The law firm of Golitko & Daly are leading advocates for the victims of construction and work-related injury. Serving the greater Indianapolis area, we have assisted countless clients with lawsuits and litigation for serious construction accidents. These kinds of incidents can have long-term repercussions, and it helps to have skilled advocates fighting for you.

There are a class of accidents known as the Fatal Four. We’d like to cover them broadly and then focus in on one of the four accidents: caught-in/between incidents.

Understanding the Fatal Four

There are many kinds of accidents that can happen at a construction site, but four kinds of accidents account for roughly 58 percent of these accidents. These four accidents are referred to as the fatal four or the focus four. These four are:

• Falls
• Being struck by an object
• Electrocution injuries
• Caught-in/between incidents

Defining “Caught-In/Between” Situations

OSHA defines “caught-in/between” incidents as injuries that are the result of a person being caught between two objects and being squeezed, compressed, crushed, or pinched. These accidents can result in severe injuries and even fatal injuries.

Examples of Caught-In/Between Accidents

There are typically three scenarios in which these caught-in/between accidents can take place:

• Accidents Involving Machines with Moving Parts – Any major presses, cutting tools, or other industrial machines/equipment with moving parts can lead to serious injuries, often involving a worker’s limbs. Amputations and crushed limbs are a possibility.
• Fall or Collapse of Construction Materials – When objects fall on workers, this can lead to severe injuries. This could mean falling bricks and tools, or even the collapse of an entire scaffolding.
• Getting Struck and Pinned Between Objects – These incidents involve people being struck by an object and then becoming subsequently pinned against another object. It could mean a worker being pinned between two vehicles crossing in close proximity of one another, for example.

How Common Are Fatalities from Caught-In/Between Incidents?

Though considered one of the fatal four, caught-in/between incidents are not necessarily as common as the others. Statistics in 2013 revealed that there were 21 fatalities from these sorts of incidents, which was roughly 2.5 percent of the construction accident fatalities that year. Regardless, great care must be taken whenever one is at an industrial site or construction site.

Preventing These Accidents from Happening

The best way to avoid these accidents from happening is for workers to remain attentive at all times when they are at work. If there are machine guards or other safety measures in place around a machine or vehicle, be sure to keep them in place in order to prevent harming others.

Do I Have a Legitimate Legal Claim?

If you or a loved one has been harmed in a caught-in/between incident, particularly one that could have been prevented and/or that was the result of negligence, it’s worthwhile to discuss the incident with our team. We can offer sound legal counsel, and help you file a legal action or simple collect the workers’ compensation that is due to you. We will work with you and offer honest counsel about these matters.

Contact Our Team of Attorneys Today

For more information about your legal rights and options following a serious injury or accident, be sure to contact our team of construction accident attorneys today. Our entire team is here to help you in your time of legal need.