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Scaffold/ Ladder Accidents

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Accidents involving scaffolds or ladders represent one of the most common accidents on construction sites. Construction workers can fall off dangerous scaffolding or ladders, or objects can fall from scaffolds and ladders to strike people below. After having an accident with scaffolding or ladders on a construction site, you need experienced legal counsel to help you seek compensation for your injuries and losses. Contact Levin, Riback & Adelman today for a free initial case review with a construction accident lawyer to discuss your options for obtaining financial recovery.

Why Choose an Injury Attorney from Levin, Riback & Adelman?

A scaffolding or ladder accident can have catastrophic consequences for your health and finances. Your choice of legal counsel to help you pursue financial compensation after an accident can make a difference in your future recovery. Choose a lawyer from Levin, Riback & Adelman to guide you through the legal process and advocate for your right to recovery because:

  • Our legal team has substantial experience in civil litigation. Each of our attorneys brings their knowledge and skill to the table as we employ a collaborative approach to provide clients with comprehensive legal services and representation.
  • We handle both personal injury and workers’ compensation claims. Construction workers can turn to us for help pursuing workers’ comp benefits and personal injury claims against liable third parties like site owners or equipment manufacturers.
  • You can rest assured our firm will work hard to reduce the stress of your recovery by fighting for the financial resources you need to pay for medical bills and other expenses.

Common Causes of Scaffold or Ladder Accidents

Some of the common causes of scaffolding or ladder accidents on construction sites include:

  • Improper construction of scaffolding, including negligent assembly, inadequate bracing, or missing guardrails or toe boards
  • Overloading of scaffolding or ladders
  • Inadequate inspection and maintenance of ladders or scaffolding materials
  • Setting up scaffolding or ladders on unstable or uneven ground
  • Lack of fall protection from scaffolding, such as guardrails or fall nets
  • Defective scaffolding equipment or ladders
  • Inadequate training
  • Improper use of ladders or scaffolding, including failing to follow instructions
  • Adverse environmental conditions, such as rain, snow, ice, or high wind
  • Lack of protective gear, such as harnesses, gloves, or anti-skid protection

Injuries That Occur in Scaffold & Ladder Accidents

Accidents involving scaffolding or ladders on construction sites can lead to various kinds of potentially catastrophic injuries, such as:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Severe lacerations and permanent scarring
  • Dislocated joints
  • Ligament sprains/tears
  • Muscle or tendon strains/tears
  • Broken bones
  • Internal organ injuries or internal bleeding
  • Traumatic amputation or limb loss

Who Can You Hold Liable for a Scaffold/Ladder Accident?

Various parties may bear liability to compensate you for financial or personal losses you suffer due to injuries from a scaffolding or ladder accident. First, construction workers who get hurt on the job in scaffolding or ladder accidents can file a workers’ compensation claim with their employer to recover the financial benefits guaranteed under state workers’ comp law. A workers’ comp claim does not require you to prove that your employer bears any fault for the accident, as state law requires an employer to provide benefits regardless of fault for a worker’s accident.                    

Construction workers or other persons injured in scaffolding accidents may have an injury claim against the scaffolding contractor that assembled the scaffolding if the accident occurred due to negligent assembly, inspection, or maintenance by the contract.

You might also have a product liability claim against the manufacturer of the scaffolding system or ladder involved in your accident if the accident that injured you occurred due to a design or manufacturing defect or failure to warn.

Financial Recovery Available in Scaffold/Ladder Accident Claims

When you have gotten hurt in a scaffolding or ladder accident, your legal claims may provide you with the financial resources you need to recover from your injuries. When you file a workers’ compensation claim after a scaffolding or ladder accident at work, you may receive financial benefits such as:

  • Medical Benefits – Workers’ comp can cover the cost of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment, rehabilitation, medication, or orthopedic equipment required to treat an employee’s work-related injuries.
  • Lost Wage Benefits – Workers who miss days from work due to on-the-job injuries can receive partial reimbursement of average wages.
  • Permanent Partial Disability Benefits – When work injuries result in permanent impairments, workers can obtain financial benefits based on the nature and severity of their partial disability.
  • Permanent Total Disability Benefits – Workers who become fully disabled from work may obtain permanent financial payments equal to part of their pre-accident average wages.

If you have a personal injury claim following a scaffold or ladder accident, you may recover compensation for economic or personal losses you sustain, including for:

  • Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses
  • Costs of long-term care if injuries result in prolonged or permanent disabilities
  • Lost wages/income from missed time from work
  • Lost future earning ability when permanent disabilities prevent you from returning to the workforce
  • Physical pain and anguish
  • Emotional distress or trauma, including reduced quality of life caused by severe disabilities or visible scarring/disfigurement resulting from accident injuries

What Steps Should You Take After a Scaffold or Ladder Accident?

Taking prompt action after a scaffold or ladder accident on a construction project can preserve your legal options for seeking financial recovery for your injuries and losses. Here’s what to do:

  • Report the accident to your employer or the construction site manager as soon as possible.
  • Obtain a copy of any accident or incident reports.
  • Seek immediate medical attention to identify injuries you suffered in the accident. Tell the doctor if you got hurt on the job.
  • Follow your treating provider’s treatment recommendations and recovery instructions.
  • Obtain copies of the medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
  • Keep all bills, invoices, or receipts of expenses you incur to recover from your injuries.
  • Gather your pay stubs or income statements to help calculate lost wages if you need to take time off work.

Finally, contact an injury attorney from Levin, Riback & Adelman to discuss your options for obtaining compensation.

How Can an Attorney Help You Pursue an Injury Claim?

After a scaffolding or ladder accident on a construction site injures you, an attorney from Levin, Riback & Adelman can help you seek financial recovery for your ongoing and future losses by:

  • Thoroughly investigating the circumstances of the accident to obtain critical evidence, such as accident scene photos, surveillance footage, maintenance records, witness statements, and accident/incident reports
  • Calculating your ongoing and future losses from your accident injuries to ensure we seek maximum financial recovery for you
  • Identifying potentially liable parties and evaluating your legal options for recovering compensation or benefits
  • Filing your claims and handling negotiations or communications with insurance companies or opposing legal counsel
  • Pursuing your case as long as necessary, even when that means taking your case to formal workers’ comp hearings or court
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Contact Our Firm Today to Discuss Your Legal Options

When you’ve suffered injuries in a construction site accident involving scaffolding or ladders, get the legal advice and advocacy you need to secure financial recovery. Contact Levin, Riback & Adelman today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a knowledgeable construction accident injury lawyer to learn how our firm will fight to secure compensation and help you move forward.