Austin Construction Site Slip and Fall Accidents
An unexpected slip or trip and fall can lead to serious and long-lasting injuries, especially if it involves you falling off of an elevated surface or onto a particularly unforgiving one. These sorts of accidents tend to be particularly dangerous when they happen on active construction sites, leaving you with life-changing injuries and impacting your financial security.
Austin construction site slip and fall accidents can serve as grounds for civil lawsuits in many situations but getting a good result from these claims is far from easy. If you want a fair shot at obtaining fair financial recovery after falling and getting hurt during construction work, retaining a skilled construction accident attorney should be among your top priorities.
How Do Slips and Falls Happen on Construction Sites?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires companies that own and manage construction sites to take numerous precautions in order to reduce the risk of their employees accidentally tripping or falling on the job. Any employer who fails to act in accordance with OSHA regulations may be considered “negligent” if their failure to act is the direct cause of a workplace slip and fall injury.
Some of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents on construction sites in Austin include:
- Improperly assembled or broken scaffolding
- Lack of handrails, or improperly mounted handrails
- Lack of slip-resistant material on ramps and stairs
- Broken or irregular stairs
- Uneven walking surfaces, particularly if they are covered in loose material like gravel
- Lack of sufficient lighting
- Debris, trash, loose materials, and unsecured cords in walking paths
- Standing water or ice
- Failure to enforce safety regulations—for example, by making sure workers wear appropriate footwear
A qualified lawyer in Austin can go into further detail about what types of slipping and tripping accidents on construction sites could potentially justify civil litigation.
Holding an Employer Liable for an Accidental Fall
Under state law, employers in the construction industry are not strictly required to purchase and maintain workers’ compensation coverage for their employees, no matter how many employees they keep on payroll or what type of work those employees do. However, any company that chooses to be a “non-subscriber” leaves itself open to being held civilly liable for any on-the-job accident caused directly by their negligence.
Even if an Austin construction worker does have workers’ comp coverage, they can still potentially file suit against any third party whose negligence played a role in causing the slip and fall. For instance, when a contractor leaves an extension cord across a busy walkway, they might be responsible for causing a construction employee to trip and fall. Once again, capable legal counsel can provide more information during a private initial meeting about who might bear fault for a specific incident, and then help take action against them accordingly.
Contact an Austin Attorney for Help After a Construction Site Slip and Fall
Falls from height are among the leading causes of serious injuries related to construction work, not just in Texas but across the whole United States. If you were hurt in this work while working construction recently, understanding your legal rights could be a key first step towards getting paid fairly for the injuries and losses you have suffered.
Lawsuits built around Austin construction site slips and falls are generally much easier to handle with a knowledgeable construction injury lawyer on your side. Call today to learn more.
