Collapsing Stairs Results in Three Dead at Worksite
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Brooks Schuelke, Esq.
Schuelke Law PLLC
Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 6, 2021 – A staircase collapsed inside the future 15-story tower of the Houston head office of Marathon Oil Corporation, killing three construction workers and injuring one. The work, the men, were doing was exceedingly dangerous.
The workers’ families are filing lawsuits alleging Marathon Oil and several subcontractors were negligent in failing to follow workplace safety protocols and regulations, failing to train or supervise workers properly, and failing to provide proper safety equipment.
One afternoon in October, a precast concrete staircase collapsed from the 13th and 14th floors downward. The domino effect trapped the men underneath tons of concrete rubble. The three victims were found near the fourth and fifth floors two days after the site had been secured.
Two of the victims worked for Gulf Shore Erectors, the company responsible for setting, installing and repairing the staircases. East Texas Precast, another subcontractor who made the concrete for the stairs, was also named in the suit.
“This kind of an accident is devastating for worker’s families,” said Austin wrongful death lawyer Brooks Schuelke, not involved in this case. “Although the families in this situation do have an avenue to pursue to obtain compensation – suing a third-party contractor – in many instances with workplace accidents, if the employer has workers’ compensation, families cannot sue.”
The idea behind workers’ compensation is that if a company does have it if someone is injured or killed at work, the employer cannot be sued. However, they can get work injury and/or death benefits regardless of whose fault caused the injury.
However, if the employer does not have workers’ compensation, an injured employee or the family of a deceased employee can file a lawsuit against the employer if a worker was injured or killed due to the employer’s negligence. Since each case is different and the circumstances surrounding it are also different, it is best to speak with an experienced wrongful death attorney to better understand what options may be available to you when seeking compensation.
When seeking legal advice in the case of a wrongful death or when a worker is seriously injured, and there is no route to access workers’ compensation, talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer. “We are happy to answer any questions you may have,” Schuelke added, “and if we are not able to assist you with your specific case, we can refer you to someone who can.”