- Falling from heights (ladders or rooftops)
- Falling tools or large building materials or machinery hitting workers
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Injuries caused by defective or unsafe equipment or machinery malfunction
- Electrocution
- Health hazards resulting from exposure to asbestos and chemicals
- Lifting and repetitive motion injuries
Fortunately, in many cases, victims are entitled to compensation for their losses from the person or party whose negligence caused their accidents. For this reason, anyone hurt in an accident should contact an attorney immediately.
OSHA and Safety Regulations
In some form, most states have adopted the safety regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which applies to construction sites and worker injury accidents. The consequences of violating OSHA regulations may depend on the state in which the construction injury took place.
In addition to OSHA regulations, property owners or general contractors will generally implement their own safety rules designed to protect workers on their projects. Violations of these regulations often may serve to support construction accident claims.
Potentially Liable Parties
Complex construction projects and sites are often the responsibility of numerous parties. Despite stringent regulations and numerous job safety programs, multiple parties may face liability when these accidents or injuries take place. Depending on the facts of the case, potentially liable parties may include:
- Property owners
- General contractors
- Prime contractors
- Subcontractors
- Engineers and architects
- Equipment manufacturers
Getting Help After an accident and injury, a worker will probably receive extensive medical bills, lost work and current as well as future income, and possibly suffer long-lasting injury complications. If an accident injured you or a loved one at a construction site, protect yourself and your legal rights by:
- Getting prompt medical attention for your injuries from qualified medical personnel
- Reporting the injury to your employer and site manager—and retaining copies for yourself
- Getting the names and contact information of any potential witnesses
- If possible, preserving any evidence related to your injury, such as photographs of the area where your injury took place and the injuries themselves or keeping the equipment or tool that caused your injury
An experienced attorney will thoroughly investigate your case. Frequently, you can resolve (win, lose, or settle) your case based on the attorney’s efforts before it ever goes to trial, depending on the results of the attorney’s investigation, the facts of the case, and the applicable statutes and regulations.