$13 Million Settlement Secured in Fatal Georgia Construction Accident*

Forty feet above a concrete floor, two construction workers stepped onto a suspended scaffold to fix parts of a warehouse storage system. Then the scaffold gave way.

One worker’s safety harness caught him. Vazquez’s harness failed, and he fell approximately 40 feet as metal beams and construction equipment crashed to the ground around him. He suffered fatal injuries and died.

The tragedy led to a years-long legal fight over what went wrong and who was responsible. Beasley Allen attorney Kendall Dunson helped secure a $13 million settlement for Vazquez’s family.

A Complex Construction Accident Case

The accident happened during construction of a large warehouse and distribution center in Clayton County, Georgia. Like many major construction projects, the job involved several companies with different roles and responsibilities. After Vazquez’s death, questions emerged about the scaffold system, safety equipment, worker training, inspections and oversight at the site.

The wrongful death lawsuit ultimately involved several companies connected to the construction project, making it necessary to look closely at how the work was performed, who was responsible for safety and whether the equipment workers relied on was safe.

Serious Safety Concerns

The lawsuit identified several safety issues that may have contributed to the deadly construction accident, including:

• The scaffolding system carried more weight than some components were designed to support.
• Gaps developed between joints in the scaffold system.
• Required splice plates were not installed on all rail joints.
• Workers did not receive proper training and supervision.
• The scaffold was not properly inspected before use.

Help After a Serious Construction Accident

Serious construction accidents can leave families facing medical bills, lost income and difficult questions about what happened. Beasley Allen’s workplace injury lawyers help injured workers and families investigate construction accidents and pursue claims against companies that may be responsible.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a construction or workplace accident, contact Beasley Allen to learn more about your legal options.

*This result was obtained in a non-Alabama case. Beasley Allen does not represent that the same or similar result would be obtained in other cases.