Working on a construction site can open a worker up to many risks and dangers associated with the job. As time goes on, we’ve developed more comprehensive safety regulations for companies that employ construction site workers, but accidents can still happen anytime. In fact, the construction industry made up more than 40% of the fatal falls, slips, and trips in 2020.
Non-fatal accidents can still leave the victim with life-long changes to their body and lifestyle, accompanied by new debts, responsibilities, and pain. In these cases, having a lawyer to advocate for your well-being can make a great impact on not only the outcome but also the process of litigation.
Working on a construction site is a rewarding but dangerous task with many opportunities for injury. If you were hurt on the job, you may have the potential for compensation for your incurred damages and expenses. To help you file a claim or lawsuit, our team at Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers is standing by to provide legal aid which can make the claim or litigation process easier to manage. Our skilled Utah personal injury lawyers have years of experience representing people like you who have endured injuries and other lasting damages from a site accident.
Schedule a free, confidential case review with an experienced Utah construction injury lawyer when you call (801) 810-9999 or contact us online.
Why Work With a Utah Construction Site Accident Attorney?
The legal process for recovering compensation after a serious injury, especially one involving the workplace, can be incredibly complex. Those who don’t retain representation must rely on the help of their employer when managing a workers’ compensation claim, and that can leave them vulnerable to being undervalued or otherwise taken advantage of over the course of the claim. There may also be outside sources of liability that can cause a workers’ compensation claim to escalate into a third-party liability claim, or even a lawsuit.
By working with an attorney, you gain the skills, resources, and experience of an entire passionate team that can act as a professional set of eyes and ears protecting your best interests as the claim process rolls out. We will assist you in gathering all of the evidence available and fighting for your legal right to claim all available compensation, including the costs of any future injury treatment or loss of earnings.
When you retain the services of an attorney from Valley Law, you’ll have:
- An open line of communication with a team of professionals in the field
- Comprehensive management of your case from the big steps to the fine details
- Protection from common insurance traps
Frequent Causes of Construction Site Accidents
There are many different jobs on a construction site, all equipped with their own responsibilities and dangers. It is natural to wonder what causes a construction site accident, but the truth is there are many unique causes based on the task and conditions a worker is faced with. To protect themselves on the job, it is essential that construction workers keep themselves up-to-date with the latest information on safety regulations and protections. Even then, the carelessness of others can cause you to become injured.
While there are many different dangerous scenarios on a construction site, some of the most common causes of accidents include:
- Neglect of safety procedures
- Lack of training
- Improper planning
- Lack of protection in unsafe situations
- Long working hours cause extreme fatigue which leads to dangerous mistakes
- Defective equipment
- Failure to follow safety and engineering best practices
Common Injuries Experienced by Construction Site Workers
No two accidents will truly be the exact same, but there are some injuries that are faced more commonly than others.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) names the most notorious types of deadly injuries the “Fatal Four”: falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and being caught in or between something.
Injuries sustained at a construction can range from minor to life-threatening, but even small injuries that seem to make no impact at first have the potential of worsening with time as overexertion and stress prompt conditions like chronic pain.
Most notably, some of the commonly reported injuries that construction workers endure as the result of an accident on the job include:
- Breaks, fractures, and dislocations
- Neck and back injuries
- Head and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Hearing loss
- Burns
- Lacerations
- Amputation
Understanding Liability for Construction Accidents in Utah
To grasp how your personal case may develop, it is important to understand how liability for injury works in Utah. An injured worker will likely be managing a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party liability lawsuit, or some combination of those depending on who is to blame for their accident.
Third-Party Liability
This type of liability denotes a non-employer party responsible for the events of the construction site accident. Typically, a third-party liability claim or lawsuit involves negligence or an issue with equipment. Common entities that may have some third-party liability over your accident, therefore, include: property owners, contractors, subcontractors, and manufacturers of defective equipment.
Workers’ Compensation
This category of liability refers to a no-fault insurance system that aims to protect workers in the event they endure injuries or develop disabilities while on the job. This system protects both the employee and employer, ensuring that the injured person is taken care of while the business can remain financially stable.
Although almost all Utah employers are required to purchase workers’ compensation protection, they are not obligated to make the full extent of the benefits easy to obtain. Therefore, without an attorney, you may not understand how to utilize the benefits entirely.
Further, your accident claim may not cover all of your losses appropriately. Notably, workers’ compensation insurance does not provide benefits for pain and suffering. In the event of excess costs not covered by a workers’ compensation claim, the injured worker can seek to identify a negligent third party who contributed full or partial fault.
What to Do After a Construction Site Accident
Following up with an occupational accident can look different than a personal injury because you have to include a middleman: your employer. Even if your accident falls under the category of third-party liability, the management team will need to conduct a thorough review process after any and all incidents.
Having extra players on the court means that you’ll want your own solid team to back you up through any obstacles that may arise, so ensure that you follow the steps listed below to give your attorney all the initial information they need to confidently represent you.
See a Medical Professional
After you’ve endured the impact of a construction site accident, it is critical that you seek medical attention immediately. A doctor will be able to assess your condition and find possible injuries before they worsen.
After any traumatic event, the body floods with hormones like adrenaline to give you that strength and energy boost. The way adrenaline masks pain can make it anywhere from difficult to impossible to identify your own injuries immediately after an accident. This can leave you walking around with serious injuries while your body attempts to calm down, prompting a shocking pain later.
The longer you wait to see a doctor, the easier it will be for a negligent party to argue that the full extent of your injuries was caused not only by the accident but your negligence to seek care. Avoid this common argument and others like it by meeting with a doctor to analyze the true effects of the accident.
Document the Details of the Accident
If you are physically capable, it may be beneficial to take photos of any poorly maintained equipment or other notable details at the scene of your accident before you leave. While security footage is typically available these days, a close-up of the suspected issues may make it easier for investigators to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Further, security footage is often overwritten within days — or sometimes hours — of recording.
It may also be beneficial to keep a log of your healing journey, documenting how the impact of the accident is affecting you as time passes. These tips can help emphasize the true magnitude of your experience in steps like negotiations.
Submit a Report to Your Supervisor
After an accident on a construction site, a worker is required to notify their employer within 8 hours of the accident if there has been a fatal or seriously harmful accident on the job site. For all workers’ compensation claims, you have up to 180 days from the time of the accident or the identification of an injury to report your injury to your employer. After notifying the employer about the accident, you may be asked to file a formal report about the details of the event. An attorney can help you protect your legal rights and complete this process efficiently, reducing the burden placed on you after you have been hurt.
Get Help From an Experienced Utah Construction Site Accident Law Firm
If you’ve been in an accident working on a construction site, finding the right representation can be an impactful step that protects you in more ways than one. Construction is a dangerous field, and the team at Valley Law Accident and Injury Lawyers is here to protect people like you in the event of an unforeseen accident.
Navigating the claim process can be confusing and overwhelming at times, but with the team at Valley Law, you’ll gain a team of skilled advocates who can be there to watch your back and answer any of your most pressing questions along the way. Call (801) 810-9999 or contact us online to schedule your free case review today.
