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Construction worker dies after 10-foot fall into empty stairwell

Construction worksites have many hazards that pose threats of injury or death to workers. One of the most serious risks is holes in floors that are awaiting the construction of stairs or installation of heating and cooling ducts and other HVAC equipment. A Connecticut worker appears to have been killed in a construction accident in Vernon, just off the Hartford Turnpike.

The accident occurred in an apartment house under construction at about 7:30 a.m. The worker, a woman who was employed by the sheet metal subcontractor at the site, apparently stepped into an empty stairwell and fell about 10 feet to a concrete surface. The exact cause of the fall – tripping over an obstacle or stepping unawares into the stairwell – has not been determined. Officials from the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration were on the site shortly after the accident occurred. The woman was taken by hospital to Hartford Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The victim’s family will have a claim for survivor benefits from the sheet metal firm for which she worked. If further investigation shows that employees of the general contractor or another subcontractor may be at fault for the accident, the woman’s survivors will have third party claims for her wrongful death.

Anyone who has suffered an injury or lost a loved one in a workplace accident for which more than one person or party may be at fault may wish to consult an experienced accident attorney for advice on filing a workers’ compensation claim for survivor benefits and for advice on the wisdom of undertaking a third-party action against other persons or firms that may also be liable for the accident.

Source: Hartford Courant, “East Windsor Woman Dies After Fall At Vernon Construction Site,” Christine Dempsey and Shawn R. Beals, April 27, 2018

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