Jesus Garcia Roxbury: Jesus Garcia Injured In Roxbury Roof Fall Accident At Construction Site At Shops at Ledgewood Commons
ROXBURY, NEW JERSEY (February 17, 2020) – A construction worker identified as Jesus Garcia was seriously injured after falling through the roof at the Shops at Ledgewood Commons in Roxbury.
New Jersey State Police are saying that the roof fall occurred around 1:09 p.m. For reasons that remain under investigation Jesus Garcia fell through a hole in the building and landed nearly 30 feet below.
He was lifting a piece of metal on the roof when he fell into the two feet by three feet hole. The hole was apparently created when an old air conditioning unit was removed.
Jesus Garcia’s coworkers at Precise Services Corp. are saying that he was flown to a local hospital after suffering from “cardiac arrest” after the fall. Another man working on the roof was wearing a safety harness, but the victim was not wearing one.
Co-workers said that the fall would likely not have happened had he been wearing the safety harness. Roxbury police and OSHA officials are investigating the cause of the fall at this time.
Liability In Roxbury Roof Fall Accidents
Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death in the construction industry. According to one study from the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) Data Center, “falls from roofs accounted for one-third of fall-related construction fatalities from 1992-2009. The findings suggest that workers employed by small establishments, residential construction workers, Hispanic workers and immigrant workers may face disproportionately high risks of roof fatalities.” More than three out of four falls that occur take place in the roofing industry. There are a number of steps that should be taken in order to reduce the likelihood of roof falls including:
- Roofing contractors should have a written fall protection program
- It is imperative that OSHA regulations are enforced
- Roofing contractors should plan how a job will be executed
- Employees should be provided with personal fall arrest systems (PFAS)
- Employees must be given adequate training on best practices to prevent falls
Roofing is widely considered one of the most dangerous professions in the country. It is imperative that companies take every measure possible to keep their workers safe. When a worker is injured in a fall they will typically be eligible to receive support from the workers’ compensation system. New Jersey law requires all New Jersey Employers who are not covered by federal programs to have worker’s compensation. According to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, “Workers’ compensation provides medical treatment, wage replacement and permanent disability compensation to employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses, and death benefits to dependents of workers who have died as a result of their employment.” Benefits from worker’s compensation will include:
Medical Benefits
Temporary Total Benefits
Permanent Partial Benefits
Permanent Total Benefits
Victims are eligible to receive benefits regardless of who was at fault for the accident. It’s important to continue to seek follow up care after an accident at work. Fall victims are typically left with very serious and life-changing injuries. This can include spinal cord injuries, broken bones, head trauma and organ damage. A high number of construction accident victims are also left with PTSD that can linger long after some physical injuries have healed. What many workers and their families may not realize is that the worker’s compensation system my not be their only resource after an accident.
Depending on the facts of any case a worker may be able to receive additional support through a third party liability claim. A third party liability claim may be possible if an entity separate from a workers’ employer contributed to the accident. General contractors and business owners could potentially be held liable for a fall if they failed to maintain a reasonably safe environment for workers. Damages in a personal injury claim can help with lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering. A construction accident attorney can evaluate all of the facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Roxbury Roof Fall Accident
We at Pulvers, Pulvers & Thompson extend our thoughts and prayers to the construction worker who was injured in this fall. Any person that may have seen what happened should reach out to OSHA as they continue their investigation. Roof falls are largely preventable. All workers that must perform their jobs on scaffolds or roofs should be given fall arrest systems. Companies should be doing everything in their power to help keep their workers safe.
