Miami Accident Lawyer Blog
A number of construction workers were seriously injured this week when a crane-load of rebar fell onto them at a Brickell construction site. The crane was moving some rebar overhead when the load unexpectedly fell, injuring at least six workers at the Florida construction site, with two of those workers being impaled through the torso. At least one of the victims remains on a hospital ventilator, in serious condition.
What Causes Florida Construction Accidents?
In the incident above, the rebar allegedly fell onto and injured the construction workers as a result of defective construction equipment. The Construction Company operating the site claimed on social media that the steel cage of the crane came loose while it was transporting the rebar overhead, resulting in the injuries to those workers positioned below. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently investigating the incident, but if it turns out that defective crane equipment was the cause of the accident, then those injured may have legal recourse through a product liability claim in addition to their workers’ compensation benefits.
Product Liability Lawsuits
Manufacturers of construction equipment, and any other kind of consumer product, have a legal duty to ensure that their products are safe for use. When a product like a construction crane malfunctions, catastrophic injuries can result, as evidenced by this horrific event in Brickell. When a defective product causes injuries to its users, the manufacturer can be held legally responsible for all resulting injuries, losses, and deaths with the help of a Miami product liability lawyer.
Three Types of Product Defects
There are three ways in which a product, like a construction crane, can be deemed defective, and as such, as serious danger to those who use it. These include:
- Design Defect: When a product is designed in such a way that it can not safely function as intended, it has a design defect. With this kind of defect, all of the products manufactured will be deemed defective, and will put users at risk or injury. A construction crane that was designed with insufficient bolts to hold a steel cage in place, for example, could be deemed to have a design defect.
- Manufacturing Defect: When a product’s design is sound, but an error occurs during the manufacturing process, impacting just one unit, or one batch of units, that is considered a manufacturing defect. In that case, the user of the one defectively manufactured product is at risk of injury. A construction crane that was designed properly, but that was manufactured with a few missing bolts, could be deemed to have a manufacturing defect.
- Marketing Defect: When a product is designed well and manufactured without error, it may still be defectively marketed, leading to injuries for those who use it. Some products can be dangerous when used in certain ways, and those products need to contain proper warning labels so consumers know that they are at risk. A crane that represents a crushing risk when certain safety protocols are not utilized, for example, must come with visible warning labels on the necessary parts of the machine so that construction workers know how to operate it safely.
Contact an Experienced Construction Accident Attorney Today
If you or your loved one has suffered catastrophic injuries in a construction site accident, you have legal options. Our skilled and experienced Miami construction accident lawyers can help you pursue the compensation you need from those parties responsible for your injuries. Please contact Gerson & Schwartz, PA to set up a complimentary consultation at our offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach.