Juniper Street Transformation Project Construction Accidents

The Midtown Alliance is set to begin construction soon on its most ambitious project yet, the Juniper Street transformation. Officially named the Juniper Complete Street Project, this development will span 12 blocks between 14^th St. and Ponce De Leon. The goal of the project is to provide improved amenities for bikers and pedestrians and to help ensure that vehicle traffic moves through the area at a calmer and steadier pace.

The Juniper Street transformation project will include widening of the sidewalks, the planting of new street trees, scaled lighting for pedestrians and bikers, and a plentiful supply of trash/recycling receptacles. A separate bike lane will be created, which will be located adjacent to the western sidewalk. The bike lane will be about 6 to 7 feet wide and it will be protected by a raised barrier of about 11 feet.

Planning for the $8.7 million Juniper Complete Street Project began in 2010, and they are expected to receive final plan approvals by the end of this year or in early 2021. Construction is also expected to begin in early 2021, with an estimated duration of 18 to 24 months. The project should be completed sometime in 2023.

Juniper Complete Street Project Benefits and Hazards

The Juniper Street transformation project is more than a decade in the making, and it will provide much-needed congestion relief within the 12 blocks of Midtown Atlanta that it is redeveloping. Pedestrians will have more space with the wider sidewalks, and bikers will have their own protected lane in which to travel.

Navigating this stretch of Juniper Street will be far less stressful for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike. In addition, the project will include a network of stormwater planters that will localize rainwater management and reduce demand on the city’s infrastructure.

During the 1 ½ to 2 years in which the project will be under construction, there will be a need for countless workers as well as designers, site engineers, construction managers, and several other types of workers. This will provide hundreds or perhaps thousands of well-paying jobs, which will be a boost for the local Atlanta economy.

Construction projects such as the Juniper Street transformation provide numerous benefits, but there are some potential hazards as well. Construction is among the most dangerous industries, and those who are in charge of these types of projects must take all of the necessary steps to keep their workers safe.

Failure to follow OSHA standards and best safety practices can result in severe and catastrophic injuries, which may include:

• Head and brain injuries: From falls or getting struck by or against a large object or surface.
• Neck and back injuries: From falling or lifting and pulling heavy materials, machinery, and equipment.
• Complex fractures: From falls, being struck by vehicles, and other hazardous events.
• Amputations: Often resulting from crush injuries, equipment malfunctions, or lack of safety guards or protective equipment.
• Hearing Loss: From noisy construction sites, especially road projects like the Juniper Street transformation.
• Repetitive stress injuries: From continuously lifting or making other repetitive motions, which can be made worse when workers are asked to put in long hours in the Atlanta heat.

Liability for Midtown Atlanta Construction Accidents

When a worker gets hurt on a construction project, the first place they usually look for reimbursement is their employer’s workers’ compensation policy. While workers’ comp provides coverage for necessary medical bills, a percentage of lost wages, and a few other things, it does nothing to compensate the employee for intangible losses such as pain-and-suffering, mental anguish, psychological distress, and diminished quality of life. Reimbursement for these types of losses can only be recovered through a personal injury lawsuit.

Under most circumstances, an employee cannot sue a Georgia employer for a workplace injury if that employer has workers’ compensation insurance. However, there may be other avenues for an injured worker to recover the full and fair compensation they deserve.

As we touched on earlier, there are a lot of different parties involved in a typical construction project, and when a worker gets hurt, there are numerous potential factors that may have contributed to the accident.

For example, if someone loses a limb because of an equipment malfunction, they may be eligible to file a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor. Or if someone gets struck in the head by a hard object and it turns out to be the fault of a subcontractor that was working nearby the employee, they may be able to file an action directly against the third party.

Of particular concern with developments like the Juniper Complete Street Project is the ongoing vehicle traffic that construction workers need to work around. Some motorists drive too fast through construction zones, and many who are in a hurry get irritated at the slowdowns, which can turn into road rage along with various forms of aggressive or reckless driving.

These types of driving behaviors increase the likelihood of a construction worker getting hurt in an auto accident. When this occurs, they can file a personal injury claim against the driver that caused the crash.

Not every construction site accident case will result from the negligence of a third party, but a surprising number of them do. Since each case involves a unique set of circumstances, a thorough investigation is needed in order to get to the bottom of what happened and identify which party (or parties) may have been responsible. This should be done as early as possible after the accident while the events are fresh in everyone’s mind and it is easier to recover critical pieces of evidence.

The important thing for an injured worker is to get in touch with a firm that has in-depth experience with cases like these. Construction site accidents are far more complicated than the average personal injury case, and it is very important to work with attorneys who have a thorough understanding of this area of the law and what it takes to ensure that all responsible parties are held fully accountable.

Injured in a Midtown Atlanta Construction Accident? Contact Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C. for Assistance

If you or someone close to you got injured on a construction job site in Fulton County, GA, call the construction accident attorneys at Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C.. We will provide a free consultation to look at your case and inform you of all of your legal rights and options, and if we do end up taking your case, we will not charge any attorney fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

To get started, message us online or call our Atlanta office today at 678-981-5370. We look forward to serving you!