Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog

A Missouri construction accident killed Ryan Goodman, 35, and injured Shane Wagener, 30, last week, temporarily bringing a halt to construction on the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.

According to officials cited in the Kansas City Star, a portable boom lift with a basket designed to raise workers up to 100 feet in the air fell over while the two men were inside. The basket was extended to around 50 feet while the men were placing beams on the new building before it fell. Both men fell away from the basket as the equipment tipped over.

Goodman and Wagener were both taken to local hospitals. Goodman died at the hospital while Wagener suffered serious injuries and is still being treated.

Crews removed the lift from the accident site yesterday, but investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are continuing to investigate the cause of this tragic accident.

The site, operated by J.E. Dunn Construction Co., has not had any injuries or serious incidents in the past. The men were employed by Midwest Steel.

These types of crane accidents kill more than 80 workers every year, according to data from OSHA. We reported on a similar St. Louis construction site accident earlier this year.

The big question in all construction site injury accidents is whether they could have been prevented. If certain safety procedures had been followed or if faulty machinery had been inspected, would the accident have occurred?

It may take months of investigation, but the answer will be revealed if the best experts are called in to investigate. Experienced construction accident lawyers will have the connections and knowledge to determine if negligence caused the needless death of a worker.

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Posted In: Missouri Construction Accidents , Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer News , Personal Injury News

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The number of deaths as a result of car accidents in construction zones is rising steadily each year. Over 1,000 people are killed each year and 40,000 are injured in construction zone crashes. That is up from just over 800 deaths in 1999.

Of those killed and injured, more than 80 percent are drivers or passengers. Workers are very much at risk as well, but the accidents are mostly rear-end collisions between cars in the work zone. A vast majority of crashes are caused by driver inattentiveness. These drivers will be carelessly talking on a cell phone or preoccupied with something in the car and won’t realize traffic has stopped for an upcoming work zone. This driver negligence is what causes injury accidents.

Lawmakers are split over how to deal with this problem. Some want better training for construction workers and wider lanes in construction zones. Others say driver education programs and advertisements are essential in showing drivers they need to slow down and stay alert.

Transportation officials in some states are also advocating that more roads are completely closed when construction is ongoing, rather than trying to funnel traffic through these congested areas. They have also started using longer lasting pavement to reduce the amount of maintenance needed on the roadway.

Since most work zone crashes are the result of driver negligence, those who are injured can often contact a personal injury lawyer to recover damages after the accident. You can reduce your chances of being in an accident by being attentive in work zones, but if you are still injured by someone else’s negligence you should contact a car accident attorney as quickly as possible.

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Posted In: Choosing a Personal Injury Lawyer , Missouri Car Accidents , Missouri Construction Accidents , Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer News , Personal Injury News

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reporting complaints that safety training consultants are shortening the hours on a required safety course, according to the Springfield Business Journal.

According to the report, some trainers are giving workers two hours of instruction and giving them bogus certification for a normally 10-hour safety course.

While the article focused on trainings given here to prevent Missouri work place injuries, skimping on required training hours is a national problem for OSHA. A case in New York City had a safety trainer deliver a 10-hour course in a mere just a couple hours over drinks at a bar.

The reason this kind of cheating has become more rampant is that a law that takes effect August 28 will require all construction companies that are taking stimulus money to have their workers complete the training course. Safety trainers overwhelmed with training session requests have been shortening their sessions in order to schedule more and make more money.

The work place and construction injuries that this course is aimed at preventing can be a devastating problem for Missouri workers. If someone is hurt on the job by another’s negligence, not only will medical bills pile up but many are not able to work and generate money during their recovery. Consulting a personal injury attorney may be beneficial in these situations to ensure that your rights are protected.

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Posted In: Choosing a Personal Injury Lawyer , Missouri Construction Accidents , Missouri Legislative News , Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer News , Personal Injury News

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Steven Lillicrap, 21, was killed Tuesday in a crane accident at the Edward Jones construction site near Westport in Maryland Heights, according to a St. Louis Post Dispatch report.

The accident occurred when construction workers were disassembling a large crane at the work site. Lillicrap’s safety harness was hooked into the crane cable and when the crane moved, Lillicrap was dragged into the crane, according to the Post Dispatch.

Lillicrap was rushed to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Lillicrap was working with the McCarthy Bros. Construction Company through a subcontractor. Sources from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration were cited in the story as saying the construction site was free of any sort of previous safety violations.

Construction related accidents are very difficult to deal with. Not only is there a natural trauma when someone you love is hurt or killed, but these types of accidents are often very complicated legally and may require months of investigation. The best thing a person can do after an incident like this is contact a personal injury attorney with construction accident experience. Doing this as soon as possible will ensure that no evidence is lost. A qualified accident lawyer will have the expert contacts necessary to do a complete investigation of the incident.

Posted by Ryan Bradley | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Missouri Construction Accidents

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Geralyn Mulcahy, 47, was killed Saturday evening when a Bobcat construction vehicle backed over her on the HLR Motorsports race track in Moberly, Missouri.

According to the investigating officers, Mulcahy was walking on the race track at around 7:45 p.m. when a Bobcat Skid-Steer Loader, driven by Steven Halterman, backed over her. Halterman had been doing maintenance work on the track.

Mulcahy was taken to the Moberly Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

An investigation into the incident is still underway. No charges have been filed yet.

A personal injury attorney will need to examine the specifics of this tragic accident, but if the Bobcat driver is found to have been negligent in operating his vehicle, Mulcahy’s family may be entitled to collect damages. It is not known why Mulcahy was on the track or whether she was expected to be there during the maintenance work.

At the Bradley Law Firm, we have handled personal injury and wrongful death claims for over 30 years. We associate with only the most talented experts when it comes to accident investigation. If you or a loved one have been injured in an Missouri or Illinois accident and you have questions about your legal rights, contact us for a free consultation.

Posted by Ryan Bradley | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Missouri Construction Accidents

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