Delray Beach Fire Rescue reports that a construction worker lost his life on November 9, 2023 in a construction accident, after being hit by an overturned excavator while assisting in the removal of rubble from a destroyed house.
According to a representative for Delray Beach Police and Fire Rescue, the worker, an adult male, was operating a smaller excavator while perched atop a debris truck when the bigger one overturned and knocked him down.
Construction sites may be dangerous places, so it’s important to take the right safety measures to keep employees safe and prevent accidents. Regular hazard assessments and inspections are necessary in order to detect and alleviate any threats.
In some circumstances, the surviving family of a construction worker might be entitled to sue other parties for wrongful death, including the contractor, the property owner, the manufacturer of the equipment, and other parties that might be held accountable.
The family may be able to pursue a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the defective equipment if the accident was brought on by a flaw in the excavator or any other equipment that was utilized.
If the disaster happened on someone else’s property (the house being demolished, for example), the owner may be held liable if their carelessness or failure to keep the area safe played a part in the mishap.
The family may be able to sue a third party for negligence if that person’s actions contributed to the accident, such as a subcontractor or another contractor working on the project.
The tragedy of loss in construction accidents is a profound reminder of the risks that workers face daily. Each incident is a sobering call to action for stronger safety measures and protocols to protect those who build and shape our world. It is in the honoring of these lives that the industry is moved to strive for a future where such losses are not only mourned but prevented.
