Portland Personal Injury Attorneys

Tips to Avoiding Construction Zone Car Accidents

Distracted drivers are responsible for more than a dozen deaths on American roads every day, and Portland personal injury attorneys have noted that construction zone car accidents are especially perilous places for drivers to be taking on cell phones or worse, texting.

The prevention of construction zone car accidents is purely dependent on drivers being completely alert and following the instructions posted. While this may not sound overly complicated, statistics on construction zone accidents seem to indicate that many drivers are simply unaware of the extra dangers in construction zones, or are unwilling to give due care and attention to the extra hazardous circumstances.

Figures regarding distracted driving accidents and construction zone car accidents recently released make for disturbing reading. Some of the more worrying facts include:

• More than 1,200 Americans per day are injured in accidents involving distracted drivers.
• In 2009 alone, more than 5,400 people were killed and 448,000 injured in distracted driver related accidents.
• More than 1,000 of those killed were in collisions where a driver was using a cell phone at the time of the crash. (more…)

Portland Toxic Chemical Injury Attorneys and Claims

It may come as something of a surprise to many people, but Oregon employees working with toxic chemicals have been proven to be working with unacceptable risks for many years. Portland toxic chemical injury attorneys have frequently been called upon to represent people who have been seriously affected by an unacceptable level of toxic risks that occur in a huge range of work places, from construction sites to hospital wards.

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, more than 32 million American workers have been exposed to as many as 650,000 different chemicals, any one of which can be hazardous to the health of those working with them. That’s more than 20% of the entire U.S. workforce, and the total number of workplaces in which these chemicals have been found exceeds a staggering 3 million sites.

Toxic Chemical Injuries at Work

An alarming number of work environments use toxic chemicals in their day to day operations, and often, the workers who are exposed to what are effectively poisonous substances have no idea of the risks they face on a daily basis. But a Portland toxic chemical injury attorney needs to be aware of these dangerous substances. To name but a few, sites where there are workers exposed to hazardous chemical products include: (more…)

Preventing Lead Poisoning at Home in Oregon

Lead is one of the most toxic chemicals that can still be commonly found in Oregon households today. Most know of its dangers, but not everyone knows how many children are still exposed to the potentially devastating consequences of long term exposure to the element that was not long ago commonly found in many popular house paints. Portland lead poisoning attorneys take cases on behalf of children who have suffered severe kidney failure and liver damage, as well as other side effects of exposure to lead.

Besides damage to internal organs, ingesting lead has also been proven to result in slow growth and development, both physically and mentally, leading to behavior and learning difficulties. It’s also important to realize that just because your home isn’t painted with a lead-based product, this doesn’t mean your children are entire safe.  There are in fact a number of steps to take to protect your family from lead poisoning that every parent can take. They start with simply educating yourself about where and how your children are most likely to be exposed to lead, and how to prevent them from its harmful, even potentially fatal effects.

Tips to Know to Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children:

• Do you know the year your house was built? Oregon homes built before 1978 are quite likely to have been painted with lead-based paint. Even if your home was built or painted within a year or two after 1978, it’s certainly feasible that some stocks of lead-based paint were still around and in use during that time.
• There are other lead hazards in a home—particularly older homes—besides paint. It doesn’t cost a lot to hire a professional to conduct an inspection of your entire home to identify where you and your children might be at risk.
• Whatever year your house was built, make regular checks for chipping and peeling paint. This applies to interior surfaces like window frames and sills, skirting boards, walls, doors and ceilings, as well as the exterior of your house. (more…)

Common Causes of Construction Accidents | Portland Construction Accident Lawyers

Construction is the backbone of the economy. To quote an old adage, “As the construction industry goes, so goes the country.” Construction provides thousands of jobs in Oregon, but each year, workers and their families discover the hard way that construction sites are among the most dangerous of all work places, and Portland construction accident attorneys must be called in to help.

Construction companies, large and small, can only do so much to prevent accidents on site. Portland construction site accident attorneys frequently discover, unfortunately, that many companies sidestep their responsibilities to safeguard and protect their employees. In addition, there are so many causes of construction accidents, it may seem impossible to guard against all of them.

People working in the industry, as well as Portland construction accident attorneys have found that there are nine factors leading to the majority of construction site accidents.

1. Injuries due to slips and falls are the most common on a construction site. In many cases, these are caused by unsafe working areas, including holes and trenches that have been left uncovered, and exposed stakes and re-bars, which can be potentially fatal to people working or walking above them.
2. Falling on stairwells with no guardrails is another common cause of injury on construction sites. Worse, workers who step backwards without looking frequently fall through open sided floors, landing on their heads or shoulders, sustaining serious if not fatal injuries.
3. Stepladders are the root cause of a large number of accidents on construction sites. Workers frequently fall when a stepladder tips over, or when it collapses. The latter often occurs when stepladders intended for household applications are used on construction sites, where they cannot consistently carry the weight of a worker and his tools. In addition, tools left on the top platform of a stepladder frequently fall and hit a worker on the head when the ladder is moved.
4. The number one cause of deaths on construction sites is falls from roofs when no fall protection is provided. These falls typically take place when lifelines designed to arrest a fall are not properly attached, or when more than one lifeline is attached to a single anchoring point.
5. Portland construction site accident attorneys know there are state regulations requiring the erection of scaffolding on building sites. A competent person capable of recognizing hazards, and who has the authority to take corrective action, must be appointed to supervise scaffolding. Nevertheless, injuries occur every year due to falls from scaffolding, materials and tools falling from scaffolding and injuring workers, and even scaffolding collapses.
6. In our neighboring state of Washington, an average of two construction workers are killed each year by collapsed excavation walls and trenches. Soil typically weighs 2,000-3,000 pounds per yard, and when it collapses on a worker, it crushes him or her, cutting off their air supply. Death can occur within minutes.
7. Power tool accidents occur when workers fail to use appropriate eye and ear protection. Improper guards on power saws can lead to severe cuts and in some cases, amputations. Also, nail gun injuries to eyes are increasingly common, not surprising when you consider a nail comes out of these guns with the same force a bullet comes out of a .22 caliber pistol.
8. The number one cause of injuries that leads to claims through Portland construction site accident attorneys is injury caused through lifting. When workers lift bags of cement, sheets of drywall or siding, or other heavy objects commonly found on building sites, and they use their back muscles more than their leg muscles, they’re quite likely to suffer soft tissue sprains, back strains, and chronic injuries that lead to medical costs and disability claims.
9. Dump trucks and forklifts are frequently found on construction sites. It’s not uncommon for pedestrians to be struck when dump trucks back up, due to the very large blind spots dump truck drivers have to contend with. If a forklift driver is trying to turn with the load raised, accidents often occur. The load can fall off and strike someone, or the forklift can tip over. In both cases, fatal accidents have occurred with frightening regularity.

Construction jobs provide a good living to thousands of Oregon families, but clearly, construction sites are dangerous places in which to earn a living. Workers clearly carry the burden of responsibility for looking after their own safety. But when a construction site accident occurs, it can cause an injury that may require months, or even years of treatment, at enormous expense.

Workman’s compensation is unlikely to cover the expenses that come as a result of a serious injury. If you or someone you know has been unfortunate enough to be injured while on site due to negligence, contact a construction accident attorney. They will help you deal with the insurance companies and advise you on the best course of action to get you the compensation you and your family will need.

Before Filing a Workplace Injury Claim: A Guide

Unfortunately, accidents sometimes happen to people while on the job, and the events that follow can sometimes be troublesome. The typical course of action is to file a workplace injury claim if you sustained injuries and/or can no longer contribute 100% to your job.

During the time it takes to recover after the accident, it is not uncommon for your employer and co-workers to change the way they interact with you as a result. Some behaviors that typically occur include:

• Accusations that you are slacking in your job duties
• Allegations that you are faking
• Co-workers saying you are trying to avoid working

Some of the worries an employee faces after an on the job injury include fear of:

• Loss of wages
• Elimination of promotion opportunities
• Being fired from the job
• Paying for the cost of medical care

After a workplace injury occurs, there are precise steps you need to take. Many employers have a procedure in place for on the job injuries and employees should follow that protocol if it exists. Here are some tips:

1. Report the workplace injury to your supervisor immediately.
2. Handle the claim promptly, even if the injury seems minor.
3. Contact a physician to obtain a medical assessment right away.
4. Document all details on paper while fresh on your mind.
5. Take photographs of where the accident occurred as soon as possible after the incident.
6. Ask any witnesses to document their account of what occurred.

Employees injured on the job should be covered by their employer’s workers compensation insurance, including lost wages and medical care. Because many insurance companies require a filed report within 48 hours after an incident, time is of the essence in filing your claim.

Have you or a family member filed a workplace injury claim that has been denied? A Portland workplace accident attorney can assist you in receiving adequate compensation for an on the job injury.

It’s a Tough Job, but Somebody’s Gotta Do It: Reducing Oregon Construction Accident Risks

Construction workers have one of the most dangerous and toughest jobs out there. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), over 4,000 workers of all ages were killed on-the-job in 2010. April 28 was Workers Memorial Day and OSHA and the U.S. Department of Labor commemorated America’s fallen workers. The date also marked OSHA’s 40th birthday and celebrated the many accomplishments of the agency in helping save lives and promote accident prevention.

While any worker’s death is one too many, worker fatality rates have significantly dropped over the past 40 years. Approximately 12 workers are killed because of a workplace injury every day in the United States – a number that is reported to have been about 38 in 1970.

As Portland construction accident attorneys, we also want to take the opportunity to honor the memory of workers who have been killed on-the-job and help promote the safety and health of workers in all fields.

Safety rules and regulations are extremely important in helping prevent construction accident injuries and fatalities. It is a sad reality, however, that some contractors, sub-contractors, or others in charge at a construction site fail to respect their responsibility to maintain a safe working environment. It is also tragic when defective tools, equipment, and other products used by construction workers make their way on worksites, placing the lives of construction workers in danger.

As a high hazard industry, construction workers are supposed to receive thorough training for tasks that require them to fulfill duties at great heights, in dangerous positions, and with heavy equipment and machinery. Some common hazards that construction workers are exposed to include falling from rooftops and ladders; unguarded machinery; being hit by heavy construction equipment; electric shock and electrocutions; toxic dust, asbestos and other particles; chemical exposure; and burn injuries.

The more information, tools, and resources construction workers and employers have access to, the more construction-related dangers can be identified, reduced, and eliminated.

Source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=SPEECHES&p_id=2503