Construction at Texas A&M Injures Four
College Station, Texas is home to one of the greatest universities in the country. Texas A&M is known for football and great academics. In order to maintain greatness, a university must grow. In an effort to do just that, Texas A&M is currently constructing an $80 million equestrian complex. An undertaking of that size, or any construction project for that matter, requires careful compliance with all building codes and extra care to ensure that all workers are safe from accidents and injuries. Unfortunately, in Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, Fort Worth, Odessa, and throughout the rest of Texas, construction site accidents are a common occurrence.
Barn Collapses, Four Are Injured
On Saturday, June 22, 2013, a construction crew was working on the equestrian complex, located about a mile off of the main campus. Around 11 a.m., a barn frame collapsed. First responders from several departments responded quickly to the scene, including College Station and Bryan fire departments as well as medical personnel from Texas A&M. The contractor in charge of construction of the barn is Gamma Construction Company out of Houston, Texas.
Reports show that it was a 300-foot barn and that twisted steel bars were present at the scene of the accident. Four workers were injured. Three of the four workers were critically injured. The men were working within the frame, bolting steel together, when it collapsed around them. Fortunately, the men fell on top of the debris and were not buried underneath it. Rescue crews had to stabilize the structure prior to searching for the four men who were inside the barn when it collapsed. All four were checked into the hospital, three were originally listed in critical condition.
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What Recourse do Injured Workers Have?
Employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees. Although the construction was for Texas A&M, the university is likely not the employer of the injured workers. It appears as though Texas A&M hired an independent contractor, Gamma Construction Company, to do the construction work rather than assemble its own construction crew. Therefore, Gamma Construction is the employer of the four injured workers.
The four injured workers were clearly working within the course and scope of their employment when the injury occurred. A worker is in the scope of his or her employment when he or she does any activity that originates in work, trade, profession or business of the employer in furtherance of the affairs of the employer. The employer has a duty to ensure the safety of their employees. The four workers injured in the June collapse may have legal recourse against Gamma Construction Company under certain circumstances. For example, if it came to light that Gamma Construction failed to maintain proper equipment for their employees’ use then the four injured workers could bring a personal injury claim against Gamma for their negligence or recklessness.
Only a certified attorney familiar with the facts of your case can determine if you have a personal injury claim. If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction site accident anywhere in Texas, please contact one of our experienced and skilled attorneys for a free consultation.
See Related Blog Post:
Why Do I Need an Attorney?http://www.brianloncar.com/need-attorney
Commercial Truck Accident Part 2 http://www.brianloncar.com/commercial-truck-accident-part-2
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