There are several common causes of construction site accidents, and if you are considering hiring a personal injury lawyer, make sure they understand these causes and how to deal with them in a claim. There are thousands of construction sites, and hundreds of thousands construction workers, in the U.S. - and unfortunately, that means a lot of construction accidents.
Here are some of the common causes of these injuries:
1. Slip and falls, often caused by unsafe working conditions.
2. Falling on stairwells, when stairs are installed incorrectly or there are not handrails.
3. Stepladders, which can tip over or even collapse.
4. Falls from roofs, when no fall protection or lifelines are provided.
5. Failure to follow state safety regulations for scaffolding, which can collapse.
6. Trenches and excavation walls collapsing when not installed correctly.
7. Power tool accidents, esp. when eye and ear protection are not worn.
8. Lifting improperly, with back muscles instead of legs.
9. Dump trucks, forklifts, and other vehicles.
While construction injuries are often covered by worker's compensation claims, it is often possible that a personal injury claim could be filed as well for third party liability. For example, if a worker is injured because a tool is defective, there may be a product liability claim against the tool manufacturer. Or, if a worker is injured in an accident while driving a company truck, if another driver is responsible for the accident, the worker may be able to get both workers' compensation and personal injury claim benefits.
