Even with improved safety protocols and enhanced protection, workers in the private construction industry continue to suffer serious construction accidents every year. Many of those accidents leave them with permanent disabilities and, in some cases, fatalities that place significant burdens on their family. Workers’ compensation claims can help injured construction workers recover some losses. However, those claims are rarely, if ever, sufficient to replace all the losses experienced by injured workers and their families.
For over 25 years, the Los Angeles construction accident attorneys at Salamati Law Firm have represented construction workers in personal injury lawsuits against contractors, equipment manufacturers, owners, and other negligent parties. Our goal is to help injured employees get the maximum compensation they deserve from all liable parties. Schedule a free consultation today.
What Should a Construction Worker Do After Suffering an Injury?
The success of a construction accident personal injury lawsuit often depends on how well the facts establish the liability of a negligent party. An attorney will conduct a thorough investigation of the accident. The relevant facts will be more easily determined if the injured worker does the following:
- Promptly seeks and receives medical attention for injuries
- Reports the accident to their employer and immediate supervisor
- Collects and retains names and contact information of witnesses to the accident
- Retains copies of pay stubs, medical reports, bills, and other receipts and documentation referring to the accident and financial costs and burdens associated with it
- Promptly contact an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.
Under California law, injured accident victims must file their personal injury lawsuits within two years of the date of the accident. Because important evidence may be lost or erased and witnesses could be difficult to find, the injured worker should contact a lawyer as soon as possible for the most effective investigation of how the accident occurred and who might be liable. get the justice you deserve by arranging a complimentary case review with Salamati Law.
What Are Some Typical Injuries in California Construction Accidents?
Workers who are hurt in California construction accidents may face disabling injuries that keep them hospitalized and out of work for weeks, if not longer. Our construction accident attorneys at Salamati Law have helped injured workers recover substantial damages awards for accidents resulting in:
- Electrocution burns
- Loss of limbs
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord injury
- Head trauma
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Neurological damage
- Crush injuries
- Loss of vision
The damages you might recover in a California construction accident lawsuit will depend on the injuries you suffered and other facts specific to your case.
How Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Establish Liability in a California Construction Accident?
In every California construction accident case, a lawyer will establish liability by:
- Defining the duty of care that a party owes to the construction worker, for example, to supply safe products or machinery in an environment that does not expose the worker to excessive risks.
- Using evidence from an investigation to show how the negligent party breached that duty.
- Explaining how the breach was the direct and proximate cause of the construction worker’s injuries.
- Demonstrating that the injured worker suffered financial hardships due to their injuries.
At a construction site, those parties might include:
- The general contractor who is responsible for ensuring that subcontractors follow safety regulations.
- Subcontractors on the construction site who owe a duty of care to other subcontractors and material deliverymen.
- Engineers and architects who are charged with ensuring soil and site integrity.
- Manufacturers of tools or construction equipment whose products require industry-standard safety guards and who are obligated to warn about known risks presented by that equipment.
- Property owners who are obligated to remediate or warn about unsafe features at a construction site.
A construction accident attorney in Los Angeles will use the facts and information established during the investigation to determine the extent of each party’s liability. That attorney will then file a personal injury lawsuit naming all liable parties as joint defendants.
How Can a California Construction Accident Lawyer Help in Negotiations with Liability Insurers?
A Los Angeles construction accident attorney will establish a strong and compelling narrative demonstrating a party’s negligence and liability for an injured construction worker’s losses. The negligent party’s insurance carrier will often offer to settle the claims rather than allow the case to go before a jury. Liability insurers hire teams of lawyers who handle hundreds of cases every year and are charged with settling each case for the lowest possible payout.
An experienced construction accident lawyer will fight for a substantially larger settlement amount that accounts for all actual and prospective damages, such as:
- Current and future hospital and medical bills associated with the treatment of injuries
- Lost wages for the entire time when injuries keep a worker from their trade
- Physical therapy expenses
- Rehabilitation treatment
- Compensation for partial or permanent disability
- Reimbursements for special medical equipment
- In-home nursing care
- Loss of future earning capacity
What Challenges Will a Construction Accident Lawyer Face in Recovering Maximum Damages for an Injured Worker?
Construction in Southern California is an evolving industry that frequently implements new equipment and techniques, new building designs, and site-specific challenges. The most trusted Los Angeles construction accident lawyers stay abreast of these changes to understand how they contribute to accidents.
For example, federal and state law mandates that every construction worker be trained in proper equipment use and construction technique protocol and provided with adequate safety equipment and fall protection to prevent accidental injury or death. Failure to implement proper safety training can lead to scaffolding accidents, forklift injuries, electrical burns, and severe injuries from falling debris.
The construction accident attorneys at the Salamati Law Firm have handled claims for these injuries and many others in state and federal courts. Our lawyers aggressively pursue the recovery of maximum damages awards from all negligent parties in all types of construction accident cases, including those involving:
- Electrocution/burns
- Falling from extreme heights
- Trench collapses
- Forklift accidents
- Injuries from being struck by heavy machinery
- Losses associated with falling objects or debris
- Crane accidents
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
Call Salamati Law for a Free Consultation
For unrivaled legal representation by results-driven attorneys, call our Los Angeles offices to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your construction accident and the damages you may be entitled to recover. As a leading Los Angeles personal injury law firm, we have a proven record of securing large settlements and verdicts in complex construction accident cases, some involving catastrophic injury and multiple liable parties.
If you have suffered serious injuries in a construction accident in Southern California, our team at Salamati Law has the experience, resources, and knowledge to fight for maximum compensation. Since we work on a contingency fee basis, you will not pay attorney’s fees unless we win compensation for your injuries. Se habla español.
Los Angeles Construction Accident Law Blog
- 3 Construction Fall Hazards
- 4 Little-Known Construction Site Injuries
- 3 Exciting New Building Projects in Los Angeles
Additional Resources on Construction Accidents:
- LA Times, L.A. jury awards $27 million to family of construction worker who died http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-jury-award-workers-atlas-20160729-snap-story.html
- LA Times, Construction worker falls into well and dies http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-worker-dies-in-well-20161021-snap-story.html
- OSHA – Scaffolding https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/scaffolding/
