Construction sites can be dangerous places. With many people working closely to one another, loud noises making it difficult to communicate, and heavy equipment being operated by workers with limited visibility and on uneven terrain, it’s no wonder construction accidents cause many injuries each year.
If you were hurt on or near a construction site, you might be able to bring a claim for monetary damages. This includes innocent bystanders who were injured because of a contractor’s failure to maintain a safe construction site. Further, if you were a worker on a construction site who was injured by another company’s carelessness, consult one of our attorneys. You might be able to recover from another party in addition to your Workers’ Compensation claim.
A Bensalem construction accident lawyer at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers has the legal know-how and aggressive attitude to make careless contractors pay for the harm they cause. Call our experienced trial attorneys as soon as possible to get a fearless attorney fighting for you.
Common Reasons for Construction Accidents
Construction contractors often work on tight schedules and lean margins. They push their workers hard to get work done quickly. A reputable contractor will hire experienced employees and stand by the quality of their workmanship. Unfortunately, some contractors try to increase profits by using cheap materials, rushing shoddy work, and cutting corners. If workers for these builders don’t complete a job on time, they might be penalized and get paid less.
Workers in a rush are often careless and cause accidents. Some common scenarios include the following:
- Workers not securing supplies or tools, causing other workers or passersby to get hit with falling or blowing debris
- Debris on paths and walkways causing slips, trips, and falls
- Changes in roadway conditions or traffic patterns without warning, resulting in unsafe conditions for motorists or motorcyclists
- Workers falling from heights
- Scaffolding collapses
- Crane accidents
- Trench collapses
- Construction vehicles hitting cars, pedestrians, or other heavy machinery
- Electrocution from exposed wiring or unsecured power lines
- Injuries from malfunctioning equipment like drills, nail guns, and jackhammers
- Children injured due to a contractor’s failure to properly protect construction sites, heavy equipment and machinery, or tools
There are many other ways a worker or passerby could suffer a construction accident injury, and accidents like these often happen because someone did not follow safety rules or was careless. Your Bensalem attorney will look at all the evidence surrounding the construction accident and find all the people and companies that be responsible.
Claims for Injuries While Visiting a Worksite
If you were near a construction site when you got hurt, you and your lawyer could pursue various parties for compensation. The liable parties will depend on the circumstances.
For instance, suppose you were driving and a front loader collided with your car. The company that employs the tractor operator and owns the vehicle is probably liable. The general contractor and site owner could also be responsible. If you were working in your office on the next block and a crane collapsed, damaging your office building and causing injuries, the crane owner, operator, and engineer also could be liable. Regardless of the scenario, if you were injured because of negligence at a construction site, consult with one of our attorneys for a free consultation.
Construction companies usually have commercial insurance policies with high coverage limits that pay for construction accident injuries. However, insurers and defense attorneys may argue that you contributed to the accident through your own carelessness. In this case, 42 Pennsylvania Statute §7102 allows an insurance company to reduce the amount they pay you. Your Bensalem attorney will negotiate aggressively to get the maximum payout for the construction injuries you suffered.
Third-Party Claims for Injured Workers in Bensalem
You could get workers’ compensation benefits if you suffered injuries while working on a construction site. However, workers’ compensation only pays a fraction of your wages, and you don’t get any compensation for pain and suffering or the other effects of your injury.
If the accident was 100% the fault of your employer or a co-worker who works for the same company, you are limited to workers’ compensation benefits. However, if an equipment manufacturer, a landowner, or another company’s employee or contractor is to blame, you could sue them for damages and still collect workers’ compensation. Pursuing a claim against another company or individual for work-related injuries is called a third-party claim.
By filing a third-party claim with help from a skilled construction accident lawyer, you could get money for your physical pain, disability, scarring, lost ability to enjoy life’s pleasures, and other effects of the injury. Even if you are unsure whether another company is responsible, it is worth consulting a respected legal professional at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers.
Consult a Bensalem Construction Accident Attorney Today
Construction accidents can cause severe and even fatal injuries. The construction industry and their insurance companies have a lot of power and resources to avoid paying the money you deserve, so you need an aggressive attorney on your side.
At Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers, we are not afraid to get our hands dirty. Managing Partner Rich Godshall has spent over twelve years successfully handling multi-million dollar catastrophic construction injury cases, and he knows how to win on behalf of clients. In one recent case involving extensive litigation, our firm was able to recover $1.2 million for a client who suffered from an electrical shock after safety practices were ignored by another company working onsite.
Let a respected Bensalem construction accident lawyer fight for the compensation you deserve. Call us today to discuss your situation with our winning legal team.
