North Carolina safety authorities launched an investigation into a construction site accident that happened in Raleigh on a recent Thursday. An incident report indicates that rescue workers were called to the scene at approximately 11:30 a.m. to tend to injured workers on a scaffold. The injured workers will likely file workers’ compensation benefits claims for coverage of their medical expenses.
Reportedly, a scaffold system that was suspended from the roof of a commercial building in Raleigh held two workers. They were working on the repair and upgrade of an expansion joint on the building’s outer wall. While they were working on the task at hand, a section of the limestone facade detached from the wall approximately 25 feet above the level of the scaffold.
A witness who looked up from the street level when he had to duck to avoid falling pieces of wall says he saw that a large portion of limestone had struck one worker. He noticed that the worker did not move, and remained immobile even after his co-worker lifted the large piece of slate from him. Both workers were transported to the hospital, and reports indicate that the worker who was struck suffered severe injuries while the other one’s injuries were minor.
Regardless of the outcome of the investigation by safety authorities, the injured workers will likely be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. An experienced North Carolina workers comp attorney can help with the process to claim benefits. Benefits typically cover all the medical bills, and also a portion of lost wages of workers whose injuries cause temporary disability.
