San Francisco’s recent frightening window washer accident raises many issues concerning work pace safety – and underscores the need to understand your rights if you suffer an injury at work.
According to reports, the window washer slipped from the roof of a building, falling 11 stories and 130 feet. The man then landed on a moving car. Miraculously, he survived, although he suffered serious personal injuries.
The worker was taken to San Francisco General Hospital and is in stable condition. The work place accident remains under investigation. State safety inspectors are looking into the incident to determine whether the company who employed the window washer was at fault. The company has previously been cited for regulatory violations involving the use of equipment.
This accident raises many questions. For example – did the company take all the necessary precautions to ensure the window washer’s safety? Was the equipment the workers used properly maintained? Did the window washers receive proper training? What other factors or what other individuals may have caused or contributed to this accident occurring?
The answers to these questions will help determine the worker’s rights and remedies under California law. While California’s workers compensation provisions generally provide the sole avenue of recovering damages when workers are injured on the job, in certain circumstances it may be possible for an injured party and his or her family to file a civil personal injury lawsuit. Consulting with an experienced Oakland workers compensation attorney is important to help evaluate each person’s situation and determine the best avenue for recovery.
To date, 14 serious window washing accidents have occurred this year across the country requiring rescue – 3 of those involved personal injuries, and 1 was fatal.
For more information, or if you have been injured in a workplace accident, please contact the dedicated Oakland personal injury attorneys at Viadro Law, LLP for an immediate, confidential consultation.
