Construction Site Injuries: What You Need to Know
Cities are expanding, and suburbs are growing thicker wherever we turn. It’s difficult to walk a short block without finding yourself wandering onto a construction site. Construction companies have a duty to keep their sites safe for their workers as well as any passing pedestrians. If you’ve been hurt at a construction site, you may be entitled to legal compensation from the company.
Construction Mistakes That Lead to Injuries
Falling debris from construction sites is one of the main causes of injuries to both construction workers and passing pedestrians. Let’s take a look at some of the more common mistakes that construction companies make that lead to injuries from falling debris.
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- Tools and other equipment move around construction sites frequently, so workers often leave them unsecured. Failing to secure these kinds of objects can lead to them falling and causing serious injuries to anyone down below.
Construction site equipment such as hoists and cranes with their cords and hooks are subject to harsh conditions and experience a lot of wear and tear. Failing to inspect this equipment regularly can lead to increased likelihood of malfunctions and injuries.
- Barriers must be in place to prevent pedestrians from unknowingly venturing into a construction site. Unfortunately, the barriers are commonly inadequate or absent altogether, leaving dangerous hard hat zones open to pedestrians.
- Signs should also be present letting anyone nearby know that they are about to enter a hard hat area, but these signs are also often inadequate or absent.
Making Your Personal Injury Case
When a construction worker is injured at a constructions site, their damages are generally covered under workers’ compensation. Other people such as pedestrians who are injured by falling debris at construction sites may be able to make a personal injury case against the construction company. In order to win your case and receive compensation for your losses, you must demonstrate the following three elements:
- The defendant was responsible for maintaining the safety of the construction site. This sounds pretty simple upfront, but two issues can complicate this element. The first is that it isn’t always clear who exactly is responsible for the safety of the construction site, although it should be written somewhere in their construction contract. The second issue is that there may be a discrepancy over what a safe construction site actually means. But generally, if an object falls from a construction site and hurts someone, the site probably could have been made safer somehow.
- The defendant breached this duty of safety. As we said, if you were hurt at a construction site by falling debris, the company likely failed in maintaining the site’s safety.
- This breach of safety directly caused your injuries. This element is critical in making your case. Even if you can prove that the defendant failed to keep their site safe, that doesn’t automatically mean that you win. You must demonstrate that their breach of safety directly caused your injuries.
Contact a Lawyer if You Were Hurt at a Construction Site
Whether you were hurt at a construction site in Tampa, FL, Chicago, IL or Beverly Hills, CA, the experts at Disparti Law Group are nearby to help. We have locations across the country, so contact one of our offices if you find yourself in need of legal representation.
