Construction worker killed by dump truck going in reverse

A Washington, DC area construction worker was killed on a job site when he was backed over by a dump truck which was operating in reverse.  The accident happened at about 10:15 p.m., and the truck driver was saying after the accident that he did not see the construction worker.

This construction accident was preventable.  Construction sites are difficult places to maneuver a piece of heavy equipment due to the presence of men and equipment in a very confined space.  Standard practice would be to have a spotter assisting the driver in putting his truck into reverse, and if the driver cannot see the spotter, the truck should not be moving.  This is especially true where the work is being done at night or under other difficult visibility conditions.  The fact that the truck driver was reporting after the accident that he did not see the worker he killed indicates that there was no spotter being used.

In Illinois, this man's family would be entitled to pursue worker's compensation death benefits, but would also have the option to file a wrongful death suit against the truck driver and his company for negligently operating the truck without a spotter.  As an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer, I would also look closely at the role of the general contractor on the job to determine whether there safety rules on the job site requiring the use of a spotter and if so, were they enforced.  The presence of a truck on a job site without a spotter endangers the safety of all the workers on the job site, and it should fall to the general contractor to ensure that spotting rules are in place and being followed.