Construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces—injuries are very common. Here’s valuable insight from a Syracuse construction sites accidents lawyer.
The most common cause of injuries on construction sites is ignoring or failing to follow proper safety protocols. Construction is among the most dangerous industries in which to work, and those who do must be alert to how and why injuries occur.
Most Common Injuries
Aches, pains, cuts, bruises, and small fractures are the most common injuries workers experience. Most of the cases we handle involve substantial broken bones and injuries that prevent the employee from doing his or her job.
New York Laws
New York laws impose liability on owners and general contractors, but they don’t count for many of the things a worker suffers when he or she gets hurt. There are limits, and after awhile, the worker can be cut off from compensation. Depending upon the facts, one worker can be covered, and one small fact can prevent another employee from coverage.
Legal Representation
A construction accident lawyer can make the difference. Appellate courts can be inconsistent, and the manner in which they interpret rules can be confusing and challenging for the average person to understand.
Getting Compensation
Making a claim is important. You have to initiate whether the applicable statutes cover you. Be aware that there is much resistance from businesses and insurance companies regarding fair compensation. Most every case winds up on appeal.
Cases can be complicated. The duty of the construction accident lawyer is to investigate the case, know the laws involved, know what facts apply to the law, put forth a claim under the appropriate statutes, and almost always enter an appeal. There might or might not be a trial. Sometimes they settle the case, sometimes not. It can be a long and complicated process.
Among the more common injuries among construction workers are:
Falls
Workers are vulnerable to falls from ladders, roofs, scaffolding, cranes, and heights for various other reasons.
Fractures
If not properly handled or secured, bulldozers, cranes, and other equipment can strike or crush a nearby worker, inflicting fractured, broken, even crushed bones.
Scarring and Burns
Leaking pipes, hazardous chemicals, exposed wiring and other threats create the potential for fire and subsequent injuries.
Structures and Trenches
The collapse of a building that’s being demolished or trench being dug is an ever-present danger to those working inside or nearby the project.
Due to the variety and potential legal complexity of so many construction injuries, most should be discussed with a construction accident lawyer.
