Accidents at work are not uncommon, especially in the field of construction. The construction industry is very dangerous, and various parties might be liable for accidents and injuries on the job.
Various accidents and injuries are possible on a construction site. Common accidents include falls from ladders or scaffolding, workers caught between heavy equipment, electric shocks or burns, and more. You might have several legal options after being hurt in a construction accident. Subcontractors are often covered by Workers’ Compensation laws in Georgia, although independent contractors are not. If you are not covered, you can file a lawsuit against the person who hired you. An attorney can help you assess your legal options and decide what works best for your case. They can also help you determine who should be held liable and the value of your damages.
If you were injured on a construction site, various people might be liable, and our legal team can help you figure out how to get compensation. Call our Macon, GA construction accident and injury lawyers for a free case review. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for help now.
Typical Construction Accidents and Injuries in Macon, GA
Construction sites are inherently dangerous, and accidents are far more common than people realize. While bumps and bruises are a normal part of the job, certain accidents should be prevented by employers or whoever is in charge of the construction project. Our Macon, GA construction accident and injury attorneys can help you take legal action if you are hurt.
Falls are one of the most common construction accidents. Workers frequently work from great heights, including on ladders or high scaffolding. Workers are often very badly injured and might suffer broken bones, injured backs, or even death if the fall is particularly high.
Caught-betweens are common accidents that happen when workers are caught in-between heavy equipment or machinery. For example, a caught-between happens when a worker is pinned to the wall by a forklift. These are very severe accidents, and workers are sometimes crushed to death or suffer catastrophic injuries.
Shocks or burns are also common construction site accidents, especially if workers are laying electrical wiring or working with electrical equipment. The accident might be caused by faulty equipment or bad wiring. Shocks and burns might also happen if another worker turns on the power to exposed wiring without telling anyone.
Equipment malfunctions can happen if tools or machinery are damaged, defective, or poorly designed. Often, unsuspecting workers are injured when the tool or machinery malfunctions, even though the worker is doing everything right. In such cases, the manufacturer of the tool or machinery might be liable.
Legal Options for Injured Construction Workers in Macon, GA
Responsible employers and construction site managers should account for and prevent construction accidents. When workers are injured, it means someone failed to do their job. As such, injured construction workers might have several legal options for pursuing compensation for their injuries. Our Macon, GA construction accident and injury lawyers can help you explore these options and decide what works best for you.
Workers’ Compensation
Under Georgia law, injured employees are covered by their employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance. The law requires that any employer with at least 3 employees have Workers’ Compensation insurance, and employees are covered starting their first day of employment. One significant caveat of Workers’ Compensation claims is that injured workers are barred from suing their employers.
Independent contractors are not legally considered employees and are therefore not covered by Workers’ Compensation. The construction industry is full of independent contractors who might be unable to file a Workers’ Compensation claim after an injury. However, the law carves out rules for subcontractors, and many construction subcontractors must be covered by their employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
If Workers’ Compensation does not cover you, or your employer does not carry the necessary insurance, you can file a personal injury lawsuit to claim damages for your injuries. There might be various other ways to get around the Workers’ Compensation laws and sue your employer. For example, workers who were hurt by their employers deliberately can often sue rather than file a Workers’ Compensation claim.
When filing a lawsuit against your employer or another liable party, we must gather evidence and calculate damages. Evidence often comes directly from the accident scene and might include defective tools, security camera footage, witness testimony, and medical records.
Personal injury lawsuits often yield greater damages than Workers’ Compensation claims because lawsuits allow plaintiffs to recover non-economic damages. Calculating both economic and non-economic damages might be difficult, and a lawyer can help you make sure all expenses, losses, and injuries are accounted for.
Who is Liable for a Construction Accident in Macon, GA?
Numerous parties might play a role in a construction accident, and any number of them might be liable for your injuries. Determining who should be held liable is often a difficult question to answer, and our Macon, GA construction accident and injury attorneys can help you.
As discussed above, your employer on the construction site might be liable for your accident and injuries. Employers have a big responsibility to make sure the construction site is safe for workers. Safety violations like a lack of protective gear or damaged equipment might indicate a failure on the employer’s part.
In many other cases, a third party might be liable. For example, when tools or equipment are damaged and defective, the manufacturer of the goods might be to blame. Usually, workers and employees must be unaware of the defect and use the product for its intended purpose while following safety instructions. Defective equipment might cause severe injuries, and the manufacturer should be held liable.
Call Our Macon, GA Construction Accident and Injury Lawyers for Help Now
If you are a construction worker who was injured on the job, our Macon, GA construction accident and injury lawyers can help you get financial compensation. Many injured workers cannot return to work and need compensation to make ends meet. For a free case review, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
