Construction work is dangerous. There are more chances of an accident at a construction site. Such accidents can sometimes lead to long-term physical injuries and permanent disabilities that will lead to a loss of income for the worker’s family.
Some accidents can also take place because the safety protocols are not being followed. In such cases, you should not just sit back but fight for your rights. You should hire a personal injury attorney to file a suit against your employer and ask for the damages and rightful compensation.
Such construction injuries are covered under worker’s compensation laws. The most important step is to get in touch with personal injury lawyers like the ones from oakslawfirm.com.
Steps to take after a construction site accident:
1. Seek medical care
If you have sustained injuries, minor or major, seek medical attention immediately. Call 911 or get help from a co-worker to get in touch with the nearest hospital. Some injuries might not show immediately but can affect you in the long run.
Going to the hospital at the right time will help determine any such health conditions. Keep a proper medical record of all the treatments and expenses incurred that can be claimed under a worker’s compensation claim. This will act as evidence if the case is taken to court.
2. Report the accident
After you seek medical care, make sure you report the incident to a higher authority or authorities. Make sure you mention what unsafe work conditions have led to such an accident.
Maintain proper documentation of the accident and expose all the unsafe work practices so that in the future, such grave incidents do not happen. The report is important for any future legal action in your case.
3. File worker’s compensation
You have the right to claim worker’s compensation if the employer is enrolled in such insurance, you were injured on the job, or the injury is due to misconduct or use of substances like alcohol, drugs, etc. You must file the compensation within one year of the accident.
4. Contact a personal injury lawyer
This is a major step to be taken in such scenarios. Having a lawyer by your side will give you the strength to fight for your legal rights and rightful compensation. An experienced lawyer knows all about worker’s compensation laws and how the legal system works. They will navigate you throughout the procedure.
What are the vehicle accident risks and legal laws on a construction site?
Vehicles like trucks, earth-moving equipment, and others that are involved in construction site work are essential to carry the work with ease. In large scale projects, these types of equipment are life savers for the workers as they reduce work pressure from the workers.
But a worker needs to be skilled in handling these types of equipment, or it can lead to a catastrophic mistake. A slip and fall or machinery injuries caused by these pieces of equipment can be long-lasting and put out the commission for months.
What are the vehicle dangers on a construction site?
Occupational safety and health administration states that the reason behind construction site accidents is due to poor operation and vehicle traffic. Some initiatives are taken to control the accidents at the construction sites; they are:
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Backup accident:
As the name suggests, it happens when a vehicle hits someone kneeling, standing, or walking behind the vehicle. There are almost 70 workers who die from a backup accident in a year.
There could be many reasons for this kind of accident, like the driver might not see the worker standing behind, the worker might not hear the backup alarm, the driver might be unaware of their surroundings, etc.
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Collision and rollover:
This is the most common type of accident. The reasons behind this are carelessness, erotic driving, lack of attention, etc. the construction site workers who are not protected inside the vehicle are prone to this type of accident. The results of collision and rollover accidents are much more severe in a construction site vehicle as these vehicles are loafer in size and weight, than the normal vehicle.
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Pinning:
It happens when a driver leaves the vehicle in motion. The workers on the construction site might get struck or pinned between other vehicles and objects in the field.
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Cargo spills:
If an unsupported cargo slips or falls over another vehicle, it poses an extreme threat. The weight of the cargo can destroy the life of the nearby workers.
How can a worker file a claim?
When a worker is harmed on the construction site or by any of their co-worker, they are eligible to file compensations. But in order to get the compensation, the injured worker must prove their liability.
It is not easy proving a party liable at a construction site as there are a lot of people engaged in working at a site like the workers, subcontractors, employers, etc. But that does not mean that you should give up the hope for good compensation.
Hire an experienced worker compensation attorney and let them handle your case. Hiring an attorney to prove the liable party will be more lucrative and less taxing.
If you are injured while you were at work at the construction site, then you will be entitled to worker’s compensation benefits. Do not think of handling the case alone, and you need an attorney who will be experienced in handling such cases.
They know strategies that will help in investigating and exposing the liable party. Apart from that, they will calculate the damages you have faced and write a demand draft for your compensation.
Wrapping up
Worker’s compensation laws and the trauma of construction site accidents can be a lot for the victim and their loved ones.
Seeking the correct medical treatments and getting in touch with an expert lawyer will put an end to all your miseries and will fill the hope for a better tomorrow. If you are the one going through such a problem, do not worry everything will fall in place eventually.
