It may be well-known amongst many in Charleston that certain industries can place those who operate in them in potentially dangerous situations. Some might question, then, why people would be willing to work in such professions. In many cases, employees working in potentially dangerous injuries may simply have a love for the work. They likely also have confidence that their employers (knowing the dangers that they face) have taken every step necessary to ensure their safety. It is typically only in the event that such an expectation is not met that workers chose to seek legal action against the companies that they work for.
A failure to maintain a safe working environment is the allegation being made by a construction worker in Florida. The man was involved in a scaffolding collapse while working on a multi-story hotel. While no mention was made of any injuries that he himself sustained in the incident, two of coworkers lost their lives. In a lawsuit, the man is alleging that witnessing their deaths has caused him emotional and psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Federal authorities cited the two companies named in the lawsuit for violations in the wake of the accident, yet the citations against one of them were later dropped.
Still, a lack of formal sanctions or citations may not necessarily mean that a company was not negligent in meeting its duty to protect its employees. Those looking to make such an argument, however, may need assistance in supporting their claims. Such assistance may come in the form of the knowledge and experience that an attorney can bring to a case.
