Construction accidents injure or kill thousands of workers annually. In 2020, 1.7 out of every 100 full-time construction workers suffered injuries in the workplace. If negligence causes you to get hurt, you have the legal right to sue for compensation.
However, the insurance company might argue that you caused the accident or that your injury is not as severe as you claim. Some injuries, such as spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries, cause severe consequences to your physical, mental, and financial health.
Construction workers who get injured on the job need the help of an experienced lawyer. The construction accident lawyers of Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. can fight to help you recover damages from your work-related injury. A personal injury lawyer at our law office can help you get financial compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, and the loss of future earning ability.
Multiple people can share liability for construction site accidents, including the owners, contractors, architects, and equipment manufacturers. Their share of liability depends on safety measures and oversight for the worksite and all workers.
The general contractor and subcontractors must ensure the site’s safety and warn others of any potential hazards. They must also provide adequate training to workers and provide them with all the safety gear for dangerous tasks.
For example, a worker must use fall protection, such as a harness, when working more than 10 feet above the ground. If the general contractor fails to provide that protection and a worker suffers a scaffolding accident, this constitutes negligence on the contractor’s part.
Failing to warn workers about known hazards on the property makes property owners liable for accidents caused by those hazards. Accidents caused by debris scattered around the construction site might make the construction company liable for not maintaining a safe environment.
Sometimes heavy equipment fails or breaks due to a defective product. A piece of heavy machinery could strike your eye, resulting in vision loss. In that case, you can hold the manufacturer or rental company responsible.
The construction industry is full of hazards that can lead to serious injuries. There are many causes of construction site accidents, including:
Workers can fall when walking on uneven ground, slippery surfaces, or wet floors due to rain or snowfall. They may also slip on oil or grease spilled on the ground by machinery in use at the job site.
When wet floors are combined with heavy equipment moving around, it can create an environment where workers are at risk for slips and falls. Those who lose their footing on slippery surfaces can easily sustain severe injuries, such as broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
Tripping hazards such as loose debris and unsecured heavy equipment in the workplace can lead to workers tripping over them. Workers can suffer bruises and cuts but also sustain fractures and dislocations.
Debris can fall from buildings, scaffolding, or other equipment used during the construction project. It can also fall from cranes or other heavy machinery used in construction. Falling objects can cause injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to broken bones, head trauma, and death.
Electrocution accidents can occur when electricity comes into contact with water when workers are nearby. Accidents can also happen when a worker comes into contact with power lines. It can cause electric shock and electrocution-related burn injuries.
Construction sites have many power tools that require maintenance by trained personnel. If there is a damaged power tool and a worker attempts to use it, they can cause serious injuries to themselves and others in proximity.
Heavy machinery that tips can trap workers, especially if thrown from the equipment. Dangerous equipment left unattended can catch clothing or parts of the body. Injuries from this type of accident can result in the loss of limbs, fractures, and even death.
These accidents typically occur when a worker is near a construction vehicle and gets hit by the vehicle backing up or turning around. Construction company drivers can easily run road construction workers over.
Welders are subject to several workplace accidents and are at risk of injury. For instance, welding generally produces sparks. A spark from such a device could cause a deadly explosion if it comes in contact with highly volatile equipment.
In Michigan, workers’ compensation insurance companies offer these compensation benefits for injured workers:
Getting the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve might require you to file a claim with legal representation from Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. Our attorneys can investigate your claim to determine liability and work to get you more in accordance with workers’ compensation laws.
Hiring a law firm with extensive experience in construction accident cases means you have the best chance of winning your claim. Our senior partner and nurse attorney, Eileen Kroll, understands the unique challenges of these cases and how to prove your claim.
Eileen can review your medical records and diagnoses to understand the severity of your construction injuries. Using incident reports, she can put together a compensation claim for you to claim the benefits you are owed.
Although you may qualify for workers’ compensation, you can sue in some instances. Your lawyer can indicate which of these situations could apply to your case:
If a defective piece of equipment caused your injury, you may file a third-party lawsuit against the manufacturer for damages not included under workers’ compensation. These damages may include pain and suffering.
You may sue if you believe your employer took intentional action to cause you harm. A personal injury lawyer at our law firm can review evidence from a workplace accident to determine if there was any ill intent by the employer to injure you.
All companies in Michigan with 3 or more employees or have at least 1 employee working 35 hours a week must have workers’ compensation. If your company lacks workers’ compensation, it is in violation of Michigan law; you need to work with an experienced lawyer to file a lawsuit.
When you suffered injuries from a construction accident, the construction accident attorneys at Cochran, Kroll, & Associates, P.C. can work with you to file a workers’ compensation claim as soon as possible. We can make sure you have a strong claim with supportive evidence and help you get the benefits you deserve.
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.