As violent and destructive as tearing down a building may seem, demolition work can be performed in a perfectly safe way that does not endanger anyone passing by. That said, a single reckless or careless act by a contractor, demolition company, or even a third-party supplier can very easily lead to life-changing demolition accident.
If you were hurt recently while leveling a building, you should make speaking with a Waco demolition accident lawyer about your options for financial recovery one of your top priorities. Even if your employer is a “non-subscriber” under Texas state law, you can still work with a seasoned construction injury attorney to prove this other person’s negligence was the direct and primary cause of the harm you sustained.
In most states, construction companies of a certain size are required by law to purchase and maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage for all their employees. This means they will automatically accept liability for certain losses stemming from work-related injuries but also cannot be sued directly for negligence that contributes to an on-the-job accident. However, Texas does not require any type of employer to maintain workers’ comp coverage, and instead allows companies to designate themselves as “non-subscribers” and refrain from purchasing this kind of insurance.
Anyone who works for a non-subscriber construction company or as an independent contractor in Texas cannot file a workers’ comp claim after a demolition accident. What they can do, though, is file suit directly against anyone—including their own employer—whose reckless or careless misconduct directly contributed to the accident.
Possible grounds for this kind of lawsuit range from minor mistakes like a failure to follow on-site safety protocols, to a systemic lack of safety equipment or a fundamental defect in materials or tools used to perform demolition work. A demolition accident lawyer in Waco can work diligently to determine exactly how a specific accident occurred, identify every party who may bear civil fault for it, and take proactive legal action against them on an injured worker’s behalf.
A successful demolition accident lawsuit or settlement demand can seek restitution for both economic and non-economic forms of harm, including medical bills, lost work income, physical and psychological suffering, and long-term losses like a permanent decline in working capacity. However, injured individuals only have a limited time after the accident to begin filing suit in the first place.
Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 sets a two-year filing deadline for virtually all personal injury claims, including those built around accidents on demolition sites. Working closely with an experienced demolition injury lawyer in Waco can be essential to building the strongest possible claim within this deceptively small timeframe.
Demo work does not have to be dangerous if everyone on site follows safety precautions and acts responsibly on the job. Unfortunately, not everyone involved with this kind of work fulfills the basic duty of care they owe to those around them, which sometimes leads to preventable accidents and injuries.
Thankfully, a Waco demolition accident lawyer can help you demand every cent of the restitution you deserve after getting hurt due to someone else’s misconduct. Call today to learn more.