Waco Construction Site Slips and Falls
While accidental falls anywhere can lead to serious and long-lasting injuries, these kinds of accidents can be especially dangerous when they happen on active construction sites. Even with hard hats and other safety equipment on, someone who slips or trips into a hard surface or off of an elevated one while performing construction work is very likely to suffer a severe injury that keeps them out of work for a long time, costs a lot of money to treat—and worst of all, may not be covered by any sort of workers’ compensation plan.
Fortunately, even if your employer does not subscribe to the state’s workers’ compensation law, you may still be able to hold them financially liable for a Waco construction site slip and fall through third-party litigation. A capable construction injury attorney can guide you through each step of this process and work diligently on your behalf to achieve the best possible resolution to your unique claim.
How Do Slips and Falls Happen on Construction Sites?
Common slipping and tripping hazards like unsecured electrical cords, puddles of standing ice and patches of untreated ice, and clutter in walkways certainly cause their fair share of slip and fall accidents on construction sites in and around Waco. However, the single most significant source of these sorts of accidents is a construction company’s failure to ensure their workers are reasonably protected from these and all other dangerous working conditions.
For example, when a construction worker is performing a job-related task at an elevated height, their employer has a duty to provide them with sufficient fall protection in the form of safety equipment like harnesses, guardrails, and nets. In fact, OSHA has established strict regulations that construction companies are expected to follow regardless of whether they “subscribe” to workers’ comp coverage or not.
Even if an employer provides safety equipment and follows recommended safety practices, that may not be enough for them to avoid liability for a slip and fall. For instance, if the protective gear provided to workers is of poor quality or has not been maintained properly, it may not serve its intended purpose when called upon, which could lead to a catastrophic fall. In these circumstances, a tenacious lawyer can help demonstrate inadequate safety materials led to a construction fall.
Holding a Construction Employer Liable for Damages
A non-subscriber construction company in Waco that fails to provide a reasonably safe workplace with minimal risk of slips and falls may still be considered legally negligent if their misconduct directly leads to a worker suffering a preventable injury. An employer found “negligent” in this way may be liable for both economic and non-economic consequences of the accident, including:
- All past and future medical bills
- Lost work wages and/or future working capacity
- Physical pain from injuries
- Psychological trauma and emotional suffering
- Lost overall quality of life
A qualified lawyer can discuss what damages might be recoverable in a particular situation during an initial consultation.
Speak with a Waco Attorney About a Construction Site Slip and Fall Claim
Getting hurt from slipping or tripping and falling during construction work can be immensely disruptive to both your professional and personal life. However, if you can prove your accident only happened because of your employer’s negligence, you can likely hold your employer liable for their misconduct through a third-party lawsuit, even if you do not have workers’ comp coverage.
Civil claims built around Waco construction site slips and falls are much easier to handle with a knowledgeable construction accident lawyer on your side. Call today to learn more.
