While safety regulations and protective equipment can go a long way towards reducing the risk of injury on construction sites, working in the construction industry is still an especially dangerous career path in terms of the frequency of work-related injuries. That risk can get exponentially greater if anyone on site fails to act reasonably and responsibly. Unfortunately, many Leander residents get hurt each year in preventable construction incidents.
If negligence by another worker, a contractor, a supplier, or even a site visitor led to you getting hurt while doing construction work, you should consider contacting a workplace injury attorney sooner rather than later. A seasoned Leander construction accident lawyer can help you establish who might bear legal fault for your injuries, valuate all your compensable losses, and demand fair restitution through private settlement negotiations or a lawsuit in civil court.
Various dangerous actions and circumstances can lead to someone getting hurt while performing construction work, including:
When it comes to civil litigation, though, the specific way a construction accident happens is not as important as whether it constitutes legally actionable negligence. In short, someone cannot be held liable for a construction-related injury just because they or one of their employees were involved in the incident.
As a Leander construction accident attorney can explain, a potential defendant must also have acted in a reckless or careless way contrary to a “duty of care” they held, which required them to act responsibly around the person who got injured. Anyone from a contractor to a manufacturing company to even an injured worker’s direct employer—if that employer does not provide them with workers’ compensation insurance coverage—could be liable for a construction injury in this way.
An injured employee can use a third-party lawsuit or settlement demand to seek compensation for the economic and non-economic impact of a construction accident, which allows for significantly greater recovery than what might be possible through a workers’ comp claim alone. In addition to short-term and long-term medical expenses, a civil claim could demand restitution for the full value of lost work income as well as lost future earning capacity.
On the non-economic side of things, a comprehensive claim could account for both physical and psychological pain and suffering, plus lost consortium and lost overall quality of life. Strict filing deadlines apply to this sort of claim under state law though, so contacting and retaining a skilled lawyer quickly after a construction accident in Leander can be vital to preserving a worker’s long-term best interests.
Construction accidents happen with surprising and unfortunate frequency around Texas, and many of them cause life-altering harm. In situations like this, a third-party lawsuit or settlement demand might be your best way to protect your future prospects, regardless of whether you have access to worker’s comp coverage or not.
If you were hurt at your construction job or while visiting a construction site, you may have a right to pursue civil litigation. A capable Leander construction accident lawyer can help you take full advantage of your legal rights, so call today to discuss your options.