Construction is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. Whether contractors are working on scaffolding, installing power lines or water mains, construction laborers are at a heightened risk for traumatic injury and wrongful death.
Digging trenches is a necessary part of the job for plumbing and utility companies from St. George, Utah to the Eastern Seaboard. The proper formation of sidewalls and fortifications, when put in place a safe distance away from existing utility lines, can help prevent excavation injuries, however the process is itself inherently dangerous.
When a trench collapses, workers may become partially or totally buried in soil, the crushing weight of which can cut off circulation, compress internal organs and can even lead to asphyxiation of the trapped worker.
Excavation of a laborer trapped in a collapsed trench is a delicate process, necessitating dirt extraction and fortification to prevent the soil from collapsing further.
Trench collapses are responsible for the wrongful death of nearly 30 construction workers a year in the United States, and the injury of many others. If you or someone you know has genuinely been injured in a trench collapse incident, contact your local St. George lawyer to see if you have a case.
At the law offices of Robert J. Debry, we work hard and collaborate with the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Administration to ensure your lawyer gets you the money you rightfully deserve, guaranteed.