Philadelphia Construction Site Fall Injuries
A construction site can be very dangerous, and a fall is a common accident on construction sites. In fact, falls are the leading cause of construction injury deaths. Even if a construction worker doesn’t die, they face a potentially long road to recovery and can expect to pay thousands of dollars in medical bills. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a fall at a construction site, you might qualify for financial compensation, but you must move quickly.
Common Fall Injuries
The attorneys at the Philadelphia injury law firm of The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers understand that a fall at a construction site is an accident that has the potential to result in very serious injury, such as the following:
- head injuries,
- neck injuries,
- back injuries
- spinal cord injuries
- or even death
These injuries can leave you in a lot of pain or render you temporarily immobile. In extreme cases, you might be permanently paralyzed. In order to heal or go about your daily life, you may need to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time or have help come to your home—both of which are expensive and can quickly bankrupt most people. Your spouse or grown child might need to quit work to take care of you, which can add to the financial strain on the family.
Our lawyers know that many of these construction injuries could be prevented by the adoption of safety measures and practices. You have a right to recover for all your injuries against the parties that did not take appropriate measures to ensure your safety.
Hazards At The Jobsite
There are a number of hazards that make construction sites particularly prone to falls. For example, many fall accidents are caused by the following:
- Workers are often required to work many stories above the ground on thin boards or scaffolding with no protection from falling over the edge.
- Deep holes may be left uncovered and without warning signs nearby.
- Moving or rotating equipment may accidentally knock a worker down quite a distance.
These are only some of the more common ways that construction workers fall. Everyone’s situation is different, and only a qualified construction accident lawyer can review the facts to determine what caused your fall. If the conditions which lead to construction site slip and falls could have, or should have, been prevented, then you might qualify for financial compensation.
Collect Evidence
You can recover for your injuries against any party who was responsible for inspecting the premises and correcting any dangers, but who failed to do so. However, before you can sue, you need to make sure you have sufficient evidence that the party at fault was truly negligent. Without evidence, you won’t win your lawsuit.
It is important to contact an attorney right away if you have fallen at a construction site. The nature of a construction site is that it is constantly changing, and it is important that the site is investigated, observed and photographed in the same condition that it was in when you were injured. Property owners may try to fix the dangerous condition or cover it up, or it may be eliminated on its own as part of the original construction plans. That’s why you need an attorney who will work quickly and efficiently to ensure that you have the strongest case possible so that you can fully recover for your injuries.
When you meet with the construction accident lawyers at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll request your medical records so that we understand the extent and severity of your injuries. We will also need to talk to witnesses and hear your own side of what happened. To ensure your consultation goes as smoothly as possible, you should write out your memories of the slip and fall, such as the following:
- Were you aware of the hazard before falling? For example, did you know that a crane was operating in the area or that there was a hole in the ground?
- Were any warnings posted at your job site?
- Who supervises the construction site? Were they there the day you fell? When was the last time you saw a supervisor on site?
- If you had a safety complaint, who would you contact? Have you ever made a safety complaint?
Your lawyer will find the answers to these questions very helpful in determining whether a safety lapse by a third party is responsible for your fall and subsequent injuries.
Why Should I Sue If I’m Receiving Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
The workers’ compensation system in Pennsylvania is a big help to employees. If you’re injured on the job, your employer’s insurer will pay for all necessary medical care, thus lifting possibly tens of thousands of dollars off your shoulders.
You are also entitled to a portion of your wages if you are partially or totally disabled. Even better, you don’t need to prove that your employer was negligent to receive these benefits—you get them automatically by virtue of being injured while doing your job.
However, workers’ compensation benefits don’t fully replace lost wages. Instead, you only qualify for about 67% of your average weekly wage. Even worse, you can only draw total disability benefits for a maximum of 2 years. Once your benefits are exhausted, you can’t get any more money—even if you are still injured and unable to return to work to support your family.
Ideally, you would be able to sue your employer if they were responsible for the fall. But workers’ compensation is a “no fault” system. This works to your advantage by making benefits available quickly without having to prove your employer was negligent. But on the downside, you give up your right to sue your employer in court.
Suing Third Parties
Even if you receive workers’ compensation benefits, you might be able to sue a third party if they were responsible for your fall. Depending on the circumstances, you might be able to sue:
- The jobsite owner
- The general contractor
- A subcontractor
- The manufacturer of any equipment or product that caused you to fall
There’s another benefit to suing a third party: you can’t receive non-economic damages through the workers’ compensation system. This means you can’t be compensated for any disfigurement, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, or detrimental changes to your marital relationship such as a loss of sexual intimacy. However, compensation for all of these injuries is available if you bring a successful lawsuit against a third party.
As the injured worker, you aren’t expected to know who to sue. It’s enough to contact an experienced construction accident lawyer to begin a complete case evaluation. At The Levin Firm, we’ll review the factual circumstances surrounding your fall to identify which party you can hold legally responsible for your injuries. And then we’ll start collecting evidence that shows how the defendants could have prevented your injury by being more careful or by manufacturing safer products or equipment.
Build Your Case Right Away
Representing clients who were injured in construction site falls requires a team of aggressive investigators and lawyers all devoting their maximum effort to their clients. At The Levin Firm, our Pennsylvania and New Jersey personal injury attorneys work together with a team of investigators and support staff to investigate every claim so that we may aggressively and zealously represent our clients and obtain the best possible results.
Another reason not to delay is the state’s statute of limitations, which is the window of time in which you can bring a lawsuit for your injuries. In Pennsylvania, you generally get only 2 years from the date of your accident to file suit. If you wait too long, it’s entirely possible that a judge will throw your case out of court and you will receive nothing for your injuries. Because it’s better to be safe than sorry, call the experienced lawyers at The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers so that we can advise you of your important legal rights.
Call A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Construction Accident Lawyer Today
Fall accidents can cause devastating injuries that will affect you and your family for years to come. When you need a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or New Jersey personal injury attorney to represent you, a family member or friend who has been injured in a construction site fall, contact The Levin Firm Personal Injury Lawyers, who represent every client zealously in order to obtain the best results possible in each case. Our construction accident attorneys will review your case to identify the correct person to sue. We work tirelessly to achieve the best result possible for our clients, going all the way to court if necessary. Call us today at 215-825-5183 for a fee case evaluation and consultation or send a message through our online contact form. Don’t delay.