If you get hurt while working in a construction zone, it’s important to understand what steps to take in order to receive compensation for your work-related injuries, either through traditional workers’ compensation or, failing that, civil litigation.
A serious injury likely will result in heavy-duty medical bills and potentially put you out of commission, either temporarily, long term, or, in a worst-case scenario, permanently. Even a minor injury can result in medical bills and time away from work.
Workers’ compensation (aka workers’ comp) insurance covers workers who, due to their employment, are injured, fall ill or die. Typically, injured employees who accept awarded benefits surrender their right to file a personal-injury lawsuit against their employer.
Workers’ comp should pay for medical expenses and lost wages, as well as compensate a seriously injured employee for permanent disability or disfigurement.
Types of Construction Site Injuries
In a construction zone, worker injuries can result from a variety of causes, many of which aren’t the employee’s fault. According to FindLaw.com, the most common construction zone injuries include:
• Equipment that’s mishandled
• Hazardous power tools
• Falls
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
• Negligence by property owners, general contractors, or subcontractors.
Other common injury causes include being struck by falling tools or construction materials, electrical shocks, or scaffolding that fails. Most of those mishaps may be due to negligence by someone other than the injured employee.
Construction workers should be aware of the steps to take if they’re hurt on the job.
What to Do if You’re Injured While Working Construction
• Contact Attorney Mike Warren. A personal injury lawyer who’s experienced in cases involving construction zone accidents can provide valuable legal advice, evaluate your case, and help untangle the intricacies of personal injury law. This legal help can be crucial if you’ve suffered serious injuries, your claim is denied, or, as often happens, your awarded benefits fall short of covering your injuries and loss of work.
• Immediately seek medical attention, making sure you keep all medical records and receipts from the injury. You’ll need these records whether you file for workers’ comp or pursue a personal-injury lawsuit.
• Report the injury to your supervisor, preferably in writing. Document everything. Use your camera phone to photograph anything related to the incident or factors that caused your injury and take pics of any visible injuries.
• Fill out a claim form; your employer should provide you with such a form as soon as they learn of the injury. If you neglect to fill out a form, your employer is not obliged to provide you benefits. Once you submit the form, filled out completely, your employer is required to notify the workers’ comp insurance company right away.
• File your claim ASAP. Any delays in filing can result in delayed benefits.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind that you can’t claim workers’ compensation if you suffered an injury when not at work, and it may not be an option if you aggravate a pre-existing injury while working. In these cases, if you still fill entitled to damages for a work-related injury, it’s best to consult with an experienced personal-injury lawyer.
Legal help can be especially important if the injury you suffer in a construction accident hampers your ability to work over the long term. It can be difficult for an injured worker to make that case without skilled legal counsel.
If you have been injured in a construction site accident or have questions about your legal rights concerning workers’ compensation, please contact attorney Mike Warren at the Warren Law Firm in Chillicothe. He’s got the experience and know-how to help you obtain the damages you deserve. He can offer a free case evaluation with no charges until you win your case.
This article was written by Terry Smith, a consultant working with Warren Law Firm.
In 2020, Terry left The Athens NEWS in Athens, Ohio, after editing that award-winning publication for 34 years. His columns and editorials have placed first in the Ohio News Media Association’s annual weekly newspaper awards in recent years. Before returning to Athens and his alma mater, Ohio University, in 1986, Smith reported for newspapers in Ohio, Arizona, Idaho, Colorado and West Virginia. He is currently freelance editing and writing from his home in Southern Ohio.
Featured Image by Jamie Street
References
https://www.findlaw.com/injury/workers-compensation/construction-accidents-and-workers-compensation.html
https://www.findlaw.com/injury/workers-compensation/common-construction-injury-types.html
https://www.buckeyelegal.com/ohio-workers-compensation-attorney/
