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​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
& CHICAGO Injury Lawyers

Causes of Injuries on Construction Sites

Chicago Lawyers for Construction Company Workers

Construction sites are notoriously dangerous spaces within which to work. As a construction worker, you are exposed to many serious risks and dangers on a daily basis. If you believe you may have grounds to sue based on the cause of your injuries while working at a construction site, you should consult our law firm. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our experienced Chicago construction accident attorneys have provided knowledgeable legal counsel to construction accident victims and workers for more than 60 years.

Causes of Injuries to Construction Workers On the Job

There are a wide range of causes of injuries on construction sites, though some causes are more common than others. Your only recourse against your employer is a workers’ compensation claim. However, our attorneys may be able to recover damages on your behalf for injuries caused by another party, other than your employer. We will likely need to prove negligence by presenting evidence and arguments that it is more likely than not: (1) the defendant owed you a duty to use reasonable care, (2) the defendant breached this duty, (3) the breach caused your injuries and (4) actual damages.

Gravity-Related Injuries

One of the biggest causes of injuries are falls, both from great heights and slip and falls due to slippery surfaces. As a construction worker, you may sustain broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, back injuries, and other incapacitating injuries as the result of a slippery surface, a tool left on the floor, an improperly guarded stairwell or open-sided floor on a construction site. When a fall occurs at high elevations, the injuries may be catastrophic or life changing, or even fatal.

However, gravity-related accidents can also involve injuries or deaths due to being hit by an object. Falling objects may cause injuries when a worker is not wearing personal protection equipment or when appropriate safety measures, such as the use of a debris net or a catch platform, are not taken by a contractor.

Vehicle and Equipment Accidents

Many construction companies use heavy vehicles in the course of their work. Vehicles that are often associated with accidents include backhoes, forklifts, graders, and dump trucks. For instance, if a worker is not adequately trained, a forklift operated with the load raised could result in injuries to those hit by the load or debris from the load.

Crushing injuries are also tragically common at construction sites. Often construction workers are intensely focused on a project at hand. They may get caught or crushed between objects. In some cases, the whole body is pinned between objects, such as a wall or loading dock and a work vehicle, while in other cases, a limb or body part is squeezed. Those who work in trench excavation are at risk of cave-ins when the trench is not appropriately shored up and may be suffocated by collapsing material.

Machinery injuries can also in serious injuries to construction workers. Sometimes these injuries are the result of a contractor or subcontractor that fails to keep a machine in good repair. In other instances, workers are injured because inadequate safety equipment is provided or because a machine has a mechanical defect or electrical failure.

Repetitive Stress

Repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sustained while using power tools or performing the same task are also common reasons for disability. Whether you’re unable to work for several days due to needing to rest a limb or you’re so seriously disabled that you can’t work in construction any longer, it’s important to discuss your particular situation with a lawyer if you believe someone other than your employer is at fault for the construction accident.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Remedies obtained through a lawsuit are more significant than workers’ compensation benefits because you can recover noneconomic damages, in addition to the full scope of your losses such as medical care and wage replacement. However, as an employee, you may be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits from your employer’s insurer for a job-related injury. Unlike the damages awarded in a third-party lawsuit, workers’ compensation benefits are awarded regardless of fault. Our attorneys are experienced at handling construction workers’ claims, and can pursue both forms of relief, along with SSDI benefits, as appropriate.

Hire a Chicago Workers’ Compensation Law Firm

Our Chicago lawyers provide knowledgeable legal representation to contractors, subcontractors, materialmen, and other workers at construction sites in Champaign, Rockford, Quincy, and Aurora, as well as Sangamon, Winnebago, Kane, Cook, and Adams Counties. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.