If you or a loved one were hurt in a construction accident, you may be facing steep medical bills that place a significant financial strain on your family. The cost of doctor’s visits, imaging tests, surgery, medication, and other medical needs can exacerbate the financial burden created by being out of work.

Depending on the circumstances of a construction accident, an injured worker may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other costs resulting from the accident. Some injured workers are also entitled to compensation for non-financial harm including their physical pain and emotional suffering.

Determining the Liable Party in a Construction Accident

Construction sites are full of potentially deadly hazards. Although a number of laws regulate construction site safety, accidents still occur. When a worker is injured in a fall accident, machinery accident, trench collapse, explosion, or another type of construction accident, the results can be life-changing.

Construction sites can be dangerous places due to the use of large, heavy equipment and materials and multiple people performing different tasks at once. When working in one of these areas, it is important to follow the proper safety procedures. However, even if employers and workers take precautions, construction accidents can still occur due to defective tools or equipment. People who have been injured because these types of items did not function properly may be able to pursue a product liability lawsuit against a manufacturer or a company that did not follow the correct practices when performing maintenance.

Common Issues with Defective Tools

While any tool that fails can present hazards, some types of tools are more likely to cause serious injuries when they malfunction. These include:

• Ladders and scaffolding - When these items break, those who are using them can suffer fall injuries, which may include traumatic brain injuries, spine injuries, or broken bones. Hand tools or materials that fall from defective ladders or scaffolds can also injure the people walking or working below.
• Fall prevention equipment - Harnesses, safety straps, or safety nets may be used to protect those who are working in high places. Other types of safety devices, such as protective railings or barriers, may prevent people from falling in holes or off the edges of a roof or upper floor. If these devices break or otherwise fail, they may be unable to prevent dangerous fall injuries.
• Power tools - Electrical equipment such as drills or nail guns can cause electrocution injuries or fires if they are not wired properly. In some cases, defects in these tools can send projectiles flying that can cause injuries to the tool’s user or others working nearby.
• Heavy equipment - Defects in large pieces of equipment, such as cranes, excavators, or cement mixers, may cause drivers or operators to lose control and roll over a person or strike someone with moving parts. Parts failure could also cause these pieces of equipment to tip over and crush workers or damage the structure of a building, leading to further injuries.

Contact Our Aurora Construction Accident Lawyers

If you have been injured while working at a construction site, the lawyers of Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. can investigate your case and determine whether defective tools or equipment were to blame. In addition to helping you file a workers’ compensation claim, we will make sure you understand your options for pursuing a third-party product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of defective equipment. To learn more about how we can help with your case, contact our Kane County construction site injury attorneys at 630-907-0909 and schedule a free consultation today.

While injuries at the workplace can occur in any industry, it should come as no surprise that construction workers face an increased risk of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. Tragically, more than 1,000 construction workers were fatally injured while at work, throughout 2018 alone. In all, construction site accidents constituted 47% of all workplace fatalities throughout 2018. Equally concerning is the fact that non-fatal injury rates are 71% higher in the construction industry than any other industry in the United States. If you or a loved one have suffered an injury in a construction accident, it is time to seek out the help of a qualified attorney.

Causes of Injuries

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly 3 out of every 10 non-fatal construction injuries are caused by slip, trips, or falls. In many cases, these accidents can be due to employer negligence. If slippery surfaces are not properly marked by an employer, they can be deemed liable for injuries suffered. If employees are not properly equipped with safety equipment and protective gear while working on a roof or on a multi-story building, injuries suffered can also be viewed as a result of employer negligence. Regardless of how the injury occurred, if you or a loved one suffer an injury while working at a construction site, you may be entitled to significant compensation.

The Most Common Construction Injuries

In the construction industry, some of the most common injuries include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and injuries to the spine. If a person suffers a serious fall, injuries to the ribs or limbs can result in loss of work hours, and costly medical expenses. Even more concerning are the long term ramifications of suffering brain trauma or an injury to the spine. A serious concussion can leave a person unable to return to work for significant amounts of time. Tragically, some forms of brain trauma can result in permanent cognitive damage. Spinal injuries can range from minor whiplash to spinal fractures resulting in paralysis. In the aftermath of a construction injury, seek immediate medical attention.

In a national job market, some occupations will come with more inherent risks than others. Today, the construction industry is known as one of the most dangerous industries throughout the United States. Despite stringent regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), designed to keep employees safe, workplace injuries and fatalities are more common in the construction industry than many would like to assume. According to statistics compiled by OSHA, construction industry fatalities account for upwards of 20% of annual private sector fatalities. If you or a loved one have been injured while working construction, you may be entitled to significant compensation.

Common Forms of Construction Injuries

According to OSHA, the leading cause of injury in the construction industry is falling. Construction workers are asked to work on multiple story buildings, roof builds, and other tasks that put them at risk of falls. Throughout 2018 alone, over 300 construction workers were fatally injured after falling on a job site. Other common causes of injuries and fatalities include being struck by objects and electrocutions. In many injury instances, employers fail to apply proper protective measures throughout the site or equip their employees with necessary protective equipment.

Filing a Claim in Illinois

When you or a family member suffer an injury while at work, filing a claim can come with some complications. According to Illinois state law, an employee that suffers an injury at work can only file a workers’ compensation claim against their employer. While an employee cannot file a personal injury claim against an employer, they can file a claim against other contractors or parties responsible for injuries suffered. If a contractor used the employee to complete a task that resulted in injury, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim. If a driver crashes into a construction site resulting in injury, you can file a claim against the driver. For more information on the steps you should take after a construction site injury, speak with a knowledgeable attorney.

When you think of dangerous workplaces, a construction site is probably one of the first things that comes to mind. By nature, construction is a hazardous profession. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported that in 2016, one in five worker deaths were in the construction industry. 

Construction’s “Fatal Four”

OSHA has defined four of the leading causes of worker deaths in the construction industry as the “fatal four.” These causes are: