Two construction workers were critically injured after a building collapsed in suburban Westmont, IL on Monday afternoon. The accident occurred around 12:30 PM at a new, multi-use building near the intersection of Cass Avenue and Quincy Street. The workers were transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove for critical, but not life-threatening, injuries. Westmont officials have confirmed that the Department of Labor is investigating the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate accident.
While much about this incident remains unclear, a timely and thorough investigation will be needed to ensure that the injured workers and their families’ interests are being protected. Hopefully, the ensuing investigations will help to shed some light on how the collapse happened and to identify any parties that might have contributed to or been at fault for this accident.
Given the inherently dangerous nature of construction work, when accidents happen on a job site, the consequences can be devastating for any workers involved. To minimize the risk of an accident occurring, employers are generally required to evaluate and identify a job site for potential dangers, obtain and provide safety equipment for workers, create strong safety plans, and provide training to all employees on the proper way to use construction equipment. However, despite adherence to even the most stringent safety protocols, accidents can still occur and may be caused by parties other than the injured workers or their employer.
The attorneys at GWC have extensive experience representing injured workers in all manner of construction accidents, including building collapses. In one such case, involving the same Wisconsin pre-cast contractor involved in the recent collapse, GWC effectively spearheaded the closure of construction for over a year of a building that suffered a collapse due to improperly constructed cinder block walls and negligently stacked concrete floor panels. When multiple pre-cast floors collapsed, GWC filed motions for Protective Orders which included stopping all construction so that the attorneys and experts retained by GWC could investigate the site to determine the cause of the collapse. A warehouse was even rented during the 3 years that the litigation was pending where all broken concrete fragments of the collapsed site were essentially put together and stored for expert evaluations and to support their opinions of fault. These efforts resulted in a near 8-figure settlement for the family of the deceased superintendent who was employed with the general contractor on the job site.
Substantial time, money, and legal/construction expertise are necessary to properly challenge big corporate contractors and the floors of lawyers they hire to defend these types of claims filed against them. GWC not only has the necessary resources to litigate these cases, but has had extensive success at bringing justice to countless construction workers and their families in their most desperate times following serious construction accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries and even death.
Illinois Construction Accident Attorneys
When a serious accident occurs on a job site and there are several parties that might have been responsible for it, having competent and experienced legal counsel can make all the difference in the world for the injured parties and their families. The law firm of GWC Injury Lawyers LLC has proudly represented construction trades workers since 1977 and is often called the construction injury firm, as building trades unions frequently turn to GWC when one of their members is involved in an accident.
With over $2 billion recovered for our clients, GWC has a proven record of success in helping injured construction workers and their families obtain the justice that they deserve. If you or a loved one has been wrongfully injured, please contact GWC today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our attorneys. Call our office at 312-999-9999 or click here to chat with one of our representatives 24/7.
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