A $2 billion overhaul of Interstate 4 (I-4) that began in 2015 came to a screeching halt late last week in Orlando after a worker died on the job. The continuation of the downtown highway project is now up in the air.
According to eyewitnesses, a road construction worker was performing his regular tasks on Sept. 28 when a steel beam fell and struck him. He died instantly. The beam also made contact with a colleague of the decedent. That worker was transported by emergency responders to an area hospital suffering from serious injuries.
This latest incident marks the fifth death that has occurred since this highway construction project got underway nearly five years ago. Another 160 workers have been injured while working on this stretch of highway as well.
Work along the busy 21-mile stretch of I-4 that runs through Orlando has since been stopped. A representative with one of the construction companies hired to work on the project notes that they’ve been told that work won’t resume until investigators have had time to determine what caused this latest worker’s death and the other’s injuries.
Road construction work is one of many dangerous professions. Countless workers are hurt or killed while on the job in this industry each year. Some are hit by motorists while others are struck by flying debris, building materials, tools, machinery or equipment.
Workplace injuries can be costly to treat. They can prevent you from working, something that may make it hard for you to support your family. An attorney can advise you of the steps that you must take to get the benefits that you deserve in your case.
