Man Falls From Tree Bucket

A Las Vegas man was critically injured when he fell from a tree-trimming bucket, according to recent reports. He was transported to an area hospital where he remains in unknown condition. The man was working near Sandhill Road and Russell Road when he apparently fell from the bucket. The victim was a subcontracted employee of NV Energy and was trimming trees around power lines when his bucket was struck by the top of a passing truck, according to Las Vegas police.

The driver of the Ashley Furniture moving van that struck the man remained at the scene and cooperated with the police in their investigation of the accident. The man is said to have fallen at least 20 feet upon impact with the truck. Witnesses said the victim was lying on his back and breathing heavily; although his eyes were open he was not able to speak or move. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Fatal Detail squad did not respond to the accident and no arrests were made.

CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS: FALLS REPRESENT LARGE PERCENTAGE

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 3.7 percent of all construction workers suffer some type of illness or injury directly connected to their jobs each year. Nevada has a higher-than-average worker injury rate of 4.1 percent. Construction accidents often fall under one of the “Big Four” types that are most common: falls from elevations, struck by, caught in or between and electrical shock. The majority of construction accidents causing serious injury or death can be classified as one of these types; therefore, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as well as others use the Big Four as a basis for creating safety requirements. For example, workers who are elevated are required to wear safety harnesses, and workers must be approved to work on electrical equipment to avoid shocks.

VICTIMS AT WORK: WORKERS’ COMPENSATION OR PERSONAL INJURY?

When a victim is injured at work, there is always the question of whether the case should be handled by workers’ compensation insurance or by a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury lawsuit may be more appropriate if the worker was injured by the actions of a third party. At High Stakes Injury Law in Las Vegas, we understand the needs of workers who have been injured in workplace accidents. Contact us today to learn more about how to collect damages for your workplace injuries.