Construction Workers Need Protection
A construction accident lawyer West Palm Beach locals recommend from the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt can help protect your rights if you were injured while on the job. Sadly, catastrophic construction accidents in which employees are severely or fatally injured are not that unusual. However, victims can rely on the knowledge and expertise of a construction accident lawyer West Palm Beach residents choose from the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt. With 80 years of combined experience, our attorneys have been long dedicated to protecting the wellness of construction workers. If your accident could have been prevented, it might have been a direct result of employer negligence. In that scenario, they might be held responsible for covering your injury costs.
The Hazards of Construction Sites
Construction workers are constantly facing physical threats in their work environment. If you’re a construction worker, your employer has a legal and ethical responsibility to take precautions to help keep you safe and injury-free. Construction sites are known for being dangerous, even for pedestrians who are passing by. However, they are required to keep construction zones and the surrounding areas free of hazards. If you were injured while walking past a construction area, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim.
Common Construction Related Injuries
Construction workers and pedestrians who pass through or beside construction sites can be at a higher risk for suffering many types of injuries. Some of the most frequent kind of injuries sustained at construction sites can be due to any the following:
- Electrical malfunctions or wiring issues.
- Malfunction of cranes or equipment
- Lack of safety protocols from supervisors.
- Defective scaffolding. Read more about The Dangers of Scaffolding
- Ineffective traffic control.
- Car accidents on construction site.
Workers Compensation
The severity of construction accident injuries can vary from minor cuts and bruising to more serious conditions such as deep lacerations, concussions, coma, broken bones, internal bleeding, brain damage, and poisoning from chemicals. Accidents can also result in death. Most often, a construction worker is unable to return to work because of their injury. A construction accident lawyer in West Palm Beach that victims trust from Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt can help you file paperwork to receive either workers compensation benefits, or hold the responsible party accountable for their recklessness through a lawsuit.
Employer Mishandling of Claim
Your health and recovery is important. Inform your employer about the construction accident right away and file for workers compensation benefits. If for some reason you feel your employer is not handling your claim properly, a construction accident lawyer in West Palm Beach from Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt can help you decide if taking legal action is the right choice.
Sometimes an employer will try to persuade an employee to not file for workers compensation in order to save money. An employer must be cooperative and responsive to injury claims by law. In most states, it is unlawful for an employer to retaliate or terminate an employee due to filing a workers compensation claim. If you believe you are the victim of this behavior, seek counsel from a construction accident lawyer West Palm Beach workers turn to for legal help.
Road Work Construction Accident Lawyer
Roads all over the nation are continuously being worked on. Although the constant need to drive slowly through construction zones may be annoying, these areas are prone to accidents and particularly dangerous for the workers.
If you were injured in an accident as a road worker, it may be a good idea to call a construction accident lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL as soon as possible. Call Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt today.
Road workers may have many duties. Some will level the road, others operate machines or hold signs. Regardless of the job duties, there are many hazards for these workers. Congested roadways, intoxicated drivers, distracted drivers, or working at night are some examples of vulnerabilities that road workers may be prone to. In the event of an injury, road workers may be able to file a personal injury claim. Due to the complexities of these claims and the potential for many parties to be involved, especially a government entity, you should consult a construction accident lawyer to explore you legal options.
Why Most Construction Accident Injuries Don’t Get Reported
Based on statistics for the construction industry, it is estimated that almost 70% of work-related illness or injuries are not reported. Workers may hesitate to file a report for many reasons. Perhaps they are afraid their boss will blame them for an accident and they will suffer the consequences. Or, maybe the culture in the workplace is that you don’t report injuries unless they have become so dire that you need medication attention right away.
A construction accident lawyer in West Palm Beach, such as one from the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt, believes that regardless of the severity of the injury or illness, it is always a good idea to notify your employer immediately. What many workers may not realize is that by not reporting the incident, they are not taking the proper steps to protect themselves from loss. Construction workers may fail to report an accident for the following reasons:
“Construction Works Just Comes with Risks”
It is well-known that those who work in construction have to deal with more dangers during their work day than most other fields. However, this doesn’t mean that workers have to accept when injury or illness happens to them, and suffer in silence because they think it’s just part of the job. As a construction accident lawyer in West Palm Beach may tell you, you have the right to see a doctor and file a workers compensation claim if you are injured at work or while away performing job-related duties.
“The Discomfort Isn’t From the Workplace”
Some employees may refer to their pain at discomfort, and claim that their symptoms aren’t work-related. However, just because a certain incident didn’t happen that led to the pain you are experiencing, doesn’t mean it isn’t because of your job. For example, those who develop repetitive motion injuries didn’t go through one singular incident which led to their injury. Instead, it was the accumulation of the same movements overtime that caused a condition to evolve.
“My Coworkers Need Me to Finish the Job”
Construction workers may not want to be viewed as weak by those they work with or their employer, so they stifle their pain and don’t report symptoms. Unfortunately, what can happen is that the worker’s condition will only get worse, causing him or her to be out of work for longer, and it can also negatively impact their workers compensation claim if it took them weeks or months to come forward. A construction accident lawyer West Palm Beach can understand that a workplace dynamic can motivate someone to keep quiet, but it’s in your best personal interest to get medical care as soon as you need it.
Call a West Palm Beach Construction Accident Lawyer Today
If you were injured while on a construction site, our team can help you get the medical care and compensation you need to recover. We offer free consultations for new clients, so there’s nothing to lose by simply meeting with us to find out more. Call us now to get your questions answered and book an appointment with a construction accident lawyer West Palm Beach offers at the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt.
Hazards of a Construction Zones
Construction zones tend to be confusing and congested. Highway signs, barriers, cones, and workers can be distracting and when a driver is not paying attention or is confused by what is going on, they might strike another car, run into barriers, or drive right into the construction area. If this should happen the driver and occupants of the car, nearby cars, and construction workers may all be injured.
In addition to the risk of moving vehicles, road workers also face dangers in the construction zone. Large machines and equipment will be moving around them and could strike a worker or drop a heavy object that hits them. Furthermore, hidden hazards like uneven surfaces, poor lighting, electrical lines, raised working areas, holes, and so forth can be present at all times.
The combination of these dangers makes the possibility of an accident inevitable. In fact, every year there are approximately 38,000 road worker injuries in the U.S. Every 14 minutes, there is a report of an injured worker at a road construction site. Although injuries and deaths are declining throughout the country, thanks to better safety measures, they still happen.
When a road worker is injured at a construction site, negligence is often the reason for the accident. Examples of negligent parties may include:
- The driver of another car
- An employee
- A government entity
- Manufacturer or maker of a product
Call a Construction Accident Lawyer in West Palm Beach After a Road Work Accident
Whether you or a loved one was injured while working as a road worker, you may be able to recover compensation beyond workers’ compensation benefits. If the accident occurred because of another party’s negligence, damages may be available.
There are time limits to filing these claims which is why it is important to consult a construction accident lawyer in West Palm Beach as soon as possible. Let the lawyers from Franks Koenig & Neuwelt review your case at no cost to you. We’ll help you to understand your rights and options so you can make a sound decision on what to do next.
Construction Accident Case Evaluation
We offer a free initial case evaluation with a West Palm Beach construction accident lawyer from Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt. Due to the statute of limitations, you may only have a short period of time to take action. Reach out to us today at (561) 475-4499 to make an appointment with a construction accident lawyer West Palm Beach offers.