The day-to-day job tasks of construction workers involve many dangers and risks.  Tools, building materials, machinery, and other equipment can all injure users and people in the immediate area.  While safety measures and safety equipment all seek to prevent injury, construction workers can still be injured by negligence at a construction site.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured while working on a construction site, you should seek legal help immediately.  The same is true for passers-by and drivers who were injured by dangers on construction sites.

For a free case review, contact the Perth Amboy construction accident and injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm today at (718) 841-0083.

Common Types of Construction Accidents in Perth Amboy

Construction accidents can be caused by a lot of different conditions and problems on a job site.  Many are caused by someone else’s negligence, while others are caused by problems with equipment.  The following are all common accidents that our Perth Amboy construction accident and injury lawyers can help you seek compensation for:

Falls from Heights

If you are working a job that involves climbing up scaffolding, climbing ladders, or working on roofs and balconies, you could be at risk for injuries from a serious fall.  If you are not given the proper safety gear, like safety lines and nets, you could fall a long way and suffer serious injuries.  When working with scaffolding, the scaffolding needs to be properly constructed, and the parties who set up the scaffolding wrong could be at fault for collapses or other problems.  Lastly, your supervisors and employers should encourage proper safety when climbing ladders, such as having someone help hand you things or hold the ladder stable while you climb.  Any of these problems could justify a potential injury lawsuit.

Dropped Items

If you are not up on the scaffolding or ladder, but you are instead working below someone who is, you could be seriously injured if they drop things on you.  Some contractors and construction workers will carelessly throw debris or building materials to the ground when they are done with them instead of dropping them carefully or climbing down with them.  This is even more dangerous if someone decides to discard a hammer or other tool this way.  Workers can also be injured if items fall, such as if a tool slips out of someone’s hand or gets kicked off a scaffolding.  Safety nets and tool straps can help prevent these dangers, and failing to have reasonable safety gear like this could be negligent.

Defective Safety Gear

It is your employer’s responsibility to provide you with much of the safety gear you use.  Things like steel-toed boots might be your own responsibility, but if you need safety goggles, hard hats, respirators, yellow vests, and other safety gear, your employer could be responsible for failing to provide you with these things.  Lawsuits against employers are often blocked, but there are exceptions that could allow a lawsuit.  If the gear you were provided was defective or broken, it is possible you could be entitled to sue the safety gear manufacturer for your injuries.

Defective Tool Injuries

If a power tool or a large machine breaks or fails while running, you could face serious injuries if you were operating the machine.  While some injuries can be prevented with proper safety gear, other injuries could be catastrophic and unavoidable.  In these cases, the manufacturer of the defective tool could be liable for your injuries.  There are no restrictions on suing third parties like the manufacturer, allowing you to seek compensation with the help of our experienced Perth Amboy construction accident and injury lawyers.

Electrocution

At a job site, it might be someone else’s responsibility to check whether the power is on or off.  If you were told that the power was off, you could be seriously injured if they were mistaken or if they failed to inform you that the power was turned back on.  Electrocution injuries can often be blamed on various parties like negligent electricians, potentially allowing you to seek compensation from them for your injuries.

Assault

Fights on a job site sometimes happen, but they are always unprofessional and potentially dangerous.  If someone was fighting and caused a more serious accident through their carelessness, you could be entitled to hold them responsible for your injuries.  If someone intentionally assaults you, you could be entitled to sue them for assault and battery.  If your employer assaults you, that usually falls outside of the scope of the Workers’ Compensation restrictions that block you from suing your employer, opening the option to sue them directly.

Seeking Compensation for a Construction Accident in Perth Amboy

Your ability to sue for a construction accident will vary based on who you are in your connection to the job site and how you were injured:

Construction Workers

Construction workers are typically barred from suing their employer under New Jersey’s Workers’ Compensation rules.  These rules require you to file an insurance claim with your employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance instead of suing them, but they do not block lawsuits against other third parties.  This means that if you were hit by a car, injured by defective products, or otherwise injured by a third party, you could be entitled to sue for your injuries.

Contractors

Contractors are often deemed to be employees for purposes of Workers’ Compensation, even if they are technically paid as independent contractors.  These rules are complex and often confusing, so check with our Perth Amboy construction accident and injury lawyers about whether your status affects your right to sue.  Most contractors face the same restrictions on lawsuits as other construction workers if they were working for a construction firm or working as a subcontractor.

Other People

If you were passing through a construction site as a pedestrian, while driving your car, or while performing job duties unrelated to the construction, you could be entitled to sue the negligent construction company for your injuries.  Call our Perth Amboy construction accident and injury lawyers for more details about how to pursue your claim.

Call Our Perth Amboy Construction Accident and Injury Attorneys Today

If you were hurt at a construction site, contact our Perth Amboy construction accident and injury lawyers for a free case review today.  Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.