Regardless of the nature of the project, construction and demolition zones can be a dangerous place. For this reason, the property owner, the construction company, and the company for demolition services in Malibu,CA must secure the premises to keep it safe for passing motorists and pedestrians. When a member of that group fails in their responsibility to maintain a safe environment, and a member of the public is hurt as a result, the negligent party can be held liable for the victim’s damages. If the injury was fatal, the victim’s surviving family members can sue for relief through the civil courts.
If you were injured due to the negligent actions of a construction crew or demolition company, it is worthwhile to seek the legal guidance of a personal injury lawyer. You may not be the only person injured. On the advice of your attorney, you may decide to pursue a class action lawsuit against the negligent parties, though this is usually not done unless there are several injured plaintiffs.
How can a demolition company be responsible for injuring passersby?
A careless or negligent demolition company may not have taken the proper safeguards prior to commencing work. Here are several examples of how this can occur:
- If they did not establish safe zones for passing cars and pedestrians, the blast radius may have overlapped into traffic areas. The resulting debris that went airborne might have come into contact with pedestrians or persons travelling by motorized vehicles or even with bicyclists. All it takes is a golf ball-sized piece of debris to cause significant injuries should it impact a person’s head. Other injuries may result as well, even if a piece of debris such as concrete as small as a pea hits a person’s eye or face. Small children are even more vulnerable as are elderly persons whose skin is particularly fragile and thin.
- If they did not use acceptable and industry-standard safety techniques, debris may come loose from a structure’s interior or mistakenly kicked off scaffolding and fall onto passing motorists or pedestrians. Demolition and construction tools are generally heavy and cumbersome, and if they fall from a height, an unsuspecting passerby may be hit from above.
- If the demolition company does not immediately remove the debris, they must clearly mark it or move it to a safe location so that cars and pedestrians cannot collide with it. If they created blast pits, these must be cordoned off (preferably fenced) so that cars and persons cannot easily fall into them.
- The construction and demolition area must be secured in such a way as to prevent it becoming an “attractive nuisance” for curious children who may view the site as a playground worth exploring.
If you or your family member was hurt in some way by a construction or demolition crew member, consider looking into your legal options for recovering your damages.
Thanks to Nielsen Environmental for their insight into demolition services and injury caused by workers.