A construction worker was hurt earlier this month while driving a backhoe at a construction site. The backhoe, which is an excavating machine, tipped over in a ravine in Mundelein at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 17. The injured worker was an employee working with a crew from Copenhaver Construction.
As a part of a project to install a culvert under a road, the worker was hauling a piece of equipment with the backhoe, pulling the equipment from a ravine in order to refuel it. That’s when the backhoe became unbalanced and tipped over. The man driving the backhoe was 57 years old and a resident of Woodstock. Fortunately, he survived the incident and his injuries were non-life-threatening. When emergency responders arrived, they found the backhoe driver and transported him to Advocate Condell Medical Center to receive treatment for his injuries.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently investigating the incident to determine exactly how and why the backhoe tipped over. If the investigation reveals that the employer of the driver, Copenhaver Construction, was somehow at fault for the incident, the employer might receive a citation for the accident.
Whether the driver made a mistake while driving the backhoe or not, if the employer failed to keep the brakes in good repair, or if the accident happened for some other reason, this worker is likely covered by workers’ compensation insurance, which he can use to get money to help pay for his medical care. Injured workers who are unsure of whether they will qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, and workers who want to assistance with the process, can seek help from a qualified Illinois-based workers’ compensation attorney.
Source: Daily Herald, “Construction worker hurt after backhoe tips over in Mundelein,” Aug. 17, 2016