Construction accidents injure or kill thousands each year. Even with the safety obligations imposed on construction companies, accidents still occur.
Due to workers compensation regulations, an injured worker often cannot sue his or her employer for injuries sustained as part of work-related activities. However, many times it can be shown that the negligence of a third party has caused the injuries, and that party can be held liable.
Fault for injury is not always straightforward. In some instances, workers may sustain injury on a construction site due, at least in part, to their own misstep, mistake, inadvertence, or incompetence. In such cases, when a worker is injured because of his/her own behavior, the injured worker is still eligible (in most states) to receive compensation through Workers Compensation. This is usual true even when the injury is the result of a condition or circumstance that it no one’s fault.
The Workers’ Compensation Acts offer benefits for workers injured at work or suffering an occupational disease as a result of and in the course of work. These benefits include weekly payments for partial, total, permanent, and total disability, loss of function and disfigurement. Workers’ Comp may also pay for medical expenses for treatment and rehabilitation related to the injury.
All of these are instances in which the employer is liable for the injury. In other instances, however, another, third party may be to blame. After a construction site accident, owners, architects, and equipment manufacturers can be considered responsible for contributions to inadequate safety. All contractors, general and sub-, are explicitly responsible for ensuring a “reasonably safe site.” This includes warning of inherent hazards in the site and work, hiring competent employees, coordinating safety on the job, and supervising compliance with safety specifications.
Construction equipment manufacturers may also be responsible for site safety in that they are liable for designing and maintaining safe products. Construction equipment, even when functioning properly, can be extremely dangerous, and defective or malfunctioning equipment is far worse.
Our experienced construction accident attorneys in Plantation, Florida have experience handling a variety of construction accident cases. Contact Fenster & Cohen P.A. today by calling (954) 473-1500 or (877) 845-8989 or contacting us online for your free initial consultation. Our construction accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we only charge for our services if we win or settle your case. Ensure that you do not reach the statute of limitations for your construction accident and call us right away.
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