What you can do if you are injured in a construction accident
Construction sites are among the most dangerous places to work. Hundreds of thousands of construction workers are injured in some way on the job every year. While it is a dangerous profession, those who work in it are protected if they happen to be injured by an accident on the job. Washington Labor and Industries (L&I) can help for some injuries, but construction site accidents have a high potential for serious and long lasting injury. It is the responsibility of the company you work for to provide a safe working environment, and if you are injured because of their negligence, they are liable and should pay for your damages. Construction companies are very skilled at dealing with injury cases, and will do what they can to distance themselves from fault of the accident. If you have been injured in a construction site accident, you should seek the advice of an experienced Seattle construction injury attorney.
In 2009, there were over 26,000 injuries resulting from construction site accidents that forced an employee to miss time from work. This means that about 382 of every 10,000 construction workers sustained at least a moderate injury on the job in one year. As could be assumed with construction injuries, many were serious, and required the employee to miss a lot of days from work. The average injury in 2009 required construction workers to take 14 days off from work, with 33% missing more than a month. Injuries that are this serious usually require very expensive medical care, which combined with days missed from work, can lead the employee into a financial hole. Even worse than an injury that leads a construction worker to miss work, is one that leads to a fatality. In the construction business, work related fatalities tops any other profession, with 819 in 2009. While this number is shockingly high, it is actually a 16% decrease from 2008. This reduction was across the board, including a reduction in the amount of fatal injuries resulting from the construction of buildings. If a family member of yours has been killed in a construction site accident, you may have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit. Once you feel comfortable to do so, you should speak with an experienced Washington wrongful death lawyer for advice.
Certain injuries are much more common in construction site accidents than others. Nearly 32% of all construction injuries are sprains, strains or tears. The second most common types of injuries are cuts, lacerations or punctures, which account for 17% of all construction injuries, while 12% are fractures. It is very important for all construction workers to understand how these injuries happen. 25% of all injuries are caused by being struck by an object. The second most common way construction workers are injured is by falling to a lower level, which accounts for 10% of all injuries, while overextension in lifting makes up 9%. Physical injury isn’t the only type of construction danger, either. In 2009, there were about 8,900 illness cases that were directly related to conditions on the job. Whether it is an illness, or an injury, the employee should not be burdened with paying the medical bills for something that was not their fault.
If you have been injured in a construction site accident, or are family with someone who has died in one, you should seek the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney. Not every case will require a lawyer, but almost every injury law firm in Seattle offers free initial consultations to those looking for help. Make sure you do plenty of research on Washington personal injury firms, and are comfortable with the lawyer you speak to before signing any forms. If you would like a free consultation from Premier Law Group, feel free to call our experienced Bellevue construction accident injury lawyers at 206-285-1743 anytime.
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