Boston Trenching Accident Attorney

Have you been injured in a trenching accident on a construction site in Boston, MA? This experience can leave you with injuries that require costly medical treatment. Your injuries may also be severe enough to prevent you from working and earning a living.

You deserve to be compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, and similar losses if you’ve been involved in a trenching accident. The Boston construction accident attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to maximize your recovery. 

To get started, call our Boston, MA law office and schedule a free consultation.

How Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Trenching Accident in Boston

If you were injured in a trenching accident in Boston, you can typically seek compensation by filing a claim to collect Massachusetts workers’ compensation benefits. If the negligence of an outside party is determined to have caused your accident, you could potentially file a claim or lawsuit to collect additional compensation from them.

This involves negotiating with insurance companies that aren’t motivated to compensate accident victims properly. You’ll be much more likely to recover the full amount of compensation you’re owed if you enlist the help of a qualified Boston construction accident attorney.

Our team at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury lawyers can assist you by:

• Investigating the accident to determine what caused your trench-related accident
• Calculating how much your claim may be worth based on the severity of your losses and injuries
• Allowing you to focus on your recovery while we handle your claim
• Negotiating for a fair settlement on your behalf
• Having a top-rated trial attorney take your case to court, if necessary

Our attorneys have more than 100 years of combined experience providing effective representation to victims like you. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation at a time you find most convenient.

How Common Are Trenching Accidents?

Trenching work can be very dangerous when employers don’t take proper precautions. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2000 and 2006, 271 American workers lost their lives in trenching accidents.

From January 2020 through December 2021 there have been 42 reported trench accidents resulting in injury or death across the United States. All but one resulted in a workers’ death.

Data regarding precisely how common trenching accidents are in Boston isn’t available. However, these types of accidents are naturally more likely to occur in cities where regular trenching work happens. Boston is one such city. 

Unfortunately, Boston trenching accidents that injure or claim the lives of employees can and do occur.

What is a Trenching Accident?

Trenching accidents typically involve a trench on a construction job site caving in. Other types of trenching accidents include workers falling into trenches, being exposed to fire, or being electrocuted.

Injuries resulting from trenching accidents can be very serious, such as:

• Burns
• Fractured or broken bones
• Crushing injuries
• Traumatic brain injury
• Asphyxiation
• Drowning
• Electrocution
• Disfigurement
• Wrongful death

Such injuries can have a permanent impact on one’s quality of life, employability, and overall health. 

For example, a trenching accident could prevent an injured worker from receiving enough oxygen. Lasting brain damage may be the result.

What Causes Trenching Accidents in Boston, MA?

Trenching accidents can occur for several reasons. 

Potential causes include:

• Failure to clearly mark off a trench, which puts workers at risk of falling in
• Moving excavated dirt improperly, resulting in trench walls becoming unstable
• Failure to provide adequate safety equipment and/or training
• Failure to put necessary safety and protection systems (such as benching, sloping, and supports) in place
• Failure to account for the effects of vibration caused by nearby traffic
• Heavy equipment malfunctions
• Gas line explosions
• Failure to test soil before work
• Failure to inspect a trench to determine the impact of weather conditions on the soil
• Other Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations

These examples highlight an important fact: most trenching accidents are preventable. They often occur when negligent parties fail to take steps to ensure worker safety.

Who’s Liable When a Trenching Accident Occurs in Boston?

Your primary means of seeking compensation after being injured in a Boston trenching accident will involve filing a workers’ compensation claim for benefits. If you seek workers’ comp, your employer won’t be liable unless they displayed gross negligence or engaged in intentionally harmful conduct.

Just remember, your employer’s insurer won’t be inclined to pay the full amount you deserve if they can avoid doing so. You need representation from skilled Boston construction accident lawyers to optimize your chances of reaching a fair settlement.

Our lawyers can also investigate your construction site accident to determine if additional parties might be liable, such as:

• The property owner
• The general contractor
• Subcontractors
• Architects
• Government agencies
• Corporations or other entities.

For example, an accident may have occurred because a defective piece of equipment malfunctioned. If this were the case, you might also be able to recover compensation from a negligent designer or manufacturer. When investigating your accident, we’ll work hard to ensure we identify any and all negligent parties responsible for compensating you.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Boston Trenching Accident Attorneys

When you’re injured working in one of Boston’s trenches, you need to be compensated accordingly. Our Boston trenching accident attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers are prepared to help you recover what you deserve. To learn more about what we can do for you, call us today or contact us online and schedule your free consultation.