The construction profession is naturally one of the most hazardous professions in Los Angeles. Every year there are countless worker injuries and fatalities in California due to construction site accidents. Construction injuries can be some of the most agonizing and severe. Additionally, with a lengthy road to recovery, you and your loved ones might need significant compensation from those at fault. There may be a loss of income, medical bills, pain and suffering, and more. If you or a family member sustain injury in a construction accident in California, contact the Los Angeles Construction Accident Attorneys at Mendez & Sanchez for a complimentary case consultation.
What Are The Fatal Four of Construction Accidents?
Out of 4,674 employee casualties that happened across the country in 2017, nearly 1,000 of them (or roughly 20%) took place in the construction industry. To put it another way, 1 in 5 work-related deaths each year take place on a construction site. These are scary statistics and they point to a major problem when it concerns construction accident injuries and fatality.
The leading causes of worker deaths in the construction industry are:
These common causes of construction accidents and injuries are called the Fatal Four. These causes are accountable for nearly 60% of worker deaths in the construction industry.
Additionally, while not on the list of four, work zone highway accidents are also quite common. There are many safety campaigns to address this ongoing problem. Along with criminal charges, when a driver strikes a worker, there will generally be a civil claim also.
Do Construction Accidents Cause Serious Injuries Often?
In some instances, the true effects of an accident may take some time to reveal themselves. Some injuries get progressively worse as days and even weeks pass. What may seem minor while at work might in fact be a severe, possibly life-long injury. Occasionally adrenaline masks injuries or they simply take time to develop.
In other cases, a routine injury might be exacerbated or worsen throughout the course of treatment. For instance, an infection developing during or after surgery, or a greater muscle tear occurring during rehabilitation. Injured employees are protected in these events by the laws of California but they are expected to actively seek relief from their injuries. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer early can help protect your rights and allow you to recover your damages.
That being said, construction accidents can result in severe or devastating injuries, such as:
Our construction accident lawyers in Los Angeles are here to help you get compensation and we offer our services at no cost unless we win.
What Are The Top 10 Most Frequent Safety Violations at Construction Site?
The following is a list of the most frequent health and safety infractions on construction sites. These violations can result in accidents and injuries that put workers' health and lives in danger. Often these violations are discovered after an evaluation of the worksite by OSHA.
OSHA releases this type of information to help avoid injuries, illnesses, and deaths on work sites. These accidents are easy to prevent when you adhere to safety guidelines.
The 10 most common construction infractions are:.
Should You Request a Complimentary Construction Accident Case Consultation?
Under California law, an injured worker has the right to file and receive workers compensation benefits for injuries on the job.
In addition to workers' compensation benefits, an injured construction worker may also have a third-party negligence claim. The case could be against a contractor, subcontractor, equipment manufacturer, or other individual or business. There can be a third-party claim as long as the guilty party is not the employer or co-worker of the injured or deceased individual. Typically, these types of lawsuits include either general negligence in maintaining safe working conditions, or products liability for negligently maintained or manufactured equipment or vehicles.
For instance, if a construction fatality or injury is due to a crane that was built with faulty or recalled parts, the manufacturer of the crane could be liable. Here, victims can get reimbursement to pay for their injuries with a third-party lawsuit.
An additional example of a construction site injury third-party case might be: a subcontractor assembles scaffolding which another company's employee will use to perform his work. Further, the subcontractor neglects to ensure that the screws holding the scaffolding are secure, causing the scaffolding to collapse. If the worker sustains an injury in this sort of construction accident, the subcontractor can be liable for the employee's injuries. This, since the worker was not an employee of the subcontractor.
What Are the Statutes of Limitations on Construction Site Injuries in California?
According to California Law, there are time limitations from the day of the accident to file a construction negligence lawsuit. These time limits vary depending on who was responsible for your accident (like your employer or a third-party, as discussed above).
Normally, to be safe and prevent any issues, a construction injury attorney in Los Angeles will file a lawsuit within 2 years from the date of accident.
If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed as a result of a construction accident, an accident lawyer needs to be consulted as quickly as possible to evaluate your situation and to protect your rights. Your Los Angeles construction accident lawyer will investigate the cause of the accident, the extent of injuries and the accountable parties.
If the facts of your construction accident case do not call for a third-party negligence claim, you or your family still have a right to receive workers' compensation benefits.
While other firms just handle your bodily injury claim, we offer a complimentary full-service package where we will also handle your property damage for no fee!