Have you been injured in an accident at a construction site? If so, seeking help from a construction site injury lawyer should be one of your top priorities.
Construction sites can be dangerous places to work, and accidents are unfortunately quite common. However, you have legal rights if you are injured due to unsafe or negligent conditions.
In this article, we will discuss common types of construction site accidents and explain when it’s advised to contact a construction site injury lawyer to handle your case.
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Common Causes of Construction Site Injuries
Several potential hazards on construction sites can lead to injuries if proper safety precautions are not followed. Some of the most common causes of construction accidents include:
- Fall hazards – Falling from heights is one of the biggest risks on construction sites. Things like unprotected floor openings, fragile surfaces like fiberglass, and incomplete guardrails can all result in dangerous falls.
- Being struck by falling objects – When tools, building materials, or other items are not properly secured, they can fall and seriously injure workers below.
- Heavy equipment accidents – Accidents involving excavators, cranes, forklifts, and other heavy machinery are not uncommon if the equipment is poorly maintained or operated unsafely.
- Overexertion injuries – Tasks like lifting heavy materials or doing repetitive work over long periods can lead to strains, pulls, and other soft tissue injuries.
- Hazardous exposures – Materials like asbestos, silica dust, toxic chemicals, and more can cause respiratory illnesses and other health issues if workers lack proper protective gear and training.
Construction sites present many potential injury risks. Proper protocols and oversight are crucial to maintaining a safe workplace.
However, accidents do sometimes still occur – and victims have legal rights if negligence plays a role.
When to Contact a Construction Site Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has experienced a serious injury on a construction site, it’s generally advisable to consult with a construction site injury lawyer as soon as possible. Some key signs that it may be time to seek legal counsel include:
- Your injury required emergency medical treatment or hospitalization. Serious injuries often warrant a legal case.
- You have ongoing medical costs like surgery, physical therapy, or missed wages that your workers’ compensation does not fully cover.
- The accident may have been caused by negligent or unsafe practices that violated industry safety standards.
- You believe the construction company or your employer is partly at fault for failure to implement proper safeguards.
- You have concerns that evidence of the causes contributing to your accident could disappear or be altered before an investigation is complete.
- You have been denied workers’ compensation benefits despite clear evidence your injuries were work-related.
An experienced construction site injury lawyer can help advise you on the strength of your potential case.
They will investigate all factors that led to your accident including possible OSHA violations or negligence of contractors.
Furthermore, having legal representation ensures your rights are protected throughout the claims process.
What a Construction Site Injury Lawyer Can Do For Your Case
If you decide to pursue legal action after a construction site injury, a Construction Site Injury Lawyer can provide invaluable assistance. Some key things a Construction Site Injury Lawyer may do include:
- Thoroughly investigating all circumstances surrounding your accident to fully understand liability and contributing factors.
- Reviewing medical records and obtaining expert opinions on the nature and expected costs of your injuries and treatment over time.
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf against potentially liable contractors, property owners, or equipment manufacturers.
- Negotiating an out-of-court settlement or pursuing your case through litigation to achieve fair financial compensation.
- Ensuring your employer provides adequate ongoing workers’ compensation coverage for medical expenses and lost wages.
- Advocating for you throughout the legal process so your rights are protected and you get a just resolution.
While construction site personal injury cases vary greatly, an attorney can help maximize the value of your claim by leveraging their industry experience and the full scope of civil litigation procedures and strategies available.
Your Rights as a Construction Site Injury Victim
If you suffered harm on the job due to unsafe site conditions or negligence, you likely have legal rights under both workers’ compensation and personal injury law. Specifically, victims may be able to recover damages for:
- Medical expenses – both current costs and projected future treatment needs.
- Lost wages – for time missed from work recovering from injuries.
- Pain and suffering – compensation for physical and mental anguish caused.
- Potentially, punitive damages – if egregious misconduct led directly to your harm.
- Wrongful death benefits – for the family if a fatality unfortunately resulted.
