Austin Construction Site Fall From Heights
Falling from heights is an ever-present risk at many construction sites in Austin. As a construction worker, you might frequently toil on ladders, rooftops, and steel girders tens or hundreds of feet off the ground. Without proper safety precautions and equipment, you might lose your footing and fall—sustaining severe or potentially fatal trauma.
You deserve compensation for your injuries if someone else’s negligence causes you to fall from a height at a construction site. An Austin construction site fall from heights lawyer can take the steps necessary to secure compensation for you. The experienced construction accident attorneys at Felix Gonzalez Law Firm can discuss your claim and determine your potential next steps.
Safety Lapses on Construction Sites Lead to Falls and Severe Injury
Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States, with falls from heights among the most common incidents leading to construction worker injuries. For this reason, construction employers should supply reliable safety equipment and enforce protocols on job sites to minimize the danger of falls and other incidents and ensure worker safety.
Unfortunately, not all construction businesses in Texas live up to their obligations to promote worker safety. Some fail to provide safety equipment or give their workers inadequate gear that does not protect them from fall dangers. Others neglect to follow good work site safety practices or fail to insist that other contractors do the same. Safety lapses that result in harmful or deadly falls could include:
- Supplying workers with worn-out or ineffective safety harnesses and lines
- Prioritizing speed over safety or pressing workers to meet unrealistic deadlines
- Leaving debris or tools in areas where they might cause a worker to trip and fall from a height
- Assigning job tasks that conflict with other contractor activities at a job site, resulting in fall dangers
- Demanding that workers complete jobs at heights in hazardous weather conditions, such as high winds or heavy rains
These actions and other oversights or shortcomings could endanger workers who work at heights on Austin construction sites. An experienced lawyer for victims of falls from heights can hold individuals, businesses, property owners, and entities accountable for creating those hazards.
Construction Site Fall Survivors’ Rights to Compensation
Some survivors of falls from heights at Austin construction sites might apply for workers’ compensation benefits. However, unlike most states, Texas does not require private employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, so many injured people do not have that option. If they apply, the compensation does not completely cover the damages.
Injured workers could demand compensation from the at-fault party (or parties) for creating hazardous conditions with the assistance of a knowledgeable construction accident attorney. Through an insurance claim or lawsuit, a skilled lawyer can secure money to pay for the injured person’s:
- Lost income
- Physical pain
- Medical expenses
- Emotional suffering
- Diminished quality of life
They might also file for punitive damages, which punish the at-fault party for their extreme or malicious misconduct.
Contact an Austin Attorney After Falling From a Height on a Construction Site
Potentially dangerous conditions that could cause a deadly fall from heights are common at construction sites. Construction employers and others have a duty of care to ensure safe conditions. You can pursue legal action if they fail to fulfill safety obligations, resulting in a fall at the construction site.
An Austin construction site fall from heights attorney at Felix Gonzalez Law Firm can help you seek the damages you need to recover from your injuries. Contact our team today for a free consultation to learn about your rights to compensation.
