Michael A. Shammas is a top-rated Chicago attorney who helps construction accident victims recover compensation after suffering serious injuries on construction sites. Construction injuries can affect a household’s ability to stay financially stable, which highlights the importance of selecting an experienced attorney for your case.

Construction workers have the right to a safe work environment. When safety standards are violated by negligent employers, the workers pay the price. Construction sites can present a number of hazards that can lead workers to sustain serious injuries and permanent disabilities. When an injured construction worker faces high medical costs, lost pay, and physical pain and disability, damages can be recovered through a workers’ compensation claim, and also a claim against other responsible parties on the job site.

If you have been injured on a construction site, experienced work injury lawyer Michael A. Shammas can help you recover damages. Call 312-971-5959.

Construction Workers Are Especially Vulnerable to Serious Injuries

With the highest fatality rate across all industries, construction worker deaths account for 1 in 5 workplace deaths. For workers who don’t die as a result of an accident, disability and life-threatening injuries are often sustained. The high accident rate could be attributed to the unique degree of hazards in the construction worker’s environment. The risks associated with these hazards increases dramatically when OSHA safety standards are violated. The most common violations that occur on construction sites are:

  • Lack of adequate fall protection, respiratory protection, or other personal protective equipment
  • Faulty or unsafe use of scaffolding and ladders
  • Failure to safely operate heavy machinery and equipment on the site
  • Failure to lockout/tag out equipment undergoing maintenance
  • Failure to meet guidelines for electrical wiring, or failure to practice safety protocols when wiring
  • Continued use of faulty or damaged machine guards and construction equipment

In addition to the above violations, accidents can be caused by inattention, inadequate training, or worker fatigue.

Types of Injuries and Accidents

Falls account for the greatest percentage of construction accidents at 33.5%. Workers may fall due to misuse of ladders, improper scaffolding, and exposure to unguarded/unwalled areas. The second leading type of construction accidents is “struck by object” incidents (10.3%), followed by electrocutions (8.5%), and caught/in-between/compression accidents (5.5%).

These accidents can result in a range of injuries. In addition to scarring and lifelong disfigurement, construction workers are at risk of suffering head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, deafness, blindness, neck and back injuries, spinal cord injuries, and the loss of a limb. Though these injuries range in seriousness, many lead to a lifelong inability to work and a permanent change in day to day functioning.

Construction Accident Claims

Employees who are injured on construction sites may be able to recover damages by filing a workers’ compensation claim. Medical treatment costs can skyrocket quickly with any work-related injury or illness, but this is especially true in construction accidents where injuries tend to be severe. As many workers face disability, costs for initial treatment, long-term care, and medical equipment stack up. When combined with the lost pay resulting from time off work for recovery, or future lost pay because of a disability, victims may find themselves facing a debilitating financial hardship. Pursuing a work injury claim helps to take the financial responsibility off of the victim.

Following the proper steps after a construction accident can help ensure that your work injury claim is successful and that appropriate compensation is recovered. You should report the injury to a supervisor as quickly as possible. This ensures that the incident is properly documented from the start. Be sure to continue to update medical providers as injuries progress or new symptoms arise, following through with treatment plans and medical provider recommendations. Failure to follow through with treatment can create the illusion that your injury has healed or misrepresent the seriousness of your injury.