Orange County Construction Accident Attorney

Every year, thousands of construction workers and innocent bystanders suffer serious injuries or even lose their lives in construction accidents. Despite federal and state laws that regulate safety on construction sites, these life-changing accidents happen far too often. Construction accidents can involve a variety of dangers, such as collapses from faulty structures, electrocution, chemical exposure, falls, explosions, fires, falling objects, and defective machinery or equipment.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a construction accident, you need to seek the counsel of a skilled and trusted Orange County personal injury attorney. You may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Please contact Aitken * Aitken * Cohn today to speak with one of our highly respected Orange County construction accident lawyers FREE of charge.

Construction Accident Causes

A lot can go wrong on a construction site. Common causes of job-site accidents include:

  • Insufficient or inadequate training for workers
  • Not having enough workers on site
  • Negligence or wrongdoing by contractors, equipment suppliers, product manufacturers, or other third parties
  • Substance abuse on the job
  • Defective, damaged or worn-out materials, tools, equipment or machinery

To prevent construction accidents, construction companies are legally required to inspect all worksites and ensure they comply with safety regulations and premises liability laws. Additionally, manufacturers of construction tools and equipment must ensure their products are not damaged or defective. When these regulations are ignored, accidents can happen, leading to serious consequences for workers and unsuspecting bystanders alike.

Construction Accident Statistics

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were approximately 2.8 million non-fatal injuries or illnesses reported during the latest year in the US. Many of those were in the construction industry. The BLS states that construction had 3.1 recordable incidents per 100 workers, making this one of the most dangerous occupations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that 20% of all workplace fatalities during the latest reporting year were in the construction industry. The most common causes of fatalities in construction include:

  • Falls (39.2%)
  • Getting struck by an object (8.2%)
  • Electrocutions (7.3%)
  • Getting caught in between objects (5.1%)

Most common construction accident injuries

There are many causes of construction accidents, but what are the most common construction accident injuries?

When most people think of construction accident injuries, they think of traumatic injuries. It is true that many construction injuries include the following:

However, workers in the construction industry are regularly exposed to hazardous materials or forced to perform the same motions over and over again for long periods of time. This leads to many workplace injuries and illnesses developing over the course of months or years, including:

  • Hearing and vision loss
  • Respiratory problems or other chronic illnesses
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Cancers (i.e. exposure to asbestos, silica, etc.)

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What Type of Compensation Are You Entitled To?

Injured workers should always be able to rely on workers’ compensation to cover their needs. In California, the workers’ compensation system is no-fault, meaning it doesn’t matter whether you or your employer caused the injury—you’re still entitled to compensation.

Workers’ compensation insurance should cover all medical expenses related to your work injury, as well as a portion of your lost wages.

What if The Construction Accident Was Caused By a Third Party?

In the construction industry, it’s common for a company to hire third-party contractors. For instance, a company might oversee the overall site work but bring in specialists for tasks like electrical work, plumbing, or drainage.

If a worker is injured because of a third-party contractor’s actions, they may be able to pursue compensation beyond what workers’ compensation provides. This could include damages for pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages against the responsible party.

If the Injury Was Caused by a Defective Product

If a construction worker is injured because a tool or other product was defective, they may be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the tool. This could result in more compensation than they would gain through a workers’ compensation claim.

Non-Worker Construction Accident Injuries

Construction sites can be dangerous not just for workers, but for others nearby as well. Falling debris, for example, is a common cause of injuries to pedestrians around active construction zones. Construction companies are responsible for taking appropriate safety measures, just as any other contractor would in a similar situation.

When construction companies or contractors fail to protect the public from foreseeable dangers or neglect to warn people of known risks, they can be held liable for any injuries or damages caused. In such cases, an injured bystander may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent construction company or contractor.

Contact our Orange County Construction Accident Lawyer for Legal Help

If you or a loved one has suffered injury or death in a construction accident, you may be eligible to recover your damages including medical costs, lost income or earning capacity, pain and suffering and more. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, a product manufacturer, construction company, or other negligent third parties could be held accountable for your losses. Please contact us today for a no-cost consultation with a proven personal injury attorney who can inform you of your options and aggressively pursue your legal rights and interests.