National Construction Company Named in Multiple Wrongful Death Lawsuits
May 20, 2011
Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) May 20, 2011 – The death of a Chicago ironworker has affected his family and the International Ironworkers Union. In February, Kenneth Puplava was hit by a metal beam while working at the site of a new medical building at Glenbrook Hospital. The construction project is a part of the hospital’s $100 million expansion that includes a new emergency room, and expanded radiology and cancer treatment facilities.
Pepper Construction Company and the LeJeune steel company have been charged with maintaining unsafe working conditions and defective welds, and causing the collapse that killed the worker. Puplava worked as a subcontractor for Pepper Construction and had been a part of Ironworkers Union at the Local 1 division in Chicago for 12 years.
Three months ago, Pepper Construction was also charged with the death of a hospital housekeeping worker in Libertyville, Ill. The employee died after drywall collapsed on her, pinning her to the ground. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Chicago has begun investigating both incidences involving Pepper Construction.
“Even though construction and steelwork can be a very demanding job, employers are still obligated to provide safe conditions, proper equipment and parts,” said Chicago wrongful death attorney Paul A. Greenberg, of Briskman Briskman & Greenberg.
Companies have a duty to their workers to provide jobsite safety, warnings about inclement weather conditions, and proper supervision to prevent accidents and fatalities. When these important obligations are ignored or dismissed, individuals and their loved ones can take legal action. In a wrongful death lawsuit, they can seek to get adequate compensation for loss of companionship, direct expenses such as medical bills and funeral costs, and loss of benefits and future earnings. In addition to seeking compensatory damages, a wrongful death lawsuit can also assert a claim for punitive damages. These damages, which are meant to punish a defendant, can be effective in preventing future injuries and deaths by forcing a construction company to correct its unsafe practices.
The law firm of Briskman Briskman & Greenberg has decades of experience fighting big businesses and construction firms in wrongful death lawsuits. Their leading Chicago wrongful death lawyer Paul Greenberg recently was named a 2011 SuperLawyer for his professional achievements, high ethical standards, and peer recognition. The firm is accomplished in negotiations and lawsuits involving scaffolding, ladder, and crane accidents as well as falling from roofs and falling objects.
“We are not afraid to take on complex cases and fight for your rights,” Greenberg said. “We treat you like a part of our family, and give your case the attention it deserves.”
Paul Greenberg is a Chicago wrongful death attorney and Chicago wrongful death lawyer with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg
351 West Hubbard Street, Ste 810
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312.222.0010
