After a Construction Site Accident
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Important Steps to Take After a Construction Site Accident

Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran

A construction site can have unsafe conditions, from walking on elevated heights to working with heavy machinery. Compared to other industries, the construction industry has the highest fatality rate due to these dangers. Construction workers suffer thousands of injuries every year, from minor cuts and bruises to fatal falls and slips. In 2020, there were 1,008 fatal work injuries for every 100,000 full-time construction workers.

After you or someone you love has been injured on a construction site, it is important to know what you should do. Below are the steps you should take to get compensation for your injuries.

Seek Medical Attention

Call 911 or have a coworker call 911 on your behalf if you have been injured. No matter how insignificant you think your injuries are, you should have them evaluated by a doctor. Often, injuries to the head, neck, and spine don’t become apparent right away. The medical treatment of your injuries as soon as possible is crucial to your recovery.

After receiving medical care, you may need to continue receiving treatments to fully recover from your injuries. Having a doctor’s record of your injuries, ongoing medical care, and medical bills helps prove that you may need more compensation for your injuries if your case goes to court.

Take Pictures and Videos at the Scene of the Accident

An important part of the steps to take after your accident is to collect as much photographic evidence as possible. A photographic record of the accident on the day it happened provides the best account of its circumstances for your lawyer.

Make sure you take multiple pictures and videos of the accident from various angles or have a colleague do this for you. Take pictures of the area where you slipped and fell or of the object that caused you to fall.

It’s important to take photos of your injuries soon after the accident and also as you recover. Some photos should include your face and entire body to prove the pictures are you and not another injured party. Multiple images of your injuries from different angles can accurately document how severe your injuries were after the accident and during recovery.

Collect Contact Information from Other Workers

If your coworkers witnessed the accident, you or another coworker should collect their names, addresses, and phone numbers. This enables your attorney to contact eyewitnesses and determine the strength of your case.

Witnesses’ statements are best taken as soon as possible following the accident. They can provide you and your personal injury lawyer with a quick overview of the accident, including if any heavy machinery or dangerous conditions led to your injuries.

construction site accident

Report the Accident to Your Employer

Once you address your injuries and gather evidence, notifying your employer as quickly as possible of an accident is crucial. According to Michigan law, you need to report the accident to your employer within 90 days of your injury.

Michigan requires all employers to have workers’ compensation under the Workers’ Disability Compensation Act. The Bureau of Workers’ Disability Compensation must receive an Employer’s Basic Report of Injury from your employer if you’re unable to work for more than a week. Your employer can then either begin paying you or reject your claim. If your employer does not file your workers’ compensation claim on your behalf, you can do so yourself by completing an Employee’s Report of Claim.

File a Workers’ Compensation Claim

You have two years to file a workers’ compensation claim from the date of your injury. Michigan’s workers’ compensation for an injured worker includes the following benefits:

  • Coverage of up to 80% of your weekly lost wages after taxes
  • Costs of medical treatment
  • Vocational rehabilitation that includes changing your position or working with you and the employer to return to work in the same or similar capacity

If the insurance company or your employer denies your claim, you can appeal your denial by filing an Application for Mediation or Hearing with the Agency. A magistrate can hear your case if you cannot resolve the dispute during mediation. You can talk to an experienced construction site accident lawyer who can advise you of your legal options if your case goes to court.

Hire a Trusted Michigan Construction Site Accident Attorney

An experienced construction accident lawyer at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. can help you understand the complex liabilities of construction site accidents and the rules of workers’ compensation in Michigan.

As you recover from your accident, a compassionate and knowledgeable attorney at our law firm can answer your questions and concerns about your injuries during a free, no-obligation case evaluation and help you determine your next steps.

Our contingency fee basis means we only get paid if we win your case, so there is no financial risk to you to get started. Call our law firm today at 1-866-MICH-LAW and schedule your no-obligation, free case evaluation.

Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.

Jasmine Holt is a freelance writer specializing in legal content marketing for attorneys and law firms. She hopes to provide better legal advice to the general public using her previous experience working with a franchise company and a law firm. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

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