Georgia Construction Accident Lawyer
Were you or a loved one hurt on an Georgia construction site?
Finding a lawyer with the right background is crucial. Our Georgia attorneys specialize in securing compensation for injured workers and their families.
Georgia is a big state and quickly getting bigger, as the countless cranes dotting the city skyline can attest to. Commercial and residential construction projects have risen sharply in the Big Peach since the Great Recession, and Georgia is now home to roughly 9,600 private construction companies—many of which are based in metro Atlanta.
Of the thousands of American workers who die on the job each year, approximately 20 percent of deadly work accidents happen on construction sites—making construction the most dangerous industry in the United States. One in 10 construction workers is injured every year, according to the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA). Approximately 150,000 construction site injuries are reported each year.
Even for those of us who aren't in the field of construction, jobsites can pose a danger to passersby, visitors, and the general public. Everyone is responsible for their own safety when entering a construction zone; however, some parties have an added responsibility to preserve the health and well-being of anyone on the jobsite, whether they work there or are just passing through.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured while working at a construction site or simply when you were near one, you should know that Georgia personal injury and workers’ compensation laws allow injured individuals and their families to recover compensation in many circumstances. Damages that can be awarded include reimbursement for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. But first, you may need to establish liability (or fault) and hold the at-fault party responsible for their negligence. Our law firm can help.
Types of Construction Work
Although anyone can have a construction accident, the Center for Construction Research and Training (source) reports that compared to the general American workforce, construction workers are statistically more likely to be male, Hispanic, and foreign-born.
One of the sectors in the United States with the quickest rate of growth is the construction business, which includes a broad spectrum of professions and specializations, including:
● Ironworkers
● Roofers
● Engineers
● Electricians
● Project/Safety Managers
● Foremen
● Inspectors
● Laborers
● Painters
● Drywall installers
● Masons
● Glaziers
● Plumbers
● Pipefitters
● Carpenters
● Equipment and Crane Operators
● Surveyors
● Consultants
● Planners
● Designers
● Elevator installers
What are the most common accidents in construction?
The "Fatal Four"—the four most prevalent and deadly accident types—are as follows:
Slip, trip and fall: Over one-third (36.4%) of all work-related deaths in the construction industry are caused by falls, making them by far the most frequent cause of fatal construction workplace accidents. The most often broken OSHA standard is the absence of fall protection. When operating machinery from roofs, ladders, or scaffolding, construction workers should exercise additional caution. When crossing a construction site, pedestrians should also be alert for potential hazards including debris and loose tools that could trip them.
“Struck by” incidents: Any harm sustained by being struck by an object that is rolling, falling, flying, or swinging falls under this category of accidents. These items can be vehicles (semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, forklifts, dump trucks, bulldozers, front loaders, backhoes, graders, trenchers, cranes, crawlers, compactors, excavators, concrete mixing trucks, and passenger cars) or building materials (such as bricks, lumber, and nails). Some of this potentially hazardous equipment can be shielded from workers by wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE).
Electrocution: A significant fraction of construction accidents result in injuries related to electricity. Every year, arc flashes and unsecured or unlabeled live wires cause an average of 143 construction-related fatalities. Numerous others suffer grave injuries. Following safety regulations, unplugging or disconnecting machinery when not in use or damaged, grounding and insulating electrical equipment, routinely inspecting equipment, and offering enough training on jobsite safety are some basic safety measures to lower the frequency of electrical accidents on construction sites.
Caught-in/between accidents: Heavy machinery, stationary items, and trenches can pin, compress, crush, trap, or entangle construction personnel. Even though they don't happen as frequently as other kinds of construction accidents, these mishaps are nevertheless very dangerous and can occasionally even result in wrongful death. Broken bones and lost limbs are regular outcomes.
Toxic and hazardous chemical exposure is another risk that anyone who works on a construction site or lives near one faces, even though it is not one of the Fatal Four. On building sites, lead, mercury, asbestos, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chemical solvents, paint thinners, pesticides, carbon monoxide, gasoline, and tar are among the most hazardous materials that are frequently encountered. Prolonged exposure to some hazardous substances can result in major illnesses including cancer and respiratory issues as well as long-term health impacts.
Construction injuries can be serious
Even though they may hurt and frustrate you, a skinned knee or bruised hip usually doesn't warrant going to court. Yet, a number of other injuries sustained during construction can be severe, incapacitating, and transformative. We assist survivors of construction accidents in healing from wounds like:
● Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
● Spinal cord injury and paralysis
● Amputation
● Broken bones
● Neck and back injuries
● Knee and ankle injuries
● Electrocution
● Vision loss
● Severe burns
● Hearing loss
● Eye/face injuries
● Lead poisoning
● Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs)
What to do after a construction accident
Your compensation claim and ultimate payout may be significantly impacted by the actions you take in the immediate aftermath of a construction accident. Whether you are a visitor (without paying) or a construction worker will determine most of what you need do next. The majority of hurt construction workers will proceed via the workers' compensation system; nevertheless, wounded bystanders or guests may file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party or parties.
Steps for construction workers
Notify your employer: Inform your employer (unless you need emergency medical attention; in that case, give them a call at 911 and let them know as soon as you can). You run the risk of having your claim rejected if you fail to notify your employer of your injuries within 30 days in Georgia and many other states. If you can, notify them in writing.
Seek medical attention: Seek medical attention from a licensed physician on your employer's list of approved treatment physicians, and strictly abide by their advice. Keep all of your appointments.
File a claim: Should your employer possess workers' compensation insurance, you have a year to submit a claim in order to recover your medical costs, missed income, and, if necessary, vocational rehabilitation. Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory for the majority, if not all, of Georgian employers who employ three or more full-time, part-time, or seasonal employees. In general, independent contractors are not protected.
Document everything: Throughout your claim, be sure to preserve and arrange all supporting documents, such as medical bills, statements, doctor and insurance contact, correspondence with your employer, etc.
Consult an attorney: See a knowledgeable workers' compensation lawyer to be sure the amount being offered to you is reasonable before accepting a settlement or award. See a local attorney as soon as you can to discuss your case and get ready for the next steps if your claim was rejected or if you are an independent contractor. Act quickly to avoid the statute of limitations running out.
Steps for everyone else
Seek medical attention: Your health and well-being should come first. If you are critically hurt, call 911 right once or ask someone nearby to do so for you. Even if injuries don't seem serious, get medical attention right away from a physician or urgent care center.
Report the accident: As soon as a construction accident occurs, report it to the appropriate authorities, such as the local police or the supervisor of the construction site. This permits the mitigation of any ongoing hazards and the avoidance of additional injuries in addition to producing an official record.
Gather evidence and information: Try to collect relevant evidence before departing the accident scene, if it is safe to do so. This entails taking pictures of the scene, your wounds, and the names and contact details of any witnesses. Write down all you remember from what happened, while the details are still fresh in your mind.
Keep All Records: Keep thorough records of all the paperwork pertaining to the injuries you received on the job, including medical bills, reports, communication with the insurance company and construction business, and notes on days absent from work.
Seek Legal Advice: Most importantly, after the incident, get legal advice as quickly as you can. A lawyer can look into the accident's facts, take care of the necessary paperwork, make sure deadlines are met, negotiate on your behalf for the best result, and, if necessary, represent you in court.
Why should I seek legal help after a construction accident?
Because the construction business already has narrow profit margins, building corporations frequently contest legal claims that could put their project in the red. They frequently accomplish this by assigning blame to others or making up the story that an injured worker isn't entitled to workers' compensation payments.
Furthermore, the fact that multiple businesses, contractors, and subcontractors may be engaged in a single construction project at any same moment might make it difficult to assign blame for a construction mishap. In certain situations, the property's owner may be held accountable. In other cases, the fault may lie with the company that made the tool or piece of equipment that broke.
In these situations, identifying fault—which is a crucial first step—requires the expertise of a professional with decades of experience and in-depth understanding of the workings of the building business.
Our Georgia personal injury attorneys at The Offices of Julian Lewis Sanders & Associates have decades of expertise defending construction accident victims and survivors. Rather than relying on the value estimate provided by the building or insurance companies, we can assist in determining the true worth of your case. In order to get the greatest result for you and your family, we don't mind facing out against insurers, building firms, and other parties.