Falls and Injuries on Construction Sites
If you’ve fallen and been injured on a construction site in the Chicago area, you could be entitled to compensation. Don’t wait to speak to a construction site accident attorney about your options for financial recovery. Contact Levin, Riback & Adelman for a free initial case evaluation with our legal team to learn how we can fight for the money you need to move forward with your life. By texting us at 312-782-6717 you will immediately be in contact with an attorney knowledgeable in construction site accidents.
Why Choose an Attorney from Levin, Riback & Adelman?
A fall on a construction site can leave you in pain, out of work, with thousands of dollars of medical expenses, and wondering what to do next. Turn to the legal team at Levin, Riback & Adelman to guide you through the legal process because:
- We have been protecting the rights of the seriously injured since 1956. We know what’s at stake for you, and we have a reputation for delivering the results our clients deserve when injured on a construction site.
- Our attorneys have extensive experience in civil litigation. We combine our knowledge and skills through a collaborative approach to provide clients with comprehensive legal representation. We have received millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of injured construction workers
- Our firm handles both personal injury and workers’ comp claims to help construction workers obtain the full range of compensation they deserve.
- We work tirelessly to reduce the stress of your recovery and will not charge you any fees unless we win your case.
Common Causes of Falls on Construction Sites
Construction workers and other individuals may suffer fall accidents on construction sites due to various hazards or causes, such as:
- Unprotected edges of roofs, or floor/wall openings
- Improperly constructed or maintained scaffolding
- Defective or improperly used ladders
- Failure to provide fall protection when working on a roof or scaffold
- Lack of fall arresting systems, such as harnesses or fall nets
- Inadequate supervision
- Lack of safety training
- Failure to adhere to OSHA standards
- Workplace explosions
- Falling debris from above
- Spills of slippery substances like oil or other lubricants
- Wet floors due to water spills, rain, or snow
- Debris on walking paths
- Cords or wires strewn across walking paths
- Cluttered walkways or blocked passages
- Inadequate lighting
- Adverse weather, including rain, snow, ice, or high winds
Common Construction Site Fall Injuries
A fall on a construction site, such as a slip/trip and fall accident or a fall from height, can cause severe injuries such as:
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Severe lacerations
- Dislocated joints
- Fractured bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Ligament sprains or tears
- Internal organ injuries
Legal Options for Recovering Compensation After a Construction Site Fall
As someone who fell on a construction site in Illinois, you may have multiple paths for pursuing compensation for your injuries. First, you may have the right to file a worker’s compensation claim with your employer. The workers’ compensation law makes employers strictly liable to provide defined financial benefits to workers who suffer injuries in the course and scope of their employment. Thus, you could be entitled to workers’ comp benefits regardless of whether your employer bears any fault for your fall.
As a construction worker, you may also have a third party personal injury claim, in addition to your worker’s comp claim, if your fall occurred due to a third party’s negligence. For example, if you fell due to defective scaffolding, you may be entitled to sue the general contractor, the subcontractor that set up the scaffolding or some other defendant. If you fell as a result of using a ladder, the general contactor may have violated OSHA by failing to use a mechanical lift and/or scaffold to make your work environment safe and free from fall hazards. It is possible that the general contractor failed to provide appropriate safety devices to reduce your chances of falling. Additionally, you could have a claim against an independent contractor or a site owner whose negligent conduct led to your injury.
What Steps Should You Take After Falling on a Construction Site?
Here are some critical steps to take to protect your legal rights after a fall on a construction site:
- Report the accident to your foreman, the construction site manager and/or owner as soon as possible. Be sure to request a copy of any accident/incident report written by your employer, construction site manager or owner.
- Seek prompt medical attention to diagnose and treat any injuries you suffered in the fall. If you fell while working on a construction site, tell the doctor that you were injured while at work.
- Follow the treatment recommendations and recovery instructions from the doctor and request copies of the medical records of your fall injury treatment and rehabilitation.
- Keep copies of your bills, invoices, or receipts for medical or disability care expenses. Gather your pay stubs/income statements if you need to miss time from work.
Finally, contact an injury lawyer from Levin, Riback & Adelman as soon as possible to discuss the details of your accident and learn more about your legal options text an attorney at 312-782-6717.
Financial Recovery Available in Construction Site Fall Claims
The compensation you could recover after a fall or other type of injury on a construction site will depend on the type of claim available for you. For example, workers’ compensation can provide you with the following benefits:
- Medical benefits: Workers’ compensation can cover the cost of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment, rehabilitation, medications, and orthopedic equipment to treat injuries sustained in a work-related construction site fall.
- Lost wage benefits: Injured workers can obtain two-thirds reimbursement of the average wages for days they miss from work after missing more than three days.
- Permanent partial disability benefits: When construction fall injuries result in permanent impairments but not total disability, a worker may receive financial payments based on the nature and severity of their impairment.
- Permanent total disability benefits: A worker who becomes totally disabled from working due to on-the-job injuries may receive lifetime disability payments equal to two-thirds of their pre-accident average weekly wages.
Construction site fall victims who have third party personal injury claims can also recover compensation for various financial and personal losses arising from their injuries, including for:
- Costs of medical treatment
- Costs of long-term disability care, such as home health services or renovations to install disability accommodations
- Lost wages/income from missed time from work
- Lost future earning capacity because of prolonged or permanent disabilities
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma or distress
- Lost quality of life caused by severe disabilities, scarring, or disfigurement from accident injuries
How Can Our Firm Help Your Case?
Don’t face the aftermath of a serious fall or injury at a construction site alone. Instead, get help from the legal team at Levin, Riback & Adelman. We can guide you through the financial recovery process by:
- Investigating the accident to recover critical evidence, such as accident scene photos or videos, surveillance footage, witness statements, and accident/incident reports
- Reviewing the facts and circumstances to identify potentially liable parties and evaluate your legal claims
- Documenting your injuries and losses to determine what compensation you are entitled to
- Preparing and filing your legal claims on your behalf while you focus on healing and getting better
- Pursuing every avenue to get you maximum compensation for your harm and loss, including by attending formal workers’ comp hearings or taking injury claims to court as necessary
