Have You Been Injured in a Construction Vehicle Accident?
Many different accidents can occur on a construction site. Moreover, some of the most common accidents involve construction vehicles. Additionally, due to their nature, these types of trucks can pose a great danger to those around them. If you sustained an injury due to a construction vehicle accident in Seattle, contact Premier Law Group at 206.285.1743.
Call today to speak directly with our personal injury attorneys and start a free construction vehicle accident case review.
What Kinds of Construction Vehicles Are There?
There are a variety of vehicles on a construction site. These vehicles include:
- Bulldozers: Bulldozers have a large bucket on the front, with sharp teeth used to dig through materials.
- Front-loaders: Front-loaders are similar to bulldozers but don’t dig. They use their front bucket to scoop materials and move it to another area.
- Backhoe: Backhoes have two separate components. The first is a large shovel that digs backwards. On the front is a loader, which moves materials found on a construction site.
- Dump trucks: Dump trucks are found both on and off construction sites. They haul materials, waste, or other byproducts of construction. The bed of the truck lifts up, so the material inside can slide out.
- Cement trucks: Cement trucks have a large cylinder attached to a flatbed. It turns as the cement mixes, and a slide pours the cement.
- Cranes: Cranes lift heavy objects high off the ground. When not in operation, a truck transports the crane. This can be difficult for the operator to see around.
These are some of the common vehicles found on construction sites. Each has its own unique risks, particularly for those who need to work around the vehicle.
What Compensation Am I Entitled To?
The Role of Workers’ Compensation in Construction Accidents
can injure those on or near a construction site. However, the majority of victims of construction vehicle accidents are construction workers.
Furthermore, in Seattle, workers have the protection of workers’ compensation insurance. This pays for their medical care for injuries suffered on the job. Workers’ compensation may also cover certain lost wages and other expenses. Workers’ compensation should be straightforward. It is to help injured workers find and pay for doctors, to get back to work. However, pursuing a workers’ compensation claim can be confusing. Especially when a claim gets denied in part or in-full.
When you receive workers’ compensation benefits, your right to seek other compensation from an employer becomes limited. However, it does not prevent the injured worker from seeking compensation from other parties who may have caused a construction accident. Speaking with an experienced Seattle construction vehicle accident attorney is the best way to determine the role workers’ compensation may play in your case.
Common Damages for Construction Accident Injuries
In Seattle, victims of construction vehicle accidents may seek compensation from those who caused their injuries. Generally, there are two broad categories of damages a construction vehicle accident victim might recover:
Economic damages pay for the out-of-pocket costs resulting from the construction vehicle accident and injury. Economic damages for construction accident might include:
- Unreimbursed medical bills
- Chronic or long-term care costs
- Assistive medical devices, prosthetics, and home modifications
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages from missed work while recovering or helping a loved one recover
- Lost income or employment opportunity due to injuries or permanent disabilities
Non-economic damages pay for the effects of a construction vehicle accident that don’t necessarily have a fixed value, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Damage to personal relationships (a.k.a. loss of consortium/companionship/parent-child relationship)
- Negative impacts on quality of life.
Unlike other states, in Washington, non-economic damages have a maximum of 43 percent of the average annual wage in Washington multiplied by the construction vehicle accident victim’s life expectancy at the time of the injury (which is a minimum of 15 years).
For a free legal consultation with a construction vehicle accident lawyer serving Seattle, call (206) 285-1743
GET A FREE CASE EVALUATION
What About Third-Party Liability?
Third-party liability comes into play in a number of construction vehicle accident cases. This happens when outside parties play a part in the project. A construction vehicle accident case may target site owners, architects, equipment manufacturers, or contractors.
Contractors, for instance, are legally responsible for providing safety provisions based on the work that they perform on-site. They must:
- Notify those present of possible safety hazards on-site
- Hire employees who will exercise caution while working
- Coordinate anything concerning job safety
- Ensure that all safety specifications are followed
Another easy example of this is with equipment manufacturers. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that their products’ designs are safe. They must also ensure that their actual manufactured products are safe. If somebody on a construction site employs appropriate safety measures and still sustains injuries due to defective or otherwise questionable machinery, the manufacturer of that equipment could be held liable.
Contact a Dedicated Construction Vehicle Accident Attorney
Potential clients frequently wonder, when should I hire a construction vehicle accident lawyer? There are a number of advantages to hiring someone right away. The right attorney will help protect your health, emotional well-being, and finances.
At Premier Law Group, our goal is for everyone who contacts us to end up more informed about their legal options – even if we do not end up representing them.
If you don’t need an attorney to settle your construction vehicle accident claim, we’ll let you know.
Contact Premier Law Group for your free construction vehicle accident case review. Call 206.285.1743 today. And as always, there’s no legal fee unless we win your case!
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.