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The construction industry ranks among the most hazardous for employees, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Construction jobs in California are no exception. A recent article from CBS News reported on a deadly structural collapse at a construction site in Oceanside close to El Camino High School. Construction areas can pose hazards both for construction workers at those sites and for passersby who are in or around the area of construction. How did the accident happen? While the accident remains under investigation Cal/OSHA, we can take a closer look at construction accident statistics and safety issues in order to understand the risks posed by this industry.

Employee Fatally Injured by Falling Concrete Slab

Although the recent accident in Oceanside is still being investigated, we do know some facts about the deadly incident from the CBS News article. The accident occurred at around 9 a.m. at a FedEx warehouse facility that was in the process of being built on Avenida del Oro. The construction worker had been positioned “alongside a drainage channel . . . when a section of retaining wall fell on him for unknown reasons.” A crane operator attempted to remove the extremely large concrete slab that fell into the construction employee (a piece of building material estimated to be about three feet by twelve feet), but the worker had already died from injuries.

A driver near Cal State San Marcos may lose his legs after the compartment of his car was impaled by a guardrail on Twin Oaks Valley Road in San Marcos. The guardrail was made by Trinity Industries, who has come under fire recently after it was fined $663 million for defrauding the US Government. In that case, a competitor Trinity sued in 2012 alleging that it failed to notify the Federal Administration before it made a design change in 2005. The design change was small, but it has been alleged made the guardrails less safe.

Last Monday morning in San Marcos, a man lost control of his car, hitting a fire hydrant, and then driving right into the end of the guardrail. As the dramatic News10 video shoes, the guardrail pierced the compartment, slicing through the driver’s legs.

In an interesting twist, News10 contacted the City of San Marcos, which stated that the guardrails were not Trinity rails, despite an allegation that there were Trinity markings on the rails. The city apparently changed its position, and later said the rail was standard Trinity guardrail.

When you’re admitted to a Southern California hospital for treatment or a routine surgery, are you at risk of being injured because of medical negligence?

According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Daily News, ten different California hospitals received fines last month “after state health inspectors found deficiencies in care that resulted in one patient being abandoned on the side of the road to wait for transportation and another dying because a feeding tube was inserted incorrectly.” In short, investigators discovered serious issues relating to medical mistakes and medical malpractice.

Hospitals Fined Across Three Southern California Counties

Have you been reading news about sports-related brain injuries? Whether it’s a report about the dangers of concussions or other more immediate life-threatening injuries, these stories are becoming more prominent than they were in previous years (and decades). In fact, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) states that traumatic brain injuries are now the leading cause of death from sports-related injuries.

From AANS medical reports to the high-profile cases concerning athletes in the National Football League (NFL), it’s important to know the causes and symptoms of these brain injuries. And more significantly, you should know of potential legal claims that can arise from head traumas incurred while playing sports.

What Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries Occur in Sports?

A freelance photographer happened to have his camera at the ready when a semi-tractor trailer truck slammed into a car parked on the side of the I-805 freeway.

According to reports, just prior to the crash a driver clipped an electronic CalTrans sign and knocked it into the freeway. Numerous cars struck the debris, causing traffic to slow. One driver, Doug Calapan, pulled over to the shoulder to report the accident when a large big-rig truck came barreling down upon him. As the video shows, his car was struck with tremendous force.

Amazingly, the Mr. Calapan survived without serious injury.