In America, one profession more than any other has a danger attached to it like no other – that of the construction worker; giving them a greater risk of serious injury than any other occupation. The number of accidents that occur on construction sites has forced New York State to act and issue new legislation; as a consequence there has been an increase in the number of accident lawyers practicing. Accidents where workers fall are not only the most prevalent but the most feared; every accident or injury on a site has the potential to be lethal.
If you are injured, the first thing you need to do is document what happened and the conditions that caused it. In this sense, a construction site injury is much like any other. This will increase your chances of a successful compensation claim as it is easy to pick holes in an incomplete record of events.
Working as part of a team, injured men want to be assured that witnesses to the accident have made statements. Other factors such as weather conditions and the types of machinery being used are also necessary. Write down every aspect of the event as your accident lawyer will need all that information and it will help them build you a stronger case!
Compensation Claims
The next thing to do is to get a good lawyer and in these cases, you want someone who has experience with accident law. Start by sourcing a firm who specializes in compensation claims, then you will get better results. In most instances, accidents are not the fault of the injured person but that does not mean that the people responsible will not defend the issue. You could be making a very costly mistake by not hiring a good quality accident lawyer.
Currently the law does not allow workers to make a compensation claim for negligence against their employer so many would-be claims are never filed. Other people or companies however, can be accountable for accidents on a construction site and can be prosecuted. The law does allow claims to be made against other companies involved in the construction industry. Third partied involved could be suppliers and manufacturers of equipment used on site on the site as well as people who own the property and even those who own the site.
New York State made a bold move when it developed laws to protect construction workers, they made it known that claims will be made against contractors and property owners who do not keep their sites safe. Workers injured as a result of unsafe equipment supplied by subcontractors will also be able to make a claim with these new laws. Manufacturers that supply faulty equipment are especially at risk from a successful claim by your accident lawyer.
The very best thing you could do is find a law firm who specializes in personal injuries and who has experience with construction site lawsuits. Ideally you will need someone who is familiar with the laws in place strictly for construction site injuries.