Can I Collect Damages for Injuries Sustained in a Construction Site Accident?

 Posted on June 15, 2021 in Construction Accidents

Despite numerous laws and regulations designed to reduce accidents and injuries, construction sites are incredibly dangerous. Approximately one in five worker fatalities occurs in the construction industry. Equipment-related accidents, falling, electrocution, trench collapses, and struck-by accidents are just some of the common reasons for serious construction site injuries. If you were injured or a loved one was killed on a construction site, it is essential to understand your legal options. You may be entitled to financial compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, and other damages.

Bringing a Claim Against a Negligent Third Party

Some injured construction workers assume that workers’ compensation is the only avenue through which they may recover financial compensation because their injury occurred at work. However, this is not always the case. If the careless or dangerous actions of a third party caused or significantly contributed to your injuries, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit directly against this party.

The liable party in a construction site injury or death may be:

• The designer or manufacturer of defective equipment – The injury or death may have been caused by equipment that was defective or flawed. Loaders, backhoes, bulldozers, excavators, cranes, and smaller equipment that does not function as intended can cause severe or fatal injuries.
• Contractor or subcontractor – In some cases, the fault for a construction accident lies with a contractor or subcontractor. For example, if a worker is injured in a roof collapse because a subcontractor used substandard materials to build the roof, the subcontractor may be liable for the injured worker’s damages.
• The designer of the structure – Sometimes, construction accidents occur because the engineer or architect that designed the structure made a mistake.
• Property owner – In some cases, a property owner’s negligence is to blame for a construction site accident. If the injury or death was caused by an unsafe condition on the property that the property owner knew or should have known about, the property owner might be liable for damages.  

Contact a Cook County Construction Injury Lawyer

When another party’s negligent, unlawful, or reckless behavior causes someone to be injured or killed, the injured person or the family of the deceased person may bring a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party. If you or a loved one were hurt in a construction accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, reduced earning capacity, funeral and burial expenses, and other damages. Call a Tinley Park personal injury lawyer from Schwartz Injury Law to learn more. Call 708-888-2160.

Source:

https://www.osha.gov/data/commonstats