Broward County, FL Construction Injury Lawyer
Construction workers perform inherently dangerous work, and a construction accident might happen at any time. While workers take precautions to avoid accidents, negligence on a construction site might lead to injuries.
Construction accidents may happen for a number of reasons. Fault equipment, negligent employers, and careless coworkers are all common causes of accidents on construction sites. After an accident, you might have several legal options to choose from. Depending on the nature of your job, you might be eligible for Workers’ Compensation. Alternatively, we can help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your accident. In either case, you will need evidence to back up your claims to get compensation as quickly as possible.
Construction sites are very dangerous, and one wrong move could leave you seriously injured. In many cases, someone else’s negligent behavior causes others to become injured. Our Broward County, FL construction injury attorneys can help you get justice. Call The Carrion Law Firm at (954) 951-4828 for a free case assessment.
Causes of Construction Accidents in Broward County, FL
Construction sites are very dangerous places that present multiple unique risks. If employers and workers on construction sites are not careful, accidents may happen, and people may be severely injured. Our Broward County, FL construction injury lawyers can help you assess your legal options after a construction-related injury.
Construction workers often work on projects from great heights. Working atop rooftops, high scaffolding, and tall ladders is very common in the construction industry. If your work environment is unsafe, you might fall and get seriously hurt.
Electrical accidents are also serious problems on construction sites. Exposed wiring may pose a serious safety hazard when working on unfinished buildings. If power is turned on when it should be off, a worker could get electrocuted. Electrocution also presents the risk of serious burns.
Another common accident on construction sites is sometimes referred to as a “caught in-between.” These accidents involve workers being trapped between large, heavy objects. For example, a worker might be caught between a large forklift and a wall. These are extremely serious accidents as workers can be crushed.
Faulty power tools can injure unsuspecting workers when they malfunction. Power tools might malfunction because they were previously damaged, poorly designed, or improperly manufactured. Construction tools can be very dangerous even when in proper working order. For example, a large table saw could cause deep lacerations or even sever limbs if it malfunctioned.
Possible Legal Actions for Construction Accidents in Broward County, FL
Construction accidents can leave injured workers with mounting medical bills and no way to earn any income. If you find yourself in dire straights after a construction accident, our Broward County, FL construction injury attorneys can help you explore various legal options. A Workers’ Compensation claim might be the best way to get compensation for some. For others, a personal injury lawsuit is their best bet.
Workers’ Compensation
In Florida, all employers and employees are legally required to abide by the Workers’ Compensation system. Under this system, employers must carry insurance that pays for injured workers’ expenses after an accident on the job. Workers’ Compensation may be the sole remedy available. Injured workers typically cannot sue their employers if they are eligible for Workers’ Compensation.
Workers’ Compensation covers anyone who is legally considered an “employee.” Under Florida Statutes § 440.02(15)(a), employees include anyone an employer pays to perform any job or work. The definition is very broad, and most people are considered employees. Florida law states that subcontractors and independent contractors hired for construction are included in the definition of employee.
As a construction worker, you might be required to file for Workers’ Compensation even if you are an independent contractor. This can be very limiting for injured workers as Workers’ Compensation often pays much less than an award from a lawsuit, and the people responsible for creating your dangerous work environment are not held accountable.
Some specific circumstances may allow our Broward County, FL construction accident attorneys to help you circumvent the Workers’ Compensation system. For example, if your employer does not carry insurance as legally required, we can help you sue them. This is often preferable as a lawsuit allows injured workers to claim more damages and get greater compensation.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
If Workers’ Compensation is unavailable in your case, our legal team can help you file a personal injury lawsuit to claim damages related to your construction accident. You may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit if your employer does not carry Workers’ Compensation insurance in violation of the law or if your employer formally filed an exemption and does not have to carry insurance.
In some cases, we can sue other parties for the accident too. While your employer might be liable for creating an unsafe work environment, other parties might also share some liability for contributing to your accident in other ways, and they can just as easily be sued. In the example above involving the faulty table saw, you can sue the table saw manufacturer for your injuries. Suppose instead that your injuries were caused by trespassers who tampered with sensitive tools or other equipment. If we can identify the trespassers, our Broward County, FL construction injury attorneys can sue them.
When filing a lawsuit, we must take care to calculate your damages accurately. Expenses like medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering must be carefully tracked to get the most compensation possible.
Evidence for Broward County, FL Construction Injury Cases
In any construction accident case, whether you are filing a Workers’ Compensation claim or a lawsuit, we need to gather as much evidence as possible. Most evidence may be taken directly from the construction site where your accident happened. Other evidence might be collected from elsewhere, depending on how it relates to your accident.
If possible, we can use photos and videos from the accident scene to support your claims for damages. In many accidents, injured victims can use cell phones or cameras to snap pictures of the scene and their injuries. In other cases, we may be able to utilize security camera footage.
Our Broward County, FL construction injury attorneys can also use your medical records to prove your injuries. The legal process can sometimes be slow, and your injuries might be healed by the time we get your case in front of a judge. We need your medical records to show the court how badly you were injured.
Call Our Broward County, FL Construction Injury Lawyers
After being injured on the job at a construction site, you should speak to an attorney about your legal options and compensation. Our Broward County, FL construction injury attorneys can help you get compensation as quickly as possible. For a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (954) 951-4828.