One of the most significant dangers of construction accidents is the possibility of falling off a roof. In fact, falling on a construction site is the most frequently cited OSHA standard violation in 2021.
Construction work can be dangerous, which is partly why it accounts for nearly half of all fatal occupational injuries. However, this does not relieve parties from the responsibility of providing a safe work environment. If you were injured in a fall from a roof in the Bronx, NY, contact a Bronx construction accident attorney for help.
Common Fall-Related Injuries
Falling from a roof can cause serious injuries, even if not from a great height.
Possible injuries include:
- Head trauma
- Brain injuries
- Fractures
- Internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
If you fall from a roof, it is vital that you seek medical attention promptly.
What To Do While Falling from a Roof
While the act of falling off a roof may only take a few seconds, what you do during this short interval could save your life or reduce the severity of your injuries. The first thing to know is that it is usually better if you can manage to land on your feet so that your legs absorb the shock of falling to reduce injuries to other body parts.
Harvard Medical School provides these additional tips for safer landings:
- Lean forward into the fall.
- Fall sideways.
- Keep your eyes open so you can direct where to go.
- Avoid hard surfaces like concrete in favor of softer surfaces like grass.
- Twist your shoulder or cover your head to protect it.
- Bend your knees.
- Try to relax your body.
- Keep your feet down.
- Avoid falling in an area near objects that could puncture you.
- Swing your arms sideways.
- Fall on the softer side of your body, such as your butt and thighs.
- Roll to your side in a ball as you are finishing the fall.
It is also important to know what to do after you have fallen.
What To Do After Falling from a Roof in the Bronx, NY
There are several steps that you can take after falling to protect your health and your legal claim, including:
- Wait to stand. Your instinct might be to get up quickly, but you may have been seriously injured. Standing right after an injury could cause more damage.
- Check for injuries. Take a moment to check over your body for any injuries. Sometimes, adrenaline can mask symptoms, so carefully look over your body for any protrusions or external signs of injury, such as cuts, swelling, or bleeding. You can lightly touch various areas of your body to check for tenderness and injuries.
- Remove any debris. Construction sites can have various dangers, like loose tools, nails, or screws. Remove any such items from your body before attempting to move out of the area where you fell.
- Call for help. If someone else is nearby, ask them to call for help.
- Report the accident to your employer or the person responsible for the job site.
- Seek medical treatment. Get checked out early and follow through with ongoing care.
- Ask anyone who saw the accident for their contact information. Your lawyer may want to follow up with them later to find out what they saw.
- Take pictures of the scene. If you wait to document the scene, it may not exist in its present condition, and valuable evidence can be lost. If you are not in physical shape to do this, ask someone nearby to do it for you.
- Keep all records. Keep your medical records, the report you make about the on-the-job injury, photos of the accident scene, and other documents related to the accident. You might need them to help support your claim.
Finally, if you have fallen off a roof, contact a Bronx personal injury lawyer for help.
Contact Our Construction Accident Law Firm in Bronx, NY
If you need legal assistance, contact the Bronx construction accident lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation.
We have two convenient locations in New York:
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Bronx Office
149 E 149th St
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 993-9999
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Queens Office
104-09 Roosevelt Ave
Queens, NY 11368
(347) 507-3884
