Construction sites are dangerous. That’s not news to anyone who’s spent time on one. But scaffolding collapses? They’re in a different category entirely. When these temporary structures fail, workers don’t just get hurt. They get devastated. And here’s what makes it worse: most of these accidents didn’t have to happen.
Common Causes Of Scaffolding Failures
Scaffolding doesn’t just fall on its own. Something went wrong, and usually, someone made a choice that led to that failure. Maybe they were rushing. Maybe they were cutting costs. Either way, preventable mistakes are behind most collapses.
What actually causes these failures?
- Inadequate bracing or anchoring to the building structure
- Overloaded platforms that can’t handle the weight they’re carrying
- Missing guardrails, damaged planks, or broken components
- Unstable ground conditions that nobody bothered to fix
- Assembly crews who skipped steps to save time
- Working through high winds or storms when they shouldn’t have been
You can see the pattern. Shortcuts lead to catastrophes. When contractors decide that speed matters more than safety, workers end up paying with their bodies. A Buffalo Construction Accident Lawyer can dig into whether negligence caused your accident.
Who Bears Responsibility
This gets complicated fast, and multiple parties might share the blame. General contractors run the site. They’re supposed to verify that scaffolding meets OSHA standards and keep workers safe. Subcontractors who actually put the scaffolding together? They’re directly responsible for doing it right. Equipment rental companies can’t just hand over defective parts and walk away from liability. Sometimes, property owners create the problem. They push contractors to work faster or ignore hazards they know about. And scaffolding manufacturers face product liability claims when their designs are flawed or their manufacturing process produces dangerous equipment. Figuring out who’s at fault means examining everything. Maintenance records. Inspection logs. What witnesses saw. Construction contracts often try to shift blame around, but injured workers still have rights no matter what those agreements say.
Types Of Injuries From Scaffold Collapses
Twenty feet doesn’t sound that high until you’re falling from it. The human body wasn’t designed to absorb that kind of impact. Traumatic brain injuries change everything. Your memory, your ability to think clearly, your personality. Spinal cord damage can leave you paralyzed from the injury site down. Broken bones require surgery after surgery. We’re talking legs, arms, pelvis, ribs. The recovery takes months, sometimes years. Internal organs get damaged in ways you can’t always see right away. Crush injuries happen when scaffolding pins you underneath it, and the damage is extensive.
Physical injuries aren’t the whole story, though. Survivors often can’t shake the psychological trauma. Anxiety about going back to work becomes overwhelming. Post-traumatic stress disorder sets in. And the financial pressure? Medical bills pile up while you’re not earning a paycheck. Your future earning capacity might be permanently reduced.
Your Legal Options After An Accident
Workers’ compensation provides some benefits. The problem is, those payments rarely cover everything you’re facing. They won’t compensate you for pain and suffering. They won’t replace your full wages. They don’t always account for future medical needs. That’s where third-party liability claims come in. You can pursue compensation from negligent contractors, equipment suppliers, or property owners. These lawsuits aren’t capped like workers’ comp benefits are. You’re looking at potential recovery for pain and suffering, complete wage replacement, and all future medical care.
Time matters here. Evidence vanishes as construction sites get cleaned up. Witnesses forget details. You need photos of the scene, preserved equipment for expert inspection, and incident reports gathered quickly. The longer you wait, the harder building a strong case becomes. Hurwitz, Whitcher & Molloy works with safety experts and engineers who can reconstruct exactly what happened. We identify every party that bears responsibility for your injuries.
Preventing Future Accidents
You have the right to refuse dangerous work. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Reporting unsafe scaffolding to supervisors or OSHA can save someone’s life. It may be yours, or it may be your coworker’s. If a scaffolding collapse injured you or someone you love, a Buffalo Construction Accident Lawyer can review what happened and explain what you’re entitled to recover. You deserve compensation that actually covers your damages. You deserve accountability from the parties who failed to keep you safe. Understanding your rights is the first step toward getting both. Contact us today.