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Regulations and safety equipment exist to keep you safe when you work on a construction site. But what happens when rules aren’t in place or someone neglects to follow them? If you’re a construction worker who has suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be due compensation. And the construction accident attorneys at Marasco & Nesselbush will help you get it.
When you work in construction, you know there are risks. It’s one of the deadliest professions in the United States. Still, you should be able to trust your company and coworkers to keep you from getting hurt.
Unfortunately, your company or coworkers might not always follow procedures, and injuries can happen. Whether those injuries are intentional or unintentional, you need help getting back on your feet. The personal injury lawyers at Marasco & Nesselbush can help, regardless of the type of accident and the injuries you sustain.
Common Types Of Construction Accidents In Providence
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has identified the four most common causes of fatal construction site accidents. These can also lead to severe, non-fatal injuries.
Falls
Falls are the most common cause of workplace-related deaths in construction.
Companies are required to provide fall protection measures whenever a construction worker is six feet above the ground, or when a worker is directly above dangerous equipment. Sites must also properly guard any floor hole through which a worker can fit.
Struck-By
Struck-by accidents happen when a moving object hits an individual. This includes flying, falling, rolling, and swinging objects. Motor vehicles count as rolling objects and are common causes of struck-by accidents on construction sites.
The risk of struck-by injuries is also high around elevated worksites, power tool operation, and large suspended loads. To avoid negligence claims, teams must precisely follow all protocols for securing objects.
Caught-In/Between
A caught-in or caught-between injury happens when objects crush or entrap a worker. This includes site cave-ins, compression between moving objects, or the pulling of a worker into running machinery. Strangulation caused by trapped clothing is a caught-in accident.
Improper operation of machinery can easily cause caught-in and caught-between injuries. This includes failure to monitor running equipment when not in operation, as well as failure to correctly turn off or lock down equipment.
Electrocutions
Electrocutions occur when a person comes into contact with excessive electrical energy. True electrocution is fatal, but non-fatal electrical exposure injuries are also common.
Electrical injuries often happen because of improper or incomplete wiring. Electrical accidents can also cause other hazards such as explosions or fires, both of which can lead to severe bodily injury.
Common Types of Construction Injuries
Construction workers are particularly at risk of these injury types.
- Burns: Construction sites pose a severe risk of chemical and heat-related burns. The risk is higher if site supervisors and workers fail to follow the appropriate safety protocols.
- Cuts and lacerations: Hazards such as exposed sharp edges or improperly maintained tools can lead to serious skin lacerations on the job site. A lack of appropriate safety gear increases the risk of severe injury.
- Broken or crushed bones: Heavy machinery can hit or fall on workers if not operated correctly. Severe bone crushes may lead to amputation or other long-term disability.
- Head injuries: Unsecured tools and materials can fall from heights, injuring workers below. The risk is higher if worksites fail to enforce hard hat regulations. These injuries may lead to traumatic brain injury and the need for long-term care.
- Spinal cord injuries: Construction site falls can lead to severe spinal cord and back injuries. If these injuries cause spinal damage, permanent disabilities including paralysis may occur.
- Heat stroke: Long hours working in the heat can make a construction worker seriously ill with heat stroke. If the condition goes untreated, it may result in death.
- Hearing loss: Insufficient access to ear protection can cause hearing loss from loud construction machinery. Workers can also suffer hearing loss from a fallen object.
- Repetitive stress injuries: The physical nature of construction puts workers at risk of overuse injuries. The longer this overuse continues, the more severe the disability can be.
What should I do after a construction accident?
See a Medical Professional
If you have suffered an injury due to a construction site accident, your first step is to seek medical attention. Many construction injuries, such as concussions, seem minor at first but worsen over time.
Ask for copies of medical records documenting treatment after an accident to support a personal injury lawsuit or a workers’ compensation claim.
Notify Your Supervisor
To file for compensation, you need an official record of what happened. Talk to your supervisor about the proper procedure for filing an incident report.
Make sure you include all relevant details and stick to verifiable facts. “There was nothing attached to the beam as it fell” is appropriate. “I think Jim forgot to secure it” is not.
Make a note of when you submitted the report and the name of the person who accepted it. This will make it easier for your lawyer to find the appropriate information.
Collect Evidence
Documentation and photo evidence will support your injury claim. Find out if there are security cameras or any photos of the scene taken immediately after the accident.
Talk to any witnesses of the event, including coworkers and supervisors. Write down the names of any doctors or other medical professionals who treat you.
Contact an Attorney
You deserve expert legal advice related to your injury. A personal injury lawyer from Marasco & Nesselbush. LLP will listen to your story and advise you on what to do next.
After a workplace injury, you have two options. You can file a lawsuit to recover damages or submit a workers’ compensation claim. Submitting a worker’s compensation claim usually means you can’t file a lawsuit, so we advise all victims of construction site injuries to get legal advice before making any decisions about how to seek compensation for injuries and lost income.
Injured and not sure what your case is worth? Find out for free.
What is the statute of limitations for filing a construction accident in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has imposed a three-year statute of limitations on all personal injury claims, beginning on the date of your injury.
Construction-related wrongful death claims also have a three-year limit. If knowledge of the accident as the cause of death was not available at the time, those three years begin at the time of discovery.
Who is liable for a construction accident?
If you have been injured in an accident, liability depends on who failed to implement or follow safety protocol.
Construction Companies
Construction companies are responsible for ensuring all workers follow federal, state, and local regulations. If a protocol is not in place or reinforced, the construction company may be liable. The company may also be liable if employees did not receive training on how to implement that protocol.
Personnel, Contractors, or Subcontractors
If all training and procedures are in place and an employee, contractor, or subcontractor willingly goes against instructions or acts negligently, that individual may be liable for damages.
Property Owner
If there are hazardous conditions on-site and those conditions are out of the workers’ and contractors’ control, the property owner may be responsible for associated injuries.
Equipment Manufacturers
Equipment can fail despite responsible use. If you have suffered an injury because of an equipment malfunction and there’s no reasonable expectation that the contractor should have known about it, the manufacturer may be liable.
What type of compensation can I expect to recover?
Your compensation for a construction-related accident will depend on the nature and extent of your injuries. Your Providence personal injury lawyer will consider the financial impacts of your injury, including:
- Medical and rehabilitative expenses. Costs related to your injury treatment and rehabilitation may be recoverable. That includes diagnostic procedures, medical treatments, and physical therapy.
- Loss of income. You can sue for short-term and long-term income loss if your injury prevents you from working. That includes lost earning capacity if catastrophic injuries mean you can’t go back to work.
- Pain and suffering. You may receive compensation for physical, mental, and emotional distress related to your injury.
These compensatory damages, economic and non-economic, are intended to make you whole. You may also be awarded punitive damages, depending on the defendant’s behavior at the time of the accident and the court’s discretion.
Contact a Providence Construction Accident Lawyer Today
For a free review of your construction accident case, contact the Providence office of Marasco & Nesselbush. An experienced personal injury lawyer will listen to your story and direct you toward next steps.
Talk to a lawyer and get a free case evaluation today.
