Construction Accident

A construction accident refers to any accident taking place on a building site. The person injured in a construction accident could be a bystander or a worker.

The legal situation for victims of construction accidents varies by their relationship to the work site. A bystander injured in a construction accident would hold the general contractor liable under the general law of personal injury. If the construction accident results in the death or injury of workers, however, the law of employee injury applies. Construction accidents that kill or injure a worker not employed by the contractor responsible for the construction accident, however, can often file suit under general personal injury law.

Construction accidents take a number of forms: falls, electrocution, being struck by equipment/materials, or being caught in equipment. Construction accidents due to falls are most common, because of the scaffolding most building sites require. Other construction accidents caused by falls are often related to faulty ladders or holes in the flooring. Some construction accidents are caused by debris left on the site or improperly secured tools and equipment.

Construction accidents are the responsibility of the contractor in charge of that part of the building site. Construction accident suits can help you recover medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Bystanders harmed in construction accidents can file personal injury suits, but construction accidents involving employees are almost always considered worker’s compensation suits. An attorney familiar with construction accident law may be able to help you decide what your legal rights are.