The incident took place at approximately 8:20 a.m. yesterday when a driver working for the trucking company Preferred Transit delivered a load of these subway station panels to to the Avenue M station on the B and Q lines in Brooklyn.  When the man, whose name was not released pending notification of his family, climbed on top of the truckload of these panels to untie and unload them, he realized that they were loose and unsafe.  He jumped off the pile, but it was too late.  After he landed on the ground, several panels fell after him and crushed him instantly.  Each of these panels weighs an estimated 1,000 pounds. 

Fatal Construction Accident Statistics

First and foremost, we'd like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the worker who was killed.  This is no way to leave the world, and we hope that his family and friends are eventually able to overcome the grief and sorrow that they're certainly feeling.  Secondly, this incident will only add to the statistics regarding fatal construction accidents in the United States.  Every year, more than 1,000 private construction workers are killed in construction site accidents, and the private construction industry remains the industry with the highest death rate in the industrialized sector of jobs. 

New York Wrongful Death Lawyers

Based on statements given by police, it appears that the mistake made here was overloading the truck and failing to tie the load down properly.  If it turns out that the driver was not responsible for the security of this load, it's possible that his family could bring a New York wrongful death lawsuit against those responsible.  However, this decision should only be made with the help of New York wrongful death lawyers who have years of experience in successfully fighting for the rights of aggrieved families.  Contact Fitzgerald & Fitzgerald today to schedule a free initial consultation.