If you work in construction, you’re no stranger to the hazards of the work. Heights, electricity, moving machinery, and even hand tools can cause injuries that range from minor to severe. As you go about your daily tasks, you might wonder about workplace injuries, how you should deal with them, and what your employer is required to provide for you if you are injured.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in 2018, 21% of worker fatalities were in the construction industry. Of these, falls were the most prevalent, followed by an object striking the worker. Electrocution and ‘caught-in-between’ were the next two highest types of accidents.
The numbers of injuries at construction sites are much less accurate than fatalities. Some construction workers do not report injuries to keep from losing work, reputation, or they may simply not want to report it. Companies sometimes report injuries brought to their attention, but minimize or don’t report them accurately.
Under Michigan law, all companies must purchase coverage from an insurance company or self-insure to cover workplace accidents. This means that a worker who is injured at work is covered by the company or their policy and should have no out-of-pocket costs. If you have lost wages, you’ll need to have a period of greater than seven days to receive your wage-loss benefits.
A contractor may be treated differently than employees if they are a construction injury victim. The difference is in the definition of employee vs. contractor — the company may view a person as a contractor, but treat them as an employee. This is a case where the legal representation of a Construction Site Accident Lawyer in Canton is necessary to determine whether a worker is an employee.
If you are working at a construction site and are injured, it is essential to make sure you report the injury to your employer within 90 days. You might also want to ensure the injury is reported to your employer’s human resources department as well if you suspect your supervisor might not report it.
Keep a record of your injury date and actions you take, such as visits to the doctor or time you have taken off to recover. This can help your law office’s injury attorneys create your personal injury claim for lost wages or compensation for your injuries.
A work-related injury can be hard to prove if no one is around to see it happen. If you live near Canton, and a loved one has been injured or killed in a construction accident, contact our construction accident attorneys.
At Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C., we serve clients across all types of cases, and our Construction Site Accident Lawyer in Canton will fight to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. You can contact us at 866-MICH-LAW to arrange a free consultation to discuss your injury case with our injury lawyers.
