If a construction accident has left you severely injured and in serious need of compensation, let our lawyers see whether you can file a third-party lawsuit for all the hospital bills, lost wages, and non-economic damages you have suffered.
To protect your access to compensation after a construction accident, document what happened, get treated for your injuries, identify a liable third party that is not your employer, and have our attorneys file your lawsuit within the 2-year statute of limitations. Damages are limited in Workers’ Compensation claims but not in third-party lawsuits, so it’s important to see whether or not you can sue.
Schedule a free case evaluation from the Rhatigan Law Offices by calling our construction accident lawyers now at (312) 578-8502.
What Should You Do to Get Compensation After an Oak Park Construction Accident?
There are important steps you need to take after a construction accident so you can eventually recover all the damages you have incurred.
Document What Happened
Immediately after a construction accident in Oak Parks, focus on documenting what happened. You should report the accident to your supervisor so that your employer has a record. You can even call 911 and file a police report if you are severely injured and need help from first responders.
Photos are good documentation and help us reconstruct construction accidents, so take pictures if you can.
Get Treated for Injuries
You should also document your injuries as soon as possible. If 911 is called and paramedics arrive, accept the care they offer you at the construction site. You may need emergency medical attention for deep lacerations, burns, fractures, head injuries, and other common construction accident injuries, and you should never wait to seek it.
Ongoing care is required for many construction accident injuries. Pausing your treatment against doctors’ advice could hurt your case, so attend all appointments.
Identify Liability
In general, construction workers cannot sue their employers for injuries in Oak Park unless an employer intentionally injures them or lacks the mandatory Workers’ Compensation insurance. If your employer can’t be held liable in a lawsuit, another party might be. Liability for construction accidents can fall on manufacturers of construction equipment, tools, and safety gear. For roadside construction accidents involving passenger cars, the negligent driver may be liable.
Our attorneys can review what you remember from the accident, analyze photos and surveillance footage, and interview eyewitnesses to determine liability.
File a Third-Party Construction Accident Lawsuit
To get the most compensation possible after an accident, our construction accident lawyers can help you bring a third-party injury lawsuit. The personal injury statute of limitations in Illinois is 2 years from the date of injury. This is the same amount of time survivors have to sue third parties for fatal construction accidents.
What Compensation Can You Get for a Construction Accident?
Third-party construction accident lawsuits allow victims to recover more damages than would be available from a Workers’ Compensation claim alone, which is why our lawyers help victims pursue lawsuits.
Medical Costs
Serious construction accidents generally lead to expensive emergency room costs and ongoing follow-up treatment. Our attorneys can keep medical bills organized so we know their total amount at any given time when preparing your case and when requesting relief from damages.
Lost Wages
If you are severely injured while working on a construction site in Oak Parks, you will most likely miss weeks, if not months, of work. Some injuries are permanently disabling, stopping victims from ever returning to the same responsibilities on construction sites or at the same income level.
Workers’ Compensation only pays a percentage of lost wages, whereas a lawsuit could cover all lost wages from a construction accident injury.
Pain and Suffering
Construction accident lawsuits can provide relief from non-economic damages as well. Painful, disfiguring, and disabling injuries typically cause pain, suffering, and other intangible harms. You can only get non-economic damages by filing a construction accident lawsuit against a negligent third-party or uninsured employer, as they are not part of Workers’ Compensation claims in Illinois.
Answering Construction Accident FAQs
What Are the Top Construction Accident Causes in Oak Park?
Defective construction equipment, including machinery and safety gear, is a top cause of injuries on construction sites. Falls, falling objects, vehicle accidents, and electrocutions are other common causes of injury.
What Are the Top Construction Accident Injuries?
Common construction accident injuries include eye injuries, amputations, disfiguring injuries, traumatic brain injuries, crushing injuries, back and spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and even respiratory issues.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Construction Accident?
You need a lawyer to see whether you can file a lawsuit to get the maximum compensation after a construction accident, especially if you were injured as an employee and must file a third-party injury lawsuit to get enough damages.
What if You Are Injured While Passing by a Construction Site?
If you are injured while passing by a construction site and not as a worker, you can sue the construction company directly for damages. Prompt reporting is important for victims injured as passersby, as well as getting immediate medical attention.
Is Compensation Limited After Construction Accidents in Oak Park?
Illinois does not limit the damages that can be awarded in a construction accident lawsuit. Economic and non-economic damages are not capped in lawsuits, but damages from Workers’ Compensation claims are limited, which is why our lawyers encourage victims to pursue lawsuits when possible.
What Evidence Proves Liability for Construction Accidents?
Statements from other construction workers who witnessed the accident, expert witness testimony, medical records detailing injuries, and surveillance footage showing the exact sequence of events help our lawyers prove liability in construction accidents in Oak Park.
Call Us About Construction Accident Injuries in Oak Park
Get help with your case from the Rhatigan Law Offices and call our construction accident lawyers at (312) 578-8502.
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