Construction sites are dangerous places to work. People working in the construction industry must have the skills and safety training to do their jobs in a way that minimizes risk. Unfortunately, accidents sometimes happen despite our best efforts. If you were hurt on a construction site, whether you were working there or not, call our legal team for help.
Construction accidents tend to be pretty dangerous. They often involve dangerous tools or machinery, falls from high places, or even shocks and burns from electrical accidents. These are often not run-of-the-mill accidents, and injuries may be quite severe. As such, damages may be equally severe. Economic and non-economic injuries and losses might be staggering, and you deserve fair compensation. Before you can recover damages for your injuries, we need to understand who should be held liable. Employers, manufacturers of construction equipment, and other parties like trespassers might be implicated.
Get a private, free case evaluation from our construction accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm by calling us at (631) 910-7493.
Common Examples of Construction Accidents in Riverhead, NY
Construction accidents are more common than many people realize. While construction workers often have the skills, knowledge, and training to stay as safe as possible on the job, some accidents still find a way to happen. Below are a few examples of common construction accidents. If you experience one of these or some other accident not listed here, call for emergency help and contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Power Tools and Machinery
Power tools and heavy machinery are normal parts of most construction jobs. Whether you are using a small handheld tool like a drill or a nail gun or a large piece of machinery like a forklift, you might be badly hurt if tools or machinery malfunction.
Sometimes, malfunctions happen because workers are not properly trained. Perhaps a new employee took the initiative to hop on the forklift with no training, and you were run over or otherwise hurt. Maybe you were using the machinery or power tool, and something went haywire. Sharp blades or heavy machinery can cause serious damage when they malfunction. In some cases, tools and equipment are defective because of negligent manufacturers, and our construction accident attorneys can help you figure out who these manufacturers are and hold them responsible.
Falling Accidents
Lots of construction workers regularly work from atop high places. Whether you are on top of a high ladder, scaffolding, or working on the roof, a bad fall could spell disaster. You do not have to fall very far to be hurt. Even a fall from only 5 or 6 feet might be enough to do some serious damage. Many people who fall from higher places, like rooftops or high scaffolding, are left with permanent injuries. Some do not survive. If you fell while on the job, or perhaps something fell and hit you, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Shocks and Burns
Depending on the type of work being performed on a construction site, you might be exposed to live electrical wiring. You might work as an electrician, or you might simply work alongside electricians. Either way, the risk of accidents involving electrical shocks and burns is very real. Perhaps you were working with wiring with the power shut off, but someone negligently turned the power back on without warning you. These kinds of accidents can be very serious, and you might need emergency medical care.
Damages Available in Riverhead, NY Construction Accidents
Your damages in a construction accident case might be substantial, and a lot of financial compensation might be at stake. The economic costs of a construction-related injury may be off the charts. Just the medical bills alone might be more than you can afford. Many injured victims need emergency medical care, and many others need long-term treatment for especially bad injuries. Keep close track of your medical bills, as they may constitute a large portion of your overall damages.
You might also incur other costs. Construction workers regularly perform physically laborious jobs. One injury might be enough to stop them from returning to work. The longer you cannot work, the more income you might lose. Your lost income and wages should be estimated and added to your damages.
Certain non-economic damages might also represent a large sum of compensation. Construction accidents are often pretty traumatic, and injured workers might live with some emotional or psychological injuries. You might have also been deeply humiliated in front of coworkers and colleagues, causing damage to your professional reputation. These injuries are not exactly related to money, but juries may compensate them nonetheless.
Understanding Liability for Construction Accidents in Riverhead, NY
Liability for construction accidents is often complicated to figure out. In some cases, negligent employers who allow workers to work under unsafe conditions are responsible. In other cases, employers have nothing to do with the accident. You might already have a good idea of who is to blame, but you should talk about it with a lawyer before making any final decisions.
Employers, manufacturers of defective equipment, or trespassers might be liable for a construction accident, just to list a few possibilities. As said, employers may be held liable if they fail to keep the work environment safe. However, some accidents happen because of defective tools or machinery. If the faulty equipment was damaged when it arrived to you, the manufacturer might be held responsible. Still, in other cases, people who trespass on the construction site might cause damage that later causes an accident with an unsuspecting worker. We can help you determine the identities of the trespassers and hold them accountable.
Under New York’s Scaffold Law, people injured in construction-related accidents may sue those in charge of the construction site in the event of almost any gravity-related accident. Under L.A.B. Laws § 240(1), you may sue if you fall from scaffolding or if objects or debris fall and hit you. If something like this happened to you, tell your attorney right away.
Contact Our Riverhead, NY Construction Accident Lawyers for Legal Assistance
Get a private, free case evaluation from our construction accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm by calling us at (631) 910-7493.