The gravity of construction site accidents is untold, and many victims may be tempted to downplay their symptoms at first. Doctors can't always give accurate information regarding the healing process, and they're prone to diagnosis mistakes. Future health complications may arise, and they too will cost money to address, not to mention the inconveniences in your life.
A St. Petersburg construction site accident lawyer has experience handling these cases and knows how the legalities unfold. If you've been harmed in this manner, hire a lawyer to protect your rights and increase your chances of fair compensation.
Why Hire a St. Petersburg Construction Site Accident Lawyer?
Florida has a booming construction industry that is even more evident in St. Petersburg. The city has over 9,900 businesses, attracting a burgeoning workforce of 130,000, and more are coming in search of jobs. The downtown area is home to high-rise offices and residential developments, and the suburbs have plenty of residential buildings underway.
A study heralded Sunshine City for fostering the economic well-being of immigrants by offering business opportunities and encouraging international students to stay after graduation. These economic prospects are a crucial driver for low- to high-skilled workers to migrate and take up jobs in the construction industry. The low barrier to entry notwithstanding, construction jobs come with safety risks that can jeopardize your life.
If you encounter injury at a worksite, seek legal counsel even when the matter is seemingly trivial and doesn't result in grave injuries. Leaving things to chance or counting on the good faith of your employer is not a solid plan, particularly when seeking compensation. A lawyer can investigate the incident and help you seek restitution to cover medical bills, lost income, and other damages.
Safety Precautions at Construction Sites
Construction site workers must follow various safety measures to avoid accidents. Your legal counsel will be interested in knowing if you were trained and informed of the following safety protocols:
- Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Guard rails at open scaffold areas, openings on the floor, and elevated platforms
- Stable working platforms that are well-braced to support the permitted number of workers or load
- Yellow stickers with safety instructions distributed as needed
- First aid kit and procedures available at all times
- Removal of bulky items or debris from working areas and passageways
- Fire extinguishers kept in strategic locations
- Keeping the site clean and storing materials properly
- Implementing sound protocols for the collection and disposal of waste material
- Proper lighting at the worksite, especially during night shifts
All workers and site visitors must adorn the required PPE at all times. There are two categories of PPE—minimum and additional.
Minimum PPE includes a hat, helmet, hand protection gloves, safety vests, and proper clothing. Additional PPE includes hearing and respiratory protection, safety harnesses, face shields, and material storage.
Causes of Accidents at Construction Sites
The above safety protocols are direly necessary, but accidents still happen at worksites, causing workers harm and, in extreme cases, death.
Here are the leading causes of accidents on construction sites:
- Individual factors, like workers not obeying safety guidelines
- Site conditions, such as a rainstorm with adverse impacts on safety
- Falling hazards, like materials falling from overpasses or multi-storied buildings
- Unsafe working conditions, which could be poor lighting or a busy road
- Handheld tools can slip off and hit someone in the vicinity
- Faulty equipment
- Trenching and excavation hazards; unstable soil can trigger a landslide
Types of Accidents at Construction Sites
Construction sites are a beehive of activity, with massive machinery in use or parked somewhere and people milling around. Things get even more complicated when the site is on busy roads and highways where traffic flows in other lanes.
Considering these settings, the most common accidents in construction sites include:
- Fire breakouts
- Slips and falls
- Electrocutions
- Forklift accidents
- Trench or ground caving in
- Falling debris
- Drilling accidents
- Getting struck by a vehicle
- Overexertion, e.g., due to weather elements
- Falling off high grounds
- Explosions and burns
Dolman Law Group will investigate the particular incident to determine the cause and who's to blame. For example, a fire explosion could be triggered by faulty electrical equipment, flammable liquids, pressurized containers, or bad wiring. The aftermath could be victims sustaining first-, second-, or third-degree burns that may even require cosmetic surgery, which insurance may not cover.
Compensation for Construction Site Accidents
Worksite accidents can have terrible consequences for the victims, who can take months before resuming normalcy. You may be hospitalized for a long time or need to recuperate from home with specialized care, and all this while you cannot work. Most laborers at these sites don't have a nest egg they can rely on, which means there's always the possibility of financial ruin during accidents.
As your legal representative, we'll strive to get restitution for various damages, including:
- Medical expenses, now and in the future
- Lost income based on your daily earnings
- Diminished earning capacity, perhaps due to a handicap
- Pain and suffering, which is not tangible and often overlooked
- Lower quality of life (e.g., not being able to engage in sporting activities)
- Extra costs like hiring a nanny for your child
- Loss of consortium from your spouse, family, and friends
- Buying special equipment like a wheelchair and installing a ramp
Insurance adjusters are typically money-driven and will fight fiercely before agreeing to pay for the damages. They're known to gaslight victims, shift the blame upon them, and employ unsavory tactics to avoid paying restitution. We'll defend your rights vehemently when you hire us and take the case to court if necessary.
Contact Dolman Law Group for Legal Counsel
Were you hurt on a construction site? Dolman Law Group can investigate your case and determine who's liable for putting your life at risk. The healing process is often arduous, and insurance carriers are not always cooperative in helping victims get the best treatment. Co-pays are another issue to grapple with, and your resources may not cover all appointments with medical specialists.
We understand your plight and want to help so you can focus on recovery. Contact our St. Petersburg construction site lawyer today for legal help.
St Petersburg Office
1663 1st Ave S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
Phone: (727) 472-3909