Working at a construction site is one of the most dangerous jobs there is. Every day you are at risk of being involved in many types of accidents that could cause severe injuries that prevent you from working.
If this happens, you should consider contacting a Macon construction accident lawyer who can represent you in a workers’ compensation claim or third-party lawsuit and seek fair compensation for your damages. It is vital to have an experienced attorney because the process is complicated and it can be difficult to obtain fair compensation on your own.
The construction accident attorneys at Roden Law are well-versed in Georgia laws affecting construction accidents and know how to fight for your best interests every step of the way. We can handle every aspect of your case as we pursue fair compensation.
Your consultation with our attorneys is free and we will not charge attorneys’ fees unless you receive compensation.
Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form today.
Types of Construction Accident Claims
The Macon construction accident lawyers at our firm take cases involving a wide variety of situations, such as:
- Slip and fall accidents – These accidents have many different causes, from slippery or uneven surfaces to holes or unstable ladders or scaffolding. Workers can slip on wet surfaces, including surfaces with slick substances, like oil. Workers can trip over tools, construction materials or other objects. If a ladder is not properly secured, a worker could be climbing or standing on it and fall. People can also fall from roofs or other places that are high off the ground, which can result in severe or potentially fatal injuries.
- Electrocutions – These accidents are often caused by exposed wiring, power lines or exposed electrical work. These things are often being worked on at construction sites, which increases the risk of injury. Power tools and generators can also increase the risk of injury. Electrocution can cause severe burns if a victim is shocked for long enough.
- Falling debris accidents – Machinery, steel beams, tools, building materials and other items can fall from short or high heights and cause many personal injuries. These accidents could be caused by another worker’s carelessness or poor safety procedures at the site.
- Explosions/fires – These often occur when electrical systems are being worked on. There can also be leaking gases that are ignited by sparks.
- Trench collapses – These are extremely dangerous, as workers could be hit by machinery or tools or be buried underneath the dirt around the trench.
- Overexertion injuries – These are injuries that occur over time, rather than being caused by one incident or accident. For instance, workers could hurt their backs by doing a lot of heavy lifting.
- Machinery accidents – These often involve situations where workers are pinned against the ground or a wall or other objects by heavy machinery. Workers could also injure themselves when using jackhammers or nail guns.
- Motor vehicle accidents –Construction sites located next to roads or on highways can be extremely dangerous. Workers could be hit by cars that are passing by the site.
Types of Injuries
Workers could suffer many types of personal injuries in a construction accident, including:
- Severe burns
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Electrocution
- Respiratory issues from inhaling toxic substances
- Lacerations
- Amputations
- Severe knee injuries, like torn ligaments
- Vision impairment
Our Macon construction accident attorneys understand how severe a construction accident injury can be. We can review your situation and determine all of your options in a free legal consultation. We want to obtain the compensation you need so you can get back to work or support yourself if you are unable to work.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form today or call 1-844-RESULTS.
Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Most construction accident cases are resolved through a Macon workers’ compensation claim. Under state law, employers with three or more employees are required to purchase this type of insurance coverage.
If your workers’ compensation claim is successful, you will receive compensation for part of the wages you lost when you were unable to work because of your injury. These benefits will also cover your medical expenses and provide compensation for lost earning capacity if your injury permanently impairs your ability to do your job.
However, workers’ compensation coverage only applies to certain injuries. This includes injuries, illnesses or deaths arising out of and in the course of your employment. In other words, you are covered if you suffered an injury while performing duties that were assigned to you during work hours.
The law also imposes a deadline on reporting workers’ compensation claims. You have 30 days from the date of the accident to notify your employer, your employer’s representative, a foreman or an immediate supervisor. If you do not report an accident within those 30 days, you may forfeit your right to benefits.
However, you should always report your accident immediately. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to have trouble obtaining fair compensation for your injuries.
Our Macon construction accident lawyers can guide you through every step of the process, from filing a claim to appealing if you are denied or you receive less compensation than you deserve. We know how to investigate your situation to find additional evidence that could lead to your claim being approved.
We can also explain your rights and responsibilities throughout the process, including which doctors you can see and other steps you can take to improve your chances of obtaining fair compensation.
Our Macon construction accident lawyers will not charge you for our services unless we are successful in recovering compensation. We will only charge a small percentage of your total award. The rest is for you to treat your injuries and try to make the best physical recovery possible.
Contact our attorneys right now by calling 1-844-RESULTS.
Filing a Third-Party Claim
Workers’ compensation laws prohibit most employees from suing their employers over a workplace injury. However, there is no law prohibiting you from filing a lawsuit against a third party that played a role in your injury.
A third-party claim is a personal injury lawsuit against a third party that caused your injury through negligence. Examples of third parties that are often involved in construction accidents include:
- Manufacturers of defective tools or equipment
- Engineers
- Architects
- Subcontractors and general contractors, if they are not your employer
- Owners of the construction site
These entities can contribute to a construction accident in many ways. For example, a product manufacturer can make defective equipment that causes you to be injured. Subcontractors or general contractors in charge of a construction site or job could have poor safety protocols that lead to injury.
One of the advantages of a third-party claim is you can pursue other forms of compensation that are not available in a workers’ compensation claim, like physical and emotional pain and suffering. These claims also cover medical bills, lost wages and lost earning capacity.
However, unlike a workers’ compensation claim, our Macon construction accident attorneys must prove negligence was involved in your injury. Negligence is a failure to exercise reasonable care to prevent you from suffering an injury. In a workers’ compensation claim we simply need to prove that you suffered an injury in the course of your employment.
Our lawyers can review your situation to determine if a third-party claim is an option. We can even file this claim while helping you through the workers’ compensation process. Workers’ compensation laws do not prohibit us from pursuing a third-party claim in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.
Statute of Limitations for Third-Party Claims
The deadline for most third-party claims is established in Georgia’s personal injury statute of limitations. This statute says that lawsuits must be filed within two years of the date negligence occurred. If we do not file a claim within that time frame, we lose the right to do so. There is a separate statute of limitations for product liability claims, but it is also two years.
Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form today.
Contact a Macon Construction Accident Lawyer
If you suffered an injury at a construction site, you need skilled legal representation right away. There is a limited amount of time to file a workers’ compensation claim and the process is very complicated. A Macon construction accident attorney can explain the process, your rights and help you build a claim that might have a better chance of being approved.
Another reason to work with an attorney is that he or she may be able to file a third-party lawsuit against another entity that contributed to your injury. We are prepared to fight for all of the compensation you deserve.
Your consultation with our attorneys is free and you will not be charged for our services unless you receive compensation through a workers’ compensation claim, third-party lawsuit or both.