Hard Hats Aren't Enough - Protect Yourself with a Construction Accident Lawyer

It's no wonder that the construction industry has one of the highest injury rates for workers. Every day these building builders constantly work with dangerous machines, heavy equipment, steep ladders, and perilous scaffolding. On top of these high risk operations, sometimes workers are not trained properly, and hazardous weather conditions increase the chance of accidents. Even the most skilled of workers make mistakes from time to time, and these mistakes can have devastating consequences. The most common accidents and deaths on the job site occur due to asphyxiation, burns, electrocution, falls, and exposure to harsh chemicals. After an injury occurs on the job site, a construction accident lawyer may step in to help the injured victim.

Most workplace personal injury cases are built upon proving that an Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) regulation was violated. Construction companies must comply by federal guidelines concerning safety regulations, inspections, and job safety classes in an effort to reduce incidents in the workplace. If any OSHA rules were broken and resulted in an employee injury, in most states the employer would be considered negligent and held liable for the injuries.

The chain of command on a job site correlates directly with determining liability in case of an accident. The site's owner, the architects, engineers, equipment manufacturers, managers, and contractors are all responsible for safety on site. Most sites have a general contractor who hires subcontractors for individual tasks such as carpentry, electrical work, and plumbing jobs. Depending on the size of the job and construction company, liability can be divided legally between the site's owner and the general contractor, and between the general contractor and the subcontractors. Construction accident lawyers and courts must sift through this chain of command legally when trying to figure out which party is at fault for an accident and which party should be held responsible for injuries sustained. For most accidents where an OSHA rule was broken, the general contractor will most likely be held responsible for injuries. He is responsible for hiring competent workers and ensuring that they work with well-maintained equipment in a relatively safe environment.

Most states have enacted workers' compensation laws, requiring companies to provide worker's compensation insurance, in an effort to discourage lawsuits based on work related injuries. This compensation allows hospitalized workers earn lost wages and get the treatment they need to heal. Compensation laws vary across the States - most laws provide for short-term and long-term recovery and care from injuries or loss of a body part. Some laws provide for healing services such as physical therapy, or even training for another job that an injured employee could work instead of returning to construction jobs. For accidents where there is no one clear person or entity to blame, worker's compensation can be a viable option for an injured employee to get by.

For all those other accidents that occur due to oversight, confusion, and negligence, consult a construction accident lawyer for professional advice on getting compensation for your loss.