Construction accidents can result in severe injuries, and those may limit a construction worker’s ability to make a living afterward. There are almost innumerable ways for these accidents to occur, but a few of the more common ones are listed below.
Types of Injuries
The most common types of construction accidents are as follows:
- Falling: Among the very most frequent construction accidents is falling. Construction workers may fall off of tall structures, especially when they’re half-finished, or they may slip or trip on objects or substances on the ground. Equipment is often left lying around, and exposed dirt could become slick after rainfall, presenting a hazard.
- Machinery and equipment: Large vehicles, heavy machinery, and mechanical equipment are all dangerous. Appendages may be crushed or lost, backs and bones may be broken, and other severe injuries can occur. In some cases, these injuries may be the result of a third party’s negligence, which opens the way for a personal injury lawsuit.
- Falling objects: Equipment or building materials placed in high places could be unstable, and they may injure those working below in the event that they fall. Even the best safety precautions may not be enough to prevent injury in these cases. Common injuries associated with falling objects include trauma to the head, brain, and spine.
- Crushed: With large vehicles moving about, there is a chance that workers could be run over or crushed against other objects. These types of accidents often result from an outside party, such as the driver of the vehicle, or from supervisor neglect.
- Collapses: Construction sites are incomplete by nature. Scaffolding, walls, trenches, and other structures could collapse and cause severe injury to anyone in the area below. This may often be the fault of an employer, but it could also result from the negligence of other parties as well.
- Electrocution: Exposed wiring is a hazard often present in construction sites. Simply touching one of these wires could result in severe injury from electric shock. In many cases, it can lead to death. Electrical injuries may also result from defective equipment or improper warnings, which could mean a product liability case.
- Health hazards: Respiratory disease, repetitive motion injury, heat stroke, and overexertion are not what you’d normally think of when considering construction accidents, but they are common. These can be highly severe in their own right, occasionally leading to death.
These types of injuries may allow you to claim workers’ compensation, personal injury rewards, or both, depending on the circumstances.
Workers’ Comp or Personal Injury?
An employee cannot sue an employer for an injury that occurred on the job, so if the employer is at fault for an accident, you can’t pursue a personal injury claim against them. However, you can claim workers’ comp benefits for it.
If the cause of your injury was the negligence of some other party that wasn’t affiliated with your employer, then you can pursue a personal injury case against them while also recovering workers’ comp benefits.
If you have been injured while working construction, contact Hart & David for help getting the compensation you deserve.