The recovery process after an accident on a construction site can be a long and complicated one, even if you have access to workers’ compensation benefits through your employer. As important as they are, those benefits can only do so much to make up for the long-term physical, financial, and psychological harm that a serious accident on this kind of work site can cause—and if you are hurt while working as a contractor, visiting a site, or just walking nearby, you might not even have those benefits.
Fortunately, it is often possible to file a third-party lawsuit over an injury on a construction site with an experienced personal injury attorney’s help. A Bethlehem construction accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you are entitled to for all your injury-related losses. At Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers, we do not back down from cases like these. Managing Partner Rich Godshall spent twelve years successfully handling multi-million dollar catastrophic construction injury cases and has the experience needed to get you the results you deserve. Call today to get started on your case.
How Negligence Can Lead to Construction Site Injuries
Even when everyone on a construction site follows every safety rule and keeps an eye out for the safety of others around them, construction work is still a risky business with a high potential for serious accidents. Some particularly common causes of construction site injuries include:
Most construction workers who get hurt while performing job-related duties should have access to compensation through their employer’s workers’ compensation plan no matter how the accident happened or who was to blame. However, if an accident happens partially or entirely because a third party acted irresponsibly, it may be possible to file suit directly against that negligent person or company. Third parties that could be responsible for an accident can include contractors, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, site visitors, and more.
Through a third-party liability claim, a seasoned Bethlehem construction injury attorney can help you demand compensation for short-term medical bills and lost work wages, as well as long-term disability that prevents you from working in the future. It may also be possible to recover for various types of “pain and suffering,” including emotional anguish and loss of life’s pleasures.
Filing a Claim Within Legal Time Limits
While the exact time limits for workers’ comp claims will vary based on each company’s specific insurance policy, construction workers who get hurt on the job generally must tell their employer about their injury within 30 days of it first happening. After this, it may take several more weeks for a claim to be resolved and for benefits to be paid out.
A different deadline applies to third-party lawsuits that are based on construction-related injuries. According to 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes §5524, you have a maximum of two years after getting hurt to begin the filing process in most situations. It is crucial to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after a construction accident in Bethlehem so that they have time to investigate your case and gather the necessary evidence within this legal deadline.
Discuss Your Case with a Bethlehem Construction Accident Attorney
Accidents on construction sites affect hundreds of people across Pennsylvania every year, and they often happen because just one person was reckless or careless. If you have been hurt in this way, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the person who harmed you and hold them financially liable for all your losses.
Hiring an experienced Bethlehem construction accident lawyer is a key first step towards getting fair and prompt compensation. While some firms might shy away from cases like these, our team at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers is not afraid to get our hands dirty. In one recent case involving extensive litigation, we were 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. We are prepared to fight the same way for you– call today to get started.
