Working at a construction site carries with it the risk of severe injury. While most construction workers are responsible and take all of the precautions necessary to be safe, they cannot control the people and things around them. Even though construction sites are very dangerous places to work, that does not mean that supervisors, builders and other contractors do not have a responsibility to act reasonably safe to avoid being injured in a construction accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, you are likely facing a lot of concerns. Who will pay for your medical bills? How will your family be provided for if you cannot work at your job any longer? While you may have a worker’s compensation claim, you may also have a third-party liability claim for your construction site injury. The construction accident attorneys at Full Court Justice understand the complicated nature of construction accident cases. While worker’s compensation insurance prevents lawsuits being brought against employers, there are many other parties that may be liable. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a construction accident, contact a Philadelphia construction accident lawyer at Full Court Justice today for a free and confidential evaluation.

Types of Construction Site Accidents:

Slip and Fall and Trip and Fall

Because construction sites are in such a state of commotion, often, construction workers can suffer injuries due to slip and falls and trip and falls. There are always lots of people working at the same time with lots of material and equipment. Where and when that equipment is placed down can lead to a fall down and a catastrophic injury. Construction sites are also always a dangerous area to be in. With so much commotion and everyone looking to make a deadline, the proper warning signs may not be posted, leading to a construction worker walking into or onto an area that may expose the worker to hidden dangers.

A construction site accident from a fall can be the result of a dangerous condition due to a fellow worker leaving something where it should not, or it could be due to a defectively manufactured or designed product or building. Lack of support from floor structures, and improperly maintained scaffolding can have catastrophic consequences and can lead to wrongful death.

Building Collapse

A construction site injury can be the result of a collapsing building. This can occur due to a number of different reasons. Two common ones are either the building has a structural defect, or the renovation plans compromised the structure of the building. In these circumstances, the results are disastrous. Where a building has collapsed, a good Philadelphia construction accident lawyer must go back to the moment the building was made more prone to collapse. That may be the first day the foundation was laid and a mistake in the design, or it may be the afternoon of the fall and the result of improper construction to the property.

Defective Equipment

A construction site accident may be the result of a defective table saw, or power drill or any other piece of equipment used on the job. This raises the potential of a products liability case. In this situation, an injured construction worker could be entitled to worker’s compensation benefits, but would also have a construction accident case against the company that was responsible for the dangerous defect in the equipment.

Electrocution

Construction sites often can contain hazardous conditions like exposed wires. Electric shock injuries can occur due to contact with live wires, faulty machinery or power tools that could short and produce an electric shock when touched, or a miscommunication among independent contractors about whether the electricity is live, or where the underground wires are running.

Collisions

With everyone on a construction site focused on the job at hand, it takes just one careless backhoe operator or power machinery operator to cause a catastrophic result. Forklifts, dump trucks, backhoes and cranes can cause significant injuries when striking an unexpecting construction worker.

What to Do if You are Injured on the Job at a Philadelphia Construction Site?

If you are injured in a construction accident, the first thing you should do is report it to your supervisor immediately. Many serious injuries do not come on strong initially, as the adrenaline and anxiety of the moment may overcome the physical symptoms, but a serious injury with serious symptoms may arise over time. While the instinct for many who sustain a construction accident injury is to tough it out and finish the job, it is very important that you make a report with your supervisor to ensure your ability to make a construction accident claim with any potential workers comp insurance and to be sure to create a record of the incident.

It is also important to report the incident immediately so that you have the correct information of the person that who you believe caused your injury. At construction sites, there are many people on the job, and they are working for various contractors and sub-contractors. If you do not obtain the right information right away, you risk not finding out who the responsible person is and who he or she worked for at all, ultimately putting your personal injury claim in jeopardy. Equally as important is to seek medical attention for your injury as soon as possible. If you are in pain, you may not know the seriousness of the construction accident injury without a doctor examining you and conducting the proper tests.

Once you have received any necessary medical attention, we then recommend contacting a construction accident lawyer.

What Can You Recover for a Construction Site Injury Claim?

If you are able to assert a construction accident claim through workers compensation insurance, then you may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, death benefits, or specific loss benefits. If you have a personal injury claim along with workers compensation, then you may be compensated for all of the benefits you could receive through workers compensation, as well as your pain and suffering, the financial impact of a loved one’s death on your family, your loss of life’s pleasures and your embarrassment and humiliation. A construction accident attorney can assist you with your claim.

Contact a Philadelphia Construction Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has been injured at a construction site, you likely have a lot of questions that need to be answered. The Philadelphia construction accident attorneys at Full Court Justice are available for a free and confidential case evaluation. Contact (215) 770-0282 today.

Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual care or situation. Full Court Justice has offices in Philadelphia, Wayne and Voorhees and serves clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.