Construction Accident Attorney Stockton

Written by: Steven L. Brown

Construction accidents can cause severe and costly injuries when safety measures are not adequately implemented. If you were hurt while on a job site, a personal injury lawsuit can help you seek compensation for medical bills and other expenses. At Brown & Gessell, our personal injury attorneys can gather evidence and file a claim on your behalf.

Moreover, our legal team can determine the causes of your construction accident and identify the responsible parties. In addition to helping you focus on your recovery, we can help you get back to your life.

Our law firm represents victims in lawsuits involving all types of personal injury cases, from construction accidents to slip and falls, motor vehicle accidents, and medical malpractice. Contact us today so we can start exploring your options for compensation after you have been harmed on a construction site.

Injury Risks on Construction Sites

According to OSHA, construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. The industry accounts for more than 20 percent of all worker fatalities in the private sector annually, meaning that one in five of all private industry workers injured on the job is in construction. Construction sites are home to various potential hazards, including:

• Multiple employers or workers: because construction sites can be busy, mistakes can be made by anyone on a site leading to devastating consequences. This could include negligent workers who fail to safely tag-out machinery or create slip and fall hazards.
• Elevated work surfaces: as stated by OSHA, falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries on construction sites. Working at such heights can pose risks of falling items and electrocution from overhead power lines.
• Dangerous machinery: construction sites require the use of powerful tools, vehicles, and machinery, but when they are misused or defectively made, they can pose safety risks.
• Occupational exposure: this involves worksite hazards such as debris, sun exposure, loud noise, or harmful substances such as lead or asbestos.

Like any other legal matter, you must adhere to the statute of limitations in a personal injury case. Otherwise, you may jeopardize your potential settlement. In Stockton, CA, you must file a lawsuit within two years from the date of your construction accident. Failure to act within the period means you may lose all legal rights to seek compensation.

At Brown & Gessell, our construction accident attorneys have a proven record of representing injured workers on construction sites or industrial settings. Due to their nature, such accidents can have complex factual and regulatory issues, but our law firm has the skills, resources, and knowledge to investigate and pursue your claim.

Can You File a Personal Injury Claim After a Construction Accident?

If you are injured while on the job in California, your legal remedy is workers’ compensation. That means you will have to go through your workers’ comp insurance to receive needed medical care, supplemental wages, rehabilitation, or other benefits. You will not have to prove liability or fault when obtaining workers’ comp. However, the benefits may not always be sufficient.

On the other hand, there are some exceptions, and you could have grounds to file a personal injury claim after suffering injuries in a construction accident. If you want to bring a personal injury lawsuit, you must prove your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence or reckless behavior. Although such cases require you to prove the negligence or liability of the at-fault party, they can provide a higher compensation, including unavailable or insufficient damages through workers’ comp.

Because personal injury cases can provide more compensation, evaluating your options for pursuing a case outside workers’ comp is vital. You could have a case if a third party, who is not your employer, is at fault for your injuries. General contractors, site owners, sub-contractors, equipment manufacturers, material suppliers, or other entities could be legally liable for your construction injuries.

In addition to your workers’ comp benefits, you might be entitled to additional damages such as medical expenses, lost income, disability, loss of services, and pain and suffering. You can bring a wrongful death and survival claim if a family member has been killed in a construction accident.

At Brown & Gessell, a personal injury lawyer in Stockton can conduct an in-depth investigation of your construction accident by examining the site or photos of the scene. We will also consider eyewitness testimonies and medical records to determine who is liable for your accident.

Consult a Construction Accident Attorney at Brown & Gessell

Construction accidents involving heights and heavy machinery can result in spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. Because these injuries can severely impact your life and your ability to work, we understand such accidents can be disruptive for you and your family.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Stockton construction accident, you should seek immediate medical attention and contact our personal injury lawyers for a free initial consultation. At Brown & Gessell, our personal injury lawyers are not afraid to stand up to the construction entities and their insurance companies to protect your rights.

Whether we resolve your case through negotiations or take it to court, our legal team will not stop fighting for the best possible outcome. We have helped hundreds of injured victims throughout Stockton recover the maximum compensation available for our clients.

The sooner you hire our legal services, the sooner we can work on your construction accident case. Contact us today so we can answer any questions and let you know what we can do to help. If you cannot visit our firm, our personal injury lawyers can come to your home or hospital room.