Construction work is very important but very dangerous. We need construction workers and contractors to build and maintain our homes, offices, and other important parts of our infrastructure. However, construction workers are regularly risking their safety to do their jobs. When an accident occurs, a construction worker might have several options for compensation.
Construction work is inherently dangerous, and anyone who works on a construction site must take the necessary precautions to be as safe as possible. When an accident happens, a worker or contractor could be entitled to sue whoever is responsible, including employers, other workers, or third parties who might not even be present at the accident scene. An attorney can help you determine how to approach your case and how to calculate damages.
If you were employed on a construction site and injured in an accident, you might have a valid lawsuit. The person responsible for the accident should be held liable and made to cover your damages. Our Yonkers construction accident lawyers can help. Contact The Martello Law Firm, PLLC for a free legal consultation. Call us at (646) 396-0236.
What Causes Construction Accidents in Yonkers?
Construction is a dangerous job, and workers are at a greater risk of accidents and injuries. Even though construction sites and the people who work on them must operate under strict safety conditions, accidents sometimes happen. If a worker is hurt, they may sue the person responsible for damages. Talk to our Yonkers construction site accident attorneys about your incident.
Unsafe work conditions are common causes of construction accidents. Construction sites must abide by stringent safety regulations. Depending on the type of construction project, there may be different regulations. For example, plumbing work and electrical work may require different safety precautions. If a certain precaution is not taken, accidents become more likely. A simple rule that is common on most construction sites is a hard-hat or helmet requirement. When workers are not provided helmets or hard-hats, they risk head injuries.
Construction workers rely on their equipment and tools to work properly to remain safe. Faulty equipment frequently leads to accidents and injuries. Construction equipment can be dangerous even when it is working normally. When things go wrong, the person using the tool could be injured. For example, a broken circular saw blade could come loose and severely injure a worker.
Even when safety regulations are enforced and all the equipment works as it should, careless coworkers can cause accidents. Safety rules and proper equipment mean nothing if the people using them choose to ignore proper safety protocols. A negligent coworker could easily injure another person on a construction site.
Who Is Liable for a Construction Accident in Yonkers?
Any number of people could potentially be responsible for your accident and injuries on a construction site. Injured construction workers often seek to lay blame with their employers because employers are typically responsible for maintaining the safety of the entire site. Often, employees cannot sue under workers’ compensation rules unless their employers or worksite operators were responsible for some safety regulation violation. When safety protocols are not enforced or are absent, whoever is in charge of the construction site is often held responsible. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration may be called to conduct an investigation, and employers could face sanctions in many cases. However, other parties may cause accidents despite an employer’s best efforts to enforce safety standards.
You could also sue another worker if they were the direct cause of your accident. For example, you could be working on a construction site where all appropriate safety standards and protocols are enforced. However, negligent coworkers could choose to ignore the rules and end up causing an accident. Think of a coworker who operates a forklift while intoxicated. Even if your boss has all the necessary safety procedures in place, a drunk coworker can still cause a serious accident. Under certain circumstances, you can sue the coworker and your employer – the coworker for the accident and your employer for negligent hiring.
Third parties who might not have been present at the accident scene can also be held liable. Often, these third parties are producers, retailers, or manufacturers who supply a construction site with tools and equipment. Anyone within the supply chain could be sued in a products liability lawsuit if malfunctioning or defective equipment caused an accident on a construction site. These cases might also be filed jointly against your employer and the product manufacturer. No matter who you wish to hold liable, our Yonkers construction accident attorneys are here to help.
Proving Fault for a Yonkers Construction Accident
Proving the defendant is at fault for your accident and therefore liable is easier said than done. It is not enough to tell your side of the story. You must also present evidence and proof of your claims. Evidence may consist of anything related to the accident that supports or refutes your claims or the defendant’s claims. Our Yonkers construction site accident lawyers can help you gather the necessary evidence and prepare it for trial.
Like most accident cases, photos and videos of the accident scene are crucial to supporting your claims and getting compensation. Accident scenes on construction sites are cleaned up very quickly for several reasons. First, the accident scene may pose a hazard to other workers. Second, the scene must be cleared so the work can continue. Photos and videos can preserve the accident scene and show a court what it looked like right after you were injured.
Testimony from witnesses will also be important to your case. Construction sites are often teeming with people and workers. It is more than likely that multiple people witnessed the accident and can testify about what they saw. When multiple witnesses all tell the same, consistent story, it gives credibility to your arguments.
Construction sites and the surrounding area may be equipped with security cameras. While the cameras were likely intended to prevent theft and vandalism, they may have recorded your accident. Video footage of your accident as it happened could make or break your case. We must get this footage quickly as surveillance videos can easily be deleted.
If the safety standards at your construction site have been a problem for some time, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) may have been notified. We could use any OSHA investigation results as evidence supporting your claims of an unsafe work environment.
Call Our Yonkers, New York Construction Accident Attorneys
If you were hurt while working on a construction site, our Yonkers construction site accident attorneys can help you assess your case and figure out who should be held liable. Contact The Martello Law Firm, PLLC for a free legal consultation today. Call our offices at (646) 396-0236 as soon as possible.