Construction Accident Lawyer
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pennsylvania sees on average about 200 fatal work injuries every year. A great number of these fatalities are transportation deaths caused by car or truck accidents on the job, followed by slips, trips and falls and other personal injuries. By far the most workplace injuries and fatalities occur in the private construction sector, especially among members of specialty trade contractors (i.e. plumbing, painting, electrical, pouring concrete, site preparation).
Workplace and construction accidents in Pennsylvania line up with national figures as well. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has identified the “Fatal Four” types of construction accidents which account for the majority of worker injuries and deaths in the construction industry. Construction’s “Fatal Four” are:
- Falls – ladder falls, scaffold collapses
- Struck by Object – falling objects from scaffolding
- Electrocutions – contact with underground cables or overhead power lines, lack of ground-fault protection
- Caught-in/Between – crane collapses, forklift accidents, trench wall collapses
Construction is one of our most important and essential industries. Construction work is inherently dangerous, but that does not mean that workers don’t have a right to a safe work environment. Employers are required to provide necessary safety equipment and training and engage in safe practices, and third parties on a construction site must take care not to cause injury through negligence.
After a serious or fatal construction accident, workers and their families have a right to receive compensation for the injuries, damages and losses inflicted on them, but recovering that compensation from the responsible party or their insurance company is not a simple matter. In Pennsylvania, our construction accident lawyer helps injured construction workers and their families get the medical care and compensation they are entitled to after a construction accident has left them injured, disabled or worse.
Worker’s Compensation Covers Medical Care and Wage Loss
Employees on construction projects should be covered by workers’ compensation. Pennsylvania workers’ compensation benefits cover all reasonable and necessary medical expenses for the duration of the injury or disability, as well as providing a period of wage replacement. Wage loss benefits typically make up two-thirds of lost wages for an extended period of time while the employee is out of work due to disability. Benefits may be paid over a lifetime in some cases, and families who lost a loved one in a construction accident can receive death benefits as well as money to cover funeral and burial expenses.
Employment on a construction project is often a confusing mix of owners, developers, contractors and subcontractors, and it can be difficult to know how to file a claim for workers’ comp. Nevertheless, it’s important to file the claim promptly and accurately to receive benefits initially, and one must be constantly on guard against insurance company attempts to suspend or terminate benefits early, require an independent medical examination every six months, or deny medical bills on the grounds they are not reasonable or necessary.
Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney Keith Figured can assist you with every aspect of your workers’ compensation claim. If your claim for benefits is denied or terminated prematurely, or if you are having trouble getting the medical care and benefits due to you, call the Figured Law Firm at 570-954-9299 for a free consultation.
Injured Construction Workers May Have Claims Against Negligent Third Parties
It is commonly thought that workers’ compensation benefits are the only source of compensation available to an injured worker, but this is not so. Often times, a workplace accident is not the fault of a co-worker or employer but is instead caused by a negligent third party. In these situations, injured workers can bring personal injury claims or lawsuits based on that third-party liability. Examples of third-party liability in construction accidents include the following:
- A contractor is hired to erect a scaffold but does so negligently. A worker who is injured in a scaffold collapse or who is hit by a falling piece of unsecured scaffolding may have a personal injury claim against the third party hired to erect the scaffold.
- A crane company is hired to deliver and set up a crane and conduct crane operations. A worker who is injured in a crane collapse or struck by a boom due to negligent crane operations may have a civil claim against the crane company.
- A third party driving on to the site to deliver materials may strike a worker. Alternatively, construction workers may be traveling between job sites or driving to pick up supplies when they are involved in a car accident or truck accident. Even though on the job at the time, these workers may still have personal injury claims against the negligent driver at fault in the accident.
- A worker is injured by a defective product such as a defective power tool, piece of machinery or equipment. If the product was defectively designed or defectively manufactured, the worker may have a products liability claim against the manufacturer.
- The owner of the property where the worker is performing renovations or remodeling may have left the premises unreasonably dangerous or failed to inform the worker of hidden hazards. The worker may have a premises liability claim against the owner of the property for a slip and fall, trip and fall or other injury.
Attorney Keith Figured has represented construction workers and others in both workers’ compensation claims and personal injury claims throughout Pennsylvania. With the Figured Law Firm on your case, your attorney will work with you personally to make sure you fully understand your options and the process involved, that you get the medical care you need, and that you have a personal lawyer whom you can rely on when you are in need.
Get the Help You Need after a Pennsylvania Construction Accident
For help after a Pennsylvania construction accident, call the Figured Law Firm at 570-954-9299 for a free consultation with a dedicated, experienced and successful construction accident lawyer.
