Construction Site Accident Injuries in IL – Lawsuits and Liability
Illinois Construction Site Accident Lawyers Helping You Recover
Construction work is difficult physically, and it’s also one of the most dangerous occupations in existence in the United States. As a result, injuries and fatalities at construction sites happen with alarming frequency. When these situations arise, those who are injured need the help of experienced Illinois construction site accident attorneys to make sure that all of the different legal realities are properly handled on behalf of the client.
Below you’ll find information including some basic statistics regarding construction site accidents, common causes and types of construction site accidents, the different bodies of law that could govern an Illinois construction site accident and finally how you should proceed in contacting a Chicago personal injury lawyer if you or someone you love has been harmed at a construction site in Illinois.
Construction Site Accident Statistics and Common Causes
While the number of Illinois construction site accidents that have occurred has gone down in recent years, most feel that this is because of the collapsing economy and dearth of new construction as opposed to the construction boom that existed in the early part of the 21st Century. That said, there are still more than 1,000 deaths every year in the United States from construction accidents, and several hundred thousand people are injured at construction sites to the point that they miss some work that same year.
There are several leading causes of construction site accidents, and the most common cause by far is falling. A large portion of IL construction site falls that lead to injuries or fatalities occur from high places where the ground on which workers are standing is not stable, leading to the obvious and troubling consequences. Below are other leading causes of construction site accidents:
- Scaffolding accidents
- Electrocution
- Crane accidents
- Hazardous waste spills
- Welding rod accidents
- Defective or malfunctioning equipment
- Noise damage
While there are surely many more causes of construction site accidents in Illinois, those mentioned above represent the most common types reported. The fact is that construction workers encounter a high level of risk every time they report for work.
Illinois Construction Site Accident Lawsuits
When an Illinois construction site accident occurs, there are two bodies of law that could be relevant to the situation. The first is the law of worker’s compensation, which in Illinois entitles someone who has been injured on the job to receive benefits that include funds paid out to the worker, medical care necessary to rehabilitate the worker and perhaps vocational training and other, more long-term needs if the worker is injured badly enough that he or she will not be able to regain the construction work job.
In many situations, worker’s compensation law will govern these accidents, but even within this relatively clear-cut body of law challenges can arise. Claims can be denied, other issues such as allegations of preexisting conditions can arise and the worker can be left to suffer with little or no help until the situation is resolved. It is in these situations where help from an Illinois worker’s compensation lawyer can be essential to coming to a fair conclusion in regards to the claim at hand.
Despite the apparent jurisdiction of worker’s compensation law in Illinois, there are situations in which the laws of personal injury can and will be relevant to a legal claim that’s filed after the injuries have occurred. Below is a look at two examples of these types of situations and how our Chicago personal Injury lawyers can help:
Third Party Liability
Not all construction site accidents and injuries are caused by the worker’s employer or co-workers in the normal course of work. There are situations in which a third party could come onto the scene and cause an accident that leads to the potential for liability based on a claim for personal injury. An example of a third party liability situation would be when a trucking company driver negligently dumps a load of supplies in a location that injures a construction worker.
Failure to Maintain a Safe Premises by the Employer
While worker’s compensation law tends to govern the law of injured workers, employers can still be sued for personal injury damages if the work site was kept in such a state that it was unreasonably dangerous. While most people understand that there are dangers involved with any Illinois construction site, negligence can still occur by way of lack of supervision, lack of providing safe equipment and other situations in which the employer should have taken reasonable steps to protect the workers involved.
How an Illinois Construction Site Accident Lawyer Can Help
Ultimately, if you or someone you love has been harmed in a construction site accident in Illinois, you need legal help to make the complicated determinations discussed above. Contact the Chicago construction site accident lawyers at the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. today to schedule a free initial consultation.
