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Common Construction Site Injuries

Posted by Inna Gorin | Jul 11, 2017

A construction site is a notoriously dangerous environment that carries a significant risk of injury to construction workers.

Accidents will happen with so many people working at the same worksite. On-the-job injuries are frequent in every work setting, especially at a construction site.

In fact, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, approximately 4,405 employees in the United States were severely injured or killed on the job last year.

Los Angeles Construction Site Injury Lawyer

If an employee (as opposed to an independent contractor) sustains an accidental injury while on the job and in the course of their employment, that employee may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits under California law.

In addition, in some instances, you may be able to sue after a construction site injury, which may result in significantly greater compensation.

If you sustained work-related injuries at a construction site, you might be entitled to monetary compensation. The experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Injury Justice Law Firm LLP regularly represent injured workers and their dependents and have the necessary legal knowledge and skills to help you obtain the monetary compensation for your injuries that you need and deserve.

We have a track record of success and will aggressively pursue maximum compensation for your construction accident lawsuit in California. If you have been injured at a construction site, your first step is to call our office to review all the specific details of the accident to determine legal options. Your consultation is free, and we never charge a fee unless we win your case.

Here are some of the more common injuries that people sustain in accidents that occur on and around construction sites:

  • Traumatic Brain Injuries – Head injuries are frequently suffered from falling objects, tools, or materials on construction sites. These injuries can include lacerations, concussions, or traumatic brain injuries. TBIs can also occur in any accident when a person hits their head on another object, slip, and fall, and falls from heights. In addition, they can even be caused in the absence of physical contact by explosions or in accidents that involve the head snapping back and forth quickly on the neck.
  • Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal cord injuries are a severe type of injury resulting in paralysis. They can occur in many accidents, including falls of a ladder, scaffolding, or other high sections of the building site. Spinal cord injuries can lead to partial or complete paralysis, life-long disability, and brain damage.
  • Burns and Scarring– Burns are an unfortunate common injury sustained in construction site accidents. They can be caused by accidental fires, explosions, electrical accidents, contact with dangerous chemicals, power tools, and many other hazards common to active construction sites.
  • Cuts and Lacerations – Construction site workers frequently sustain cuts and lacerations to their skin from poorly maintained or defective tools and unsecured machine equipment. These types of injuries can lead to infection if not properly treated.
  • Broken Bones and Fractures – Due to the heavy machinery required in construction site work, some of the most common construction injuries include broken, fractured, or even crushed bones. These can occur from bulldozers, cranes, and other heavy equipment that is not adequately secured.
  • Loss of Limb – Most construction sites are packed with heavy objects, machinery, and materials. If one falls on a construction worker. It can cut off a limb, finger, or toe. If stems are crushed or severely mangled, it might require amputation.
  • Hearing Loss – Hearing loss is a typical construction site injury due to the loud noises from heavy machinery. If a worker fails to wear earplugs while operating a jackhammer or other noisy equipment, it can affect their hearing. If an object strikes a construction worker on the side of their head, it might lead to partial or total hearing loss.
  • Heat Stroke – Many construction sites require year-round work, regardless of the weather conditions. For workers in scorching environments, this can pose a hazard. Overexposure to the sun during the heat of summer can frequently cause a worker to suffer a heat stroke, which often comes with lightheadedness, nausea, or even fainting. If not adequately treated, heat stokes can lead to brain or kidney damage and even cause death.

Please consult with our top-ranked law firm for more information about your specific injury.

What Causes Construction Site Injuries?

Some of the most common causes of construction site injuries include the following:

  • Operating heavy and dangerous machinery – Heavy and complex machinery and equipment primarily include construction equipment, such as cranes, forklifts, diggers, and other tools and machines, where the operational dangers are inherent, and the risks of severe injury or death are extremely high.
  • Electrocution – Construction workers, builders, and other laborers are around electrical wires daily, potentially exposing themselves to faulty wiring and on-the-job electrocution, resulting in serious injuries or death.
  • Defective equipment – Defective, damaged, or malfunctioning equipment and parts, such as machine parts that are not securely fastened, or equipment that is not adequately maintained or repaired, can cause serious injuries or death to construction workers. Workers should look for loose parts on the machinery and equipment they operate – and look for signs of deterioration or damage.
  • Falls – One of the most common construction site injuries is falling. Workers are at significant risk from roofs, scaffolding, ladders, or cranes. Additionally, slip and fall accidents (especially those that occur from tall buildings or structures) can result in severe injuries in the construction setting.
  • Transportation Accidents – Workers who drive construction vehicles, including diggers and dump trucks, as part of their jobs are exposed to the risk of fatal vehicle accidents and crashes daily.
  • Falling Objects – Construction site workers risk being struck from objects above. These falling objects include tools and materials that are not adequately secured. If a falling thing strikes a construction worker, they can sustain severe brain or spinal cord injuries, even if you wear a hardhat.
  • Fires and Explosions – Many construction sites contain hazardous conditions such as exposed electrical wiring, leaking pipes, and highly flammable chemicals that could lead to a fire or explosion. In some severe cases, it can cause serious injuries or even death.
  • Forklift Accident – Most forklift fatalities are caused by the driver attempting to jump from a tipping forklift when their load is too high and not wearing a safety belt. Severe neck and back injuries are common in a forklift accident.

Other causes of construction site accidents include scaffolding, trench collapse, crane, and welding accidents. Unfortunately, on-the-job accidents and fatalities involving construction sites often occur suddenly with little or no warning. Our experienced Los Angeles construction site injury lawyers will fight for you and help you obtain the benefits and compensation you and your family need and deserve.

Available Workers' Compensation Benefits

Workers' compensation benefits are generally available to an injured construction worker when that worker sustains accidental injuries (i.e., without regard to fault), on the job, and while working within the scope of their employment. In the case of a deceased worker, the surviving family members may be entitled to workers' compensation death benefits.

When Can You Sue After a Construction Site Injury?

California's workers' compensation law limits when employees can sue after a workplace injury, as it makes them automatically eligible for benefits regardless of who was at fault for the accident. There are some conditions under which you can pursue a personal injury lawsuit, including the following:

  • You were an independent contractor rather than an employee
  • If your injury was caused by an independent contractor at the worksite
  • If your injury was caused by defective work equipment
  • If the intentional conduct of your employer caused your injury

Because the damages available in a personal injury case typically far exceed those available through the workers' compensation program, it is always a good idea to have your case reviewed by an attorney at our Los Angeles personal injury law firm.

Contact Our Injury Lawyers to Discuss Your Case

In many cases, the exact causes of a construction site accident are not fully known until an experienced personal injury legal team closely examines all the specific details and circumstances.

A skilled injury attorney at our law office understands the physical, emotional, and financial impact that a construction site injury can have on you and your family. 

A personal injury lawsuit after a construction site injury can't take back what has happened. Still, it could certainly help you recover some of the expenses from the incident and provide a sense of closure.

If you or a family member has sustained injuries at a construction site, you may be entitled to monetary compensation under California law. To schedule a free consultation, call our office at 310-734-7974. We don't charge any fee unless we win your case.

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About the Author

Inna Gorin

Inna Gorin, the founding Partner of Injury Justice Law Firm modeled the Firm after her ideals and principles of what skilled, aggressive and tenacious representation of individual clients should embody. Ms. Gorin's mission is to level the playing field, and provide her clients with the same level...

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