Industrial Accident Lawyer Blog

Trench collapses are a common source of Georgia workers compensation claims and workplace injury claims. Often, trenches are dug quickly, with little or no structural design required to ensure those digging are actually safe. In January, Michael Wilson, of Chester County, PA, was killed when a trench he was digging collapsed.

Recently, OSHA fined Wilson's employer, J.D. Eckman, Inc., for failing to have trained supervisors on hand to adequately supervise the digging operation. Additionally, the two men working on the trench were not trained on the use of pneumatic jack hammers, and were using the equipment in a way which led to the collapse.

Continue reading "Trench Collapse Leads To Work Injuries, Death" »

Mississippi's Howard Industries, Inc., in Ellisville, Mississippi was recently cited by OSHA for 17 safety violations following the electrocution death of Benjamin Edwards Spoon while testing transformers. According to the OSHA citation, Spoon's employer failed to have an adequate lock out-tag out procedure, failed to conduct PPE hazard assessments, and failed to provide insulated gloves.

In this situation, the power company Spoon's employer was hired by could have some liability for using a contractor with known unsafe work practices and/or failing to adequately monitor the work. The Flynn Law Firm has represented injured workers in Mississippi, last year concluding two cases against International Paper for a boiler explosion at the Vicksburg mill. The Flynn Law Firm currently represents an injured lineman in a case pending in Smith County, Mississippi.

Charles Grundy, of St. George, Utah, was killed in a workplace accident when he was hit by a front-end loader driven by a co-worker. The work injury occurred on Interstate 15 in an area near the Utah-Nevada border. According to news reports, Grundy was standing in the Southbound Lane of I-15 with his back turned while talking on his cell phone. A co-worker did not see him and simply ran him over.

When someone dies on the job, or when three or more employees are hospitalized in a single event, OSHA is automatically called to investigate. The co-worker who ran him over probably did not have adequate training, and the jobsite was obviously not adequately monitored or supervised.

Shawn Allen Austin was killed in a flash fire at the John W. McDougall Metals Plant in Nashville, Tennessee. The John W. McDougall plant fabricates custom sheet metal. Because there was a workplace death, OSHA will be investigating the incident. Immediately after the flash fire, Mr. Austin was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his burn injuries. Another worker, Saul Hernandez, suffered a work injury in the flash fire, and was treated and released.

Construction accidents keep the best Georgia workers' compensation lawyers busy, with worksite injuries becoming more and more common. Often, work injuries are not isolated incidents---and are often preventable.

One such work accident recently occurred in Knoxville, Tennessee, when Solin Estrada Jiminez was killed when a chunk of concrete fell off a support beam of the Henley Street Bridge. Jiminez was an undocumented worker for Britton Bridge, LLC.

Continue reading "Construction Accident Claims Life of Solin Estrada Jiminez" »

A flash fire at the Hoeganaes Corporation facility in Gallatin, Tennessee has killed one worker and severely injured another. Wiley Sherburne, of Castalian Springs, TN was killed and Vernon Wayne Corley was injured when a flash fire occurred during maintenance on on a burner

The Hoeganaes facility makes liquid metal for gear parts, and was reported to be a dusty facility. Dust in the workplace can, and in this case did, pose a combustion hazard. These types of combustible dust explosions can often cause work injury and lead to Workers Compensation claims. With adequate housekeeping, however, dust explosion like this can be avoided.

An unidentified electrical lineman was killed in Mifflin, Wisconsin last week after apparently coming into contact with energized power lines. The 39-year old lineman was working for a private utility contractor in the area when he suffered a life-ending work injury.

Electrical lineman are often exposed to dangerous working conditions, and, as a result, should consult the best Georgia workers compensation attorney when they suffer an on the job injury. A good workers compensation lawyer can help the injured lineman with his workers compensation case, and can also identify potential third-parties who may be responsible for the lineman's injuries.
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Jon Martinez and Jason Steele, both of whom worked for United Fire Protection in St. Petersburg, Florida, were recently killed in an industrial accident while working for United Fire Protection at a former Georgia Pacific Plant in Lake Placid, Florida. The workers were fixing a pump inside a concrete block building adjacent to a water tank, when the tank (or the pump) exploded. When the tank exploded, it caused a "rush" of water, which caused the building to collapse. OSHA and local law enforcement are investigating the work accident.

Atlanta workers' compensation lawyers are kept busy by claims filed by employees hurt on the job in a variety of scenarios. Often, the workers comp claim is simple: employee vs. employer in an administrative action pending before the Georgia State Board of Workers Compensation.

However, sometimes, workers with many different employers are working at a facility, many of whom are contractors, at the time of injury. In that situation, a Georgia workers compensation claim can be filed against the injured worker's employer, and a third-party work injury lawsuit or construction accident lawsuit may be filed against other contractors or the premises owner for creating dangerous working conditions. Contractors who come on the property are typically in harms way---they have no training or instruction on what's happening on the jobsite, are provided little or no information about safety issues, and, sometimes, are brought onto a job because the tasks are too dangerous for the premises owner's own workers.

Continue reading "Injured Contractors Find Few Remedies for On The Job Injuries in Texas" »

Six injured workers were seriously injured when a 6-inch pipe containing high-pressure steam burst at an Indiana County power plant. Three suffered severe work injuries and were taken to the burn unit at West Penn Hospital. Steam injuries, even though they do not involve contact with fire, can be very painful and cause deep second and third degree burns, necessitating long term care and a substantial workers' compensation claim. Three other injured workers were taken to a local hospital.

Continue reading "Six Hurt In Workplace Accident at EME Homer City Generating" »

Jose Antonio Soto, from Winter Haven Florida, was killed when a road grader backed into him on the job. Mr. Soto was a contract worker working at CF Industries. His death was a tragic incident which, much like many work injuries and construction accidents can be prevented with some basic workplace safety and adequate worker training.

Continue reading "Jose Antonio Soto Killed in Construction Accident on February 12, 2011" »

February 7 marks the three year anniversary of the Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion, which caused 8 deaths and numerous Georgia work injury claims to be filed. The Flynn Law Firm represents 6 workers injured in the blast. The explosion was caused by excess sugar dust in a conveyor running under the silos at the refinery. Secondary explosions were then caused by the huge amount of sugar all over the facility. After the explosion, OSHA implemented standards on combustible dust, and specifically mandate that 1/32" of sugar may be allowed to accumulate on surface areas. Work injury lawyers represented several claimants who were injured in the explosion.

Continue reading "Three Year Anniversary of Imperial Sugar Explosion Marked by Service" »

Two Georgia construction workers with Myrick Marine in Savannah Georgia, working at Crescent Towing and Moran Towing's shared dock off Fig Island Drive, have been severely injured in a Georgia work accident while building a tugboat dock near the Savannah River. On Friday, January 14th 2011, a pylon fell from an excavator, crushing and killing Greg Royer and seriously injuring John Pugh. Mr. Pugh is still at Memorial University Medical Center in critical condition.

Myric Marine was the company building the dock at the time of the incident. Both men were standing on a sea wall installing wooden pylons when one of the pylons fell from the excavator.

Continue reading "One Killed, One Injured in Jan. 14 Myric Crane Accident in Savannah, GA" »

A massive explosion ripped through the Federal-Mogul plant in Blacksburg, Virginia last week. The Federal Mogul Explosion caused severe burn injuries to four contractors working for a company called LCM performing routine duct work, removing aluminum dust. Jeffrey Hodges, age 45, of Bototeourt County, Virginia, and Tommy Bonds, age 53 (of Narrows, Virginia), are listed in serious condition at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Danny Collins of Pearisburg, Virginia, and John Sprangler of Roanoke, Virginia, were also injured in the Federal-Mogul explosion, and have been released from the local hospital.

Continue reading "Federal Mogul Explosion in Blacksburg, VA Causes Severe Work Injury" »

Three workers have been killed, and at least one worker was injured, when a chemical plant owned by Al Solutions Inc. exploded in New Cumberland, West Virginia exploded. One direct employee of Al Solutions, Inc. was badly burned, and ultimately died from his burn injuries. A contractor on the site also suffered burns.

Al Solutions in New Cumberland West Virginia develops additives for the aluminum industry. The workers were working with titanium powder, used as an alloy additive. The powder is packed into bricks and is highly flammable.

Continue reading "Workers Killed in December 9, 2010 Al Solutions Chemical Plant Explosion" »