Pittsburgh Construction Accident Lawyers

Construction workers face any number of hazards on an ordinary day at work. Some of the most common types of accidents that occur on construction sites include:

– Scaffolding and ladder falls,
– Electrocution and electric shock accidents,
– Accidents caused by dangerous equipment, such as nail gun accidents,
– Accidents caused by heavy machinery, including forklifts, cranes, backhoes and more,
– Crush accidents,
– Accidents caused by falling objects,
– Accidents caused by lack of proper safety equipment or failure to follow applicable safety regulations.

Because of the naturally dangerous conditions on a construction site, the injuries workers are often severe. You might find yourself unable to work for an extended period of time—and some injuries can keep you from returning to construction work permanently. Some common injuries caused by construction accidents include:

– Traumatic brain injuries,
– Spinal cord injuries,
– Other head and neck injuries,
– Amputations and loss of limbs,
– Internal organ damage,
– Severe burns,
– Fatalities.

Both construction workers and bystanders can be injured in construction accidents and can recover compensation for those injuries. If the accident resulted in a fatality, the family of the victim can pursue their right to compensation in a wrongful death case.

The first timeline that will impact you is the deadline for notifying your supervisor or employer that the accident occurred in order to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits—you must provide that notice within 120 days after the accident occurred. To file a personal injury lawsuit against a third-party (non-employer) who may be responsible for the accident, you must act within two years of the accident. In cases where your workers’ compensation benefits were denied, you have three years after the date of the construction accident to file a lawsuit for compensation.

Workers’ compensation benefits, while valuable, will not compensate you for the full cost of your injuries—it will cover a portion of your lost wages and your medical expenses. In some cases, however, where a third-party is responsible (or partially responsible) for the accident, you may be entitled to compensation for all lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering and other expenses that workers’ compensation isn’t designed to cover. Because we want to make sure you get the maximum compensation possible, our lawyers will investigate and explore every option to help you recover from the accident.

In addition to helping you explore options for pursuing your right to compensation via a personal injury lawsuit, the workers’ compensation process in itself can be confusing. Claims are routinely denied based upon simple mistakes in the application materials. Our lawyers can both help you complete the paperwork necessary to make a claim for workers’ compensation benefits and can also help you appeal a denial of benefits, which can occur for any number of reasons (for example, in situations where the true cause of your injuries is challenged).

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has detailed regulations designed to protect worker safety and prevent construction accidents. Failure by your employer or supervisor to properly follow these regulations can result in serious accidents and injuries.

In some cases, workers’ compensation benefits may be insufficient to cover all of your expenses. While your medical expenses should be covered, you will only receive a portion of your lost wages. Workers’ compensation also does not provide any compensation for pain and suffering. If a third-party claim is possible in your case, you might be able to recover compensation in addition to your workers’ compensation benefits.

If someone other than your employer or a co-worker caused your accident, yes. However, you may be required to reimburse workers’ compensation for some of the compensation you recover in a third-party lawsuit. In other words, you will not be able to recover compensation for the same expenses twice (although you may be entitled to additional compensation beyond what workers’ compensation provides).

Independent contractors are not entitled to recover workers’ compensation benefits because they are not technically “employees”. However, our lawyers can help explore options for filing a personal injury lawsuit for your construction accident injuries.

While you cannot sue your employer for additional compensation in most cases, depending upon the specific facts of your case, you may be able to bring a third-party lawsuit against negligent:

– Property owners,
– Contractors and subcontractors,
– Site developers,
– Engineers or architects,
– Equipment designers or manufacturers.

An experienced lawyer can conduct an independent investigation into what happened in your case. Depending upon the facts, we may:

– Work with experts to gain information about the likely cause of your accident,
– Interview witnesses,
– Evaluate the accident scene,
– Obtain and evaluate the safety records of potentially responsible parties, such as the property owner, general contractor, engineers, product manufacturers and more.
 

Accident victims are frequently unsure about whether they have the right to compensation for their injuries. Our accident lawyers have decades’ worth of experience handling construction accident cases. We will evaluate every aspect of your case to determine the best way to proceed, whether that involves making sure you are getting the full amount of your workers’ compensation benefits or filing a third-party claim for additional compensation. We offer a free case review, so there is no risk in calling to learn about your legal rights.

Most accident victims are facing increased costs and reduced income after their injury. Because of this, the injury lawyers at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. work on a contingency basis. “Contingency” fee arrangements mean that you don’t have to pay us anything up front. We recover our attorneys’ fees as a portion of the settlement award that we win in your case. For more information, call us today.

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system—meaning that you qualify for benefits even if you were totally responsible for the accident. If your case justifies a third-party lawsuit, you might still be entitled to compensation against anyone else who was partially at fault for the accident.