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Understanding the most common causes of construction accidents could help you avoid suffering injuries. If you were already hurt, it may make it easier to understand what happened and what steps you can take to get justice.
A Rutherfordton construction accident lawyer from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, can help you learn more about your rights and options if you suffered injuries working on a construction site or in a related industry.
Understanding Constructions’ Fatal Four Accidents
In the construction industry, the top causes of fatal construction site accidents are known as “the Fatal Four.” While there are many laws in place to prevent accidents and reduce injuries in construction, it is still one of the most dangerous industries for workers. The Fatal Four includes:
Falls
Falls can occur anywhere, but workers on construction sites are more likely to suffer injuries in falls from an elevated height than most. This is because of the frequent use of ladders, scaffolds, and other equipment to access higher areas.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other agencies mandate and oversee fall protection and safety protocols but falls still occur when these rules are not enforced, workers lack proper training, or the workplace has a culture of complacency.
Struck By Debris or Other Items
Even with hard hats and other protective equipment, debris or other items dropped from above can cause serious injuries. Falling, swinging, or collapsing items can put others working on the site at risk. Property owners and general contractors can take steps to prevent this, including ensuring all workers have mandated safety training.
Electrocutions
Whether someone fails to follow proper lock-out/tag-out procedures, there is a defective power tool, or another issue occurs that exposes a worker to live electricity, electrocutions cause serious injuries to construction workers. When all workers and contractors follow proper procedures, most of these injuries are preventable.
Caught In or Between
Construction sites have heavy equipment. This often includes many subcontractors and workers doing different jobs at the same time. When safety protocols are not followed by everyone, workers could easily get caught in or between heavy machinery, materials, or other items. This could include anything from a trench collapse to a forklift accident.
Why Do So Many Construction Accident Injuries Occur?
As construction accident lawyers, our attorneys see a lot of incidents and injuries on work sites. Our experience with these cases gives us a unique vantage point to see construction accidents and understand why they happen. Some of the reasons construction workers are at an increased risk of injury include:
- Lacking fall protection equipment or training for workers on ladders, scaffolds, and other elevated structures
- Lacking protection from falling objects for workers below
- Tripping hazards throughout the site
- Power tools with damaged or altered guards or other protective devices
- Unsafe, broken, or defective equipment
- Lack of training for working near power lines or other live wires
- Poor lock-out/tag-out enforcement
- Lack of trench protection
- Other unsafe conditions on the property
In many cases, we see numerous safety issues that a construction company fails to address when we investigate a construction accident case. Often, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also identifies violations when they look into workplace accidents and injuries. Those who oversee the site could face citations and fines for these violations.
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Your Legal Options After a Construction Accident Injury
Most who suffer injuries while working in the construction industry could have options for compensation. Workers’ compensation benefits could provide medical care coverage and some wage loss benefits while you heal. At the same time, you may be able to pursue a third-party injury case.
If your accident occurred because of the property owner or general contractor’s negligence, and neither is your employer, you could have a viable personal injury case based on your accident. In these cases, you could recover past and future damages, including for your:
- Medical care
- Income losses
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
If you lost a loved one in an accident on a construction site, you may have the option to file a wrongful death action to get justice. You may be able to receive a death benefit through workers’ comp and file a lawsuit to recover additional types of damages in civil court.
The best way to learn more about your legal options is to speak to a construction accident attorney who manages these cases regularly.
How a Construction Accident Attorney Can Help You
Our construction accident lawyers represent injured workers. We can help with a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party injury lawsuit, or both. Let our team assess your legal options and determine what we can do to get justice for you after your construction accident injuries.
When you choose to work with our team, you can count on us to:
- Answer your questions and provide regular case updates
- Assess your options and help you decide how to proceed
- Identify all liable parties
- Gather evidence and build a strong case
- Manage all communication with the liable parties
- Negotiate for fair compensation
- Fight for the benefits and compensation you deserve
We are a contingency fee law firm. We do not ask our clients to pay a retainer. Instead, we receive a portion of the money we recover for our client as our attorney’s fees.
Discuss Your Legal Options With Our Construction Accident Team for Free
Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, has multiple offices in North and South Carolina. This includes Rutherfordton, Morganton, Shelby, NC, and Spartanburg, SC. We provide free consultations for construction accident victims.
Contact us online or over the phone to get started today.
