What Are My Legal Options if I Was Injured in a Construction Accident?

 Posted on February 09, 2021 in Workers' Compensation

Construction workers have an extremely dangerous job. They work with heavy equipment, toxic substances, and often at great heights. Construction workers may suffer spine injuries, broken bones, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, and other serious injuries. If you or a loved one was hurt on the job while working at a construction site, you may have questions about your legal options. You may wonder if you are entitled to compensation through workers’ compensation and other means. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you explore all of your legal options and sources of potential compensation.

Reimbursement for Medical Expenses and Lost Income Through Workers’ Compensation

Employers with one or more employees are required to carry workers’ compensation in Illinois. The Illinois Workers Compensation Act mandates workers’ compensation insurance and prohibits employees from suing their employers for injuries in most cases. Workers’ compensation is “no-fault” meaning that you do not have to prove that your employer acted negligently in order to be entitled to compensation. You may recover compensation for your medical care as well as partial lost wages from missed work through workers’ compensation.

Compensation Through a Third-Party Claim

Many injured workers do not realize that workers’ compensation is not necessarily the only potential source of reimbursement after a serious work injury. If your injury was caused or contributed to by the negligent actions of a party other than your employer, you may be able to bring a personal injury claim against that party in addition to your workers’ compensation claim. You may be able to recover your full lost wages and medical expenses as well as other damages such as physical pain and mental suffering.

Construction sites are often bustling work zones full of workers from different companies. You may work alongside engineers, architects, contractors, subcontractors, and many other parties. If a party violated safety regulations or made careless oversights that led to your injury, you may be able to bring a personal injury claim against that party.

Some examples of situations in which a third party claim may be appropriate include:

• You suffered an on-the-clock injury caused by a negligent driver.
• You were hurt because a property owner allowed a dangerous condition to exist on the premises.
• You were injured by a defective product such as a malfunctioning crane or faulty hazardous waste container.
• Your injury was caused by the negligent actions of a materials supplier.

Contact a Schaumburg Workplace Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one were injured while working in construction, you may be entitled to compensation though workers’ compensation and a third party claim. To learn more, contact a Palatine workers’ compensation lawyer from Newland & Newland, LLP. Call our office for a free consultation at 847-797-8000.

Source:

https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/iwcc/Documents/act.pdf