Construction zones are inherently risky, and the occasional accident is practically expected. However, some accidents should never be allowed to happen, and the people in charge might be responsible for the resulting injuries.
The nature of your accident depends on the type of construction work being done, but injuries frequently result from falls, faulty tools, and crushing accidents. The person or people we want to hold responsible might include general contractors or subcontractors who hired you. In some cases, property owners might be liable if the accident stems from unsafe conditions on the premises. Injuries in these kinds of accidents can be severe, and damages might likewise be serious. Medical treatment, property damage, lost income, and more might all be on the table. The evidence we can use to support your case might involve footage from security cameras, witness testimony, your medical records, and physical objects such as defective tools or equipment.
Get a free, confidential review of your case when you call our construction accident lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
Possible Construction-Related Accidents in Palatine, IL
Construction sites are known for being dangerous. Power tools, heavy machinery, sharp objects, and various other hazards are commonplace on construction sites. As such, construction workers often wear protective gear and follow strict safety protocols to avoid accidents. Even still, accidents might still happen because of negligent employers, coworkers, or property owners, among others.
Falls
Injuries from falling accidents are arguably among the most common injuries from construction accidents. You might have been working from a high ladder or scaffolding when you fell. Alternatively, you might have been working on a rooftop or installing a window on a high floor. There are numerous reasons why a construction worker would need to be up high.
Many falling accidents are caused by faulty equipment. Perhaps the ladder was old and should have been replaced a long time ago. Maybe you fell from high scaffolding because it was assembled incorrectly and was very unstable. We can help you review your case and determine what caused your fall and who should be held responsible.
Faulty Equipment
Power tools and machinery are also commonplace on construction sites. Many jobs cannot be completed without these tools. Unfortunately, these tools are not foolproof. Construction workers are regularly injured by faulty, defective, or damaged tools, gear, and machinery. Exactly who should be held responsible depends on how the tool became defective.
Often, defective tools are that way when they leave the factory. In that case, our construction accident attorneys can help you sue the manufacturer of the faulty tools in addition to anyone else in the chain of sale. This might include retailers who sold you the defective tools or equipment.
Caught-Between Accidents
A lot of construction injuries occur when workers are caught between heavy objects and crushed. These crushing accidents are sometimes referred to as “caught-betweens,” because workers are caught between a rock and a hard place, literally.
These kinds of accidents often happen when forklifts are involved. A forklift operator might lift a heavy pallet of drywall and accidentally pin another worker against a wall or another stack of pallets. Workers injured this way are often in very bad shape, and some do not survive.
Who Should Be Held Accountable for Construction Accidents in Palatine, IL
Construction sites are known for being a bit dangerous, and they are also known for being busy. There could be dozens of workers on the site at any given time, depending on the size and scale of the construction project. Determining who caused your accident and whether they can be held liable can be challenging, to say the least.
Contractors
Contractors are the people in charge of the construction site and project and often do most of the hiring necessary to get the job done. A general contractor is usually in charge of the entire construction job. Meanwhile, general contractors hire subcontractors to oversee more specific elements of the work. For example, a property owner might hire a general contractor to do the work, and the general contractor might hire subcontractors to handle things like electrical wiring, drywall, and plumbing.
Depending on who hired you, we might sue one of these contractors for your injuries. Employers are often responsible when things go wrong on the job. Talk to your lawyer about who hired you and how and where the accident happened.
Property Owners
Usually, property owners take a big step back from the project after they hire a general contractor. As such, property owners are not often responsible when accidents happen because they have nothing to do with what happens on the construction site. However, if property owners take a more active role, they might open themselves up to liability. For example, suppose a property owner insists on providing their own tools to construction workers, and then a worker is injured by the faulty tools. In that case, the property owners might be liable.
Property owners might also be held liable if the accident is related to some hazard on the property that was not disclosed to the workers. For example, suppose a property owner hired a roofer to reshingle the roof. Next, suppose the property owners neglected to inform the roofers about a large area on the roof affected by severe wood rot. Finally, suppose a roofer falls through the rotted roof and is badly injured. In that scenario, the property owner might be liable.
Possible Damages in A Palatine, IL Construction Accident Case
Construction-related injuries tend to be severe, and injured plaintiffs may claim significant damages. First, we should consider the cost of medical treatment. If your injuries are severe, you likely have major hospital bills to contend with. Many injured plaintiffs need future medical care, as the road to recovery might be long. In that case, we can estimate and claim the cost of future medical care.
Bad injuries might cause you to miss work and lose income. As any injured construction worker can tell you, this is the worst time to lose income, as you have major expenses related to the accident. Talk to your attorney and doctor about how long you might be out of work because of your injuries. We can help you assess the income you have lost and might continue to lose.
Non-economic damages may account for various painful experiences. These kinds of damages tend to be very subjective, and we need strong evidence showing how you have been affected to convince a jury to award damages. We can help you claim damages for humiliation, damage to your professional reputation, physical pain, and emotional suffering.
Reach Out to Our Palatine, IL Construction Accident Lawyers Today
Get a free, confidential review of your case when you call our construction accident lawyers at the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
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