a devastating accident, but not know how to proceed. An experienced Spokane construction attorney with CCD Law can help you determine who can be liable in your case and help you seek compensation for your injuries.
Amputation of Limbs
An amputation can happen immediately during a brute-force accident or it can be performed by surgery after an injury when it’s determined the limb cannot be saved. Parts of the arms and legs are most vulnerable and accidents can result in these types of amputations:
- Minor leg amputations. Can include the loss of toes and parts of the foot, or the removal of the entire foot at the ankle joint.
- Major leg amputations. These include below-knee amputation (BKA), above the knee and at the hip. In some cases, a portion of a damaged leg can be taken off so that it can be rotated to a better position and reattached.
- Arm amputations. Including the removal of some or all of the fingers, removal at the wrist, elbow, forearm, or shoulder.
- Other amputations. These can include parts of the face, breasts, and genitals.
Compensation For Amputation Recovery in Washington
An injured victim is allowed up to three years after an accident to file a claim against a construction company. It is a good idea to file as soon as you’re ready because the longer you wait the harder it will be to gather the evidence and documents for your case.
If the construction company owners and operators, developers, contractors, or equipment manufacturers are found liable for your amputation you can expect to recover money for many of your hardships suffered after the accident.
Compensation in amputation cases may include financial help for:
- Hospital bills and future medical bills
- Artificial Body Parts
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost income and future wages
- Home and lifestyle modifications
- Vocational training
- Pain and suffering, emotional anguish, loss of quality of life
Keep in mind that Workers’ Compensation won’t always cover all of your needs. It can sometimes cover medical bills and lost wages but doesn’t consider emotional trauma and future suffering. An experienced attorney can help navigate these concerns with you.
Contact a Spokane Construction Accident Lawyer
If you’ve suffered an amputation after a workplace accident, you should be allowed to focus on recovery and rehabilitation. Let a local construction accident attorney fight to get the compensation you’ll need to reclaim your life and protect your future.
Established in Spokane in 1948, Crary & Domanico, P.S. is committed to providing our clients with the absolute highest quality legal representation. If our Spokane Construction Accident Lawyers represent you for your accident case, you have our assurance that we will use our absolute best efforts to win your case. Contact us after any accident resulting in a serious injury for a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation. We will only offer you advice which is in your best interest.
