The construction industry reports thousands of annual worker injuries and fatalities. And although construction sites are riddled with risks of injury, accidents are often a result of another person’s negligence.
If you’ve sustained injuries from a construction accident, the law requires your employer’s workers compensation insurance to pay for your medical bills and a certain percentage of your lost wages until you recover.
However, there are a few circumstances that allow you to file a personal injury claim and seek compensation for other other forms of loss such as physical pain and emotional anguish. Regarding construction accidents, it’s not always easy to determine whether you are eligible for a third party lawsuit. Consult your construction accident lawyer to better understand your options when you’ve been hurt on the job.
Common Construction Accidents to Watch Out For
Falls
Falls are the most common type of construction accidents and account for a number of fatalities and permanent disabilities. In most cases, these accidents occur because the employer failed to implement OSHA’s (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) fall protection measures for construction sites.
Slip-and-fall accidents are also quite prevalent in construction sites due to the many tools and equipment likely to be lying around.
Hit by Falling Objects
Falling tools, debris, equipment, and other construction material can strike a worker and cause severe damage, especially head and neck injuries. Suspended loads can also crush on a worker due to vehicle or equipment malfunction.
When this happens, the magnitude of injuries and other damages depends on whether the employee was wearing protective equipment such as hardhats or face shields.
Machinery Accidents
Most construction sites also have different equipment and machinery for drilling, digging, moving heavy loads, and so on. These tools can also cause or facilitate a construction accident.
Machinery accidents can arise due to a worker’s negligence, for example, operating while intoxicated or lack of proper maintenance by the employer. Defective machinery parts can also malfunction and cause an accident.
Car Accidents
This type of accident is common in road construction sites where a reckless individual drives into the site, causing injuries. However, some of these accidents can also be caused by poorly placed road signage or when a driver swerves to avoid construction debris.
In such cases, an attorney can help you determine liability and fight to recover additional damages you otherwise wouldn’t have with workers comp.
Electrocution
Before a construction project is complete, the site is likely to have open ports and wires awaiting an electrician. Construction workers also come across active power lines and equipment conducting electricity.
Faulty wiring, poorly repaired appliances, and lack of proper warning labels can cause electrocution in a construction area.
Work With a Construction Accident Lawyer
Construction accident cases are not always straightforward. Sometimes, there’s a liable third party and the victim might be entitled to receive more than workers compensation.
Speak with an experienced construction accident lawyer from The Kindley Firm, APC, to determine the specifics of your case and how to reclaim your losses after a construction accident. Call us on 619-550-1313 or fill out our contact form below to schedule your free case review.
