The Injury Lawyer Directory Blog

Jobs involving the loading or unloading of heavy freight from trucks poses serious health risks. There are numerous injuries that can occur while performing your job duties. Some of the most common include:

• A steel band severing the fingers of a worker
  
• Falling bricks that crush a worker's foot
  
• A stack of lumber that unexpectedly releases, causing a serious accident
  

When lifting heavy objects, it is important to use proper equipment to ensure that you don't do serious damage to your body. Many construction workers have suffered serious back injuries as a result of heavy lifting. Often, these injuries become chronic.

If you have been injured loading or unloading a truck at work, you are entitled to receive workers' compensation benefits. However, this frequently will not provide you with adequate compensation for the serious injuries suffered in this line of work. Therefore, it is important to consult an experienced construction accident attorney to find out if you are entitled to file a third-party claim to receive additional compensation.

If your injury is caused by defective equipment, you may be able to file a product liability claim against the party responsible for the defective equipment. If your accident was caused by a dangerous work environment, you may be able to file a premises liability claim against the party responsible for maintaining a safe workplace.

Truck loading accidents may lead to life-altering injuries. Securing skilled representation will ensure that you receive the proper compensation to help you move on with your life.

If you have suffered a truck loading injury in the Mobile, Alabama area, please contact Long & Waite, Attorneys at Law today to schedule a consultation.

A wall of a building being erected for Dayton Freight Lines, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana collapsed and killed three masons. Two other construction workers were seriously injured. The wall collapsed toward the end of the day during a thunderstorm. Authorities believe 60 mph gusts of wind may have been partially to blame.

The wall the masons were working on was "green" with new masonry. The bottom part of the wall was already dry. Emergency crews arrived within minutes, but there was nothing that could be done to save the three masons.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's latest statistics, there were 5,840 work related injuries in 2006. 1,239 of these deaths were in the construction industry. This is a rise from the previous year.

Construction work can be dangerous, no matter what the job is. While most workers are trained in basic safety, defective machinery, faulty tools and equipment, hazardous materials, and simple worker error can still take their toll. The three masons killed were standing below a wall that had not completely dried when it collapsed. Although it is unclear how tall the wall was that they were working on or how many masons were working together, and OSHA will be investigating to see if this could have been prevented, the fact remains that these three individuals, as well as the two who were injured will now be part of the Department of Labor's 2008 statistics when they come out.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a construction accident, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.

A massive sinkhole that opened up near Daisetta, Texas may have been the result of too much saltwater being pumped into the ground by a company called Deloach Vacuum Services. Deloach was given a permit by the Texas Railroad Commission to dispose saltwater waste. Saltwater is a byproduct of oil production, and is stored underground to avoid contaminating the environment.

The sinkhole measuring 900 feet across and 260 feet deep has reportedly slowed or even stopped. It swallowed trees, telephone poles, oil barrels, and a number of vehicles between Tuesday and Thursday. It has also closed the main street of Daisetta. While geologists believe the sinkhole may be related to pumping saltwater into the ground, Daisetta sits on a salt dome where oil and natural gas have accumulated for millions of years. The town was "poised for potential sinkhole problems."

Deloach has received two violations in the past: One for exceeding the amount of wastewater it was allowed to inject into the ground, and one for failing to test for leaks on the disposal well before the end of April. The first violation resulted from Deloach injecting between 128,000 and 192,000 barrels of waste water per month when they were only supposed to inject 90,000 barrels per month.

Small sinkholes began opening up around Daisetta in the 1980s, but this is the biggest the town has seen. The next time might be even bigger, swallowing houses and more. And, though the cause of the sinkhole has not been determined, fingers are pointing at Deloach for helping to bring on the damage. Does this make them responsible, and if so, are they going to be held responsible, or is the state of Texas going to be the sole party doling out financial assistance, as seems the case right now?

If you are in need of an injury lawyer with experienced in premises liability, construction accidents, or any other type of negligence, please contact one in your area to have your claim evaluated.

Three men working to install a water main beneath a bridge fell into the Arkansas River when the scaffolding they were on collapsed Wednesday morning. Two of the men have not been located and are presumed drowned. The third man's body was found entangled in rope that was attached to the platform.

Because of rain and rough currents in the river, the search for the two missing men has been postponed. A spokesman for the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office said, "There will not be an active search," and that the bodies will most likely turn up within one or two days. However, because the river is swollen from recent flooding and heavy rain is predicted for the next couple of days, it could be longer.

The men were employed by a Roanoke, Texas company called Oscar Renda Contracting Inc., and were in Arkansas to help with a $43 million project for the Arkansas Water Utility. OSHA will be leading the investigation into why the scaffolding collapsed.

If you have lost a loved one in a construction accident, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area to discuss your legal options.