Construction Accidents
With population growth here in Northern Michigan comes new construction, which is good for job creation and sustaining families. With multiple sub-contractors on a worksite, coordination and oversight is critical for work-site safety and time management. Thus, daily job-site meetings are a common and necessary procedure mandated by the General Contractor. Sadly, however, the fatality rate for construction site related accidents is higher than the national average for similar industries. Accountability for job-site safety is generally the responsibility of the General Contractor.
If you were injured in a construction accident in Michigan, you may be able to file a claim.
Types of Claims
Worker’s Compensation Claim
Injured workers are usually able to collect a percentage of their normal weekly pay in addition to compensation for medical bills. Workers can usually collect even if their personal injury care results due to their own careless behavior.
Third-Party Claim
If your personal injury is because of a party besides the company you work for, you may be able to file a claim against that party. Third parties may include architects, property owners, engineers, equipment manufacturers, general contractors, or subcontractors.
Wrongful Death Claim
If someone is killed in a construction accident because of someone else’s negligence, then the estate or family of the victim may be able to claim damages.
Fatal Four Construction Hazards
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), there are four major construction hazards that result in personal injury cases: Falls, Struck-By, Caught-In/Between, and Electrocutions.
Falls
High elevations, such as scaffolds, roofs, and ladders, offer too many opportunities for workers to misstep. It’s easy for workers to get comfortable and forget the dangers of falling that are all around. Fall protection such as harnesses, safety nets, and guardrails are essential to preventing fall accidents.
Struck-By
Four common ways for workers to be struck include injury by flying, falling, swinging, and rolling objects. Accidents can also happen due to defective equipment, improper machine use, lack of personal protection equipment, and more.
Caught-In/Between
This involves a body being trapped or compressed between objects. A worker can get caught in machinery, get pinned between the equipment and a wall, or be a victim of a cave-in.
Electrocutions
When power lines or exposed electrical sources are present, it can be easy for workers to get electrocuted. Workers may fail to turn off the electricity, or they may be unaware of the dangers of electrocutions that are in their work area.
The reality remains: construction site accidents do happen. And when they do, you need a construction site accident lawyer experienced in handling personal injury lawsuits.
Because our team of personal injury lawyers, Tim Smith, Page Graves and Brad Wierda deal with this area of personal injury law on a daily basis, we are able to help those who have been involved in construction site accidents in Northern Michigan and the State, to protect their legal rights under the law. Smith & Johnson is your go-to Traverse City personal injury lawyer.
At Smith & Johnson, Attorneys, P.C., our personal injury team is available and ready to meet with you for a FREE consultation.
Please contact Smith & Johnson now, TOLL-FREE at 1-866-946-0700, to schedule your free consultation and protect your legal rights.
