Construction workers are constantly at risk of injury and illness. Construction sites are full of heavy machinery, hazardous chemicals, slippery surfaces, and abundant opportunities for physical harm. Contact us right away if you have been injured on a construction site and let Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers help you begin building your case.
Construction companies are required to adhere to a wide variety of security codes, regulations, and safety practices in order to prevent employees from being hurt on the job. On rare occasion, accidents may be unavoidable. However, the majority of workplace construction accidents occur due to the negligence or failure of those responsible for creating a safe work environment. In such cases, we are committed to taking up your case and helping you hold the responsible parties accountable for your injuries and the suffering you have experienced.
We will help you move forward by first evaluating the circumstances of your injury. One key factor that must be present in order for your case to be viable is evidence that your injury occurred due to someone else’s failure to perform a specific duty, whether it be a co-worker, supervisor, or employer. This can include failing to demarcate slippery walkways, properly train employees to use certain heavy machines, secure live wires, or otherwise mitigate danger to employees.
Common Construction Accidents
If you are a construction worker in the Chicago area, get in touch with one of our experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys right away if you have been harmed due to any of the following:
Falling objects
Exposure to toxic chemicals and materials
Slips and falls
Falls from elevated platforms or floors
Defective machinery
Electrocution
Collisions between construction vehicles and machines
Burns due to machinery, chemicals, electric shock, etc.
Any of the above have the potential to do severe bodily damage to workers. Many construction workers involved in on-site accidents have experienced permanent brain damage, amputation, severe burning and scarring, paralysis, and other life-changing physical injuries. If you have experienced a serious injury while on a construction site, you may incur the following expenses:
You may be able to sue your employer or other parties responsible for your injuries if it can be demonstrated that they are, indeed, at fault for the damages and related expenses. If you have experienced an exceptionally devastating injury, spent a large amount of time off work during recovery, developed psychological trauma, or otherwise suffered serious, non-monetary costs, you may be able to sue for punitive damages, such as pain and suffering.
Workers’ Compensation vs. Personal Injury
When you are injured on the job, your employer may press you to take advantage of workers’ compensation benefits. However, be advised that despite its quick availability, workers’ compensation may not be enough to make up for the total costs of your injury, especially if it is a serious one. If your injury costs you more than several hundred dollars, keeps you off the clock for more than a few days, disables you in any way, or takes away important wages you need for retirement, savings, caring for dependents, etc., you will likely need to take legal action. Once you access workers’ compensation funds, you may no longer be able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, even if compensation runs out and you still have large injury-related expenses to pay.
This is why it is critical to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your injury. Schedule your complimentary consultation with us by filling out the form below, and let the experienced professionals at Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers fight for you.
