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If you were injured in a construction accident in Huntsville, Alabama, you may need clarification about your legal rights. You might now know who is responsible for your injuries or how you will pay your medical bills. The experienced Huntsville construction accident lawyers at Siniard Law, LLC can help provide clarity and transparency throughout the personal injury claim process. 

Construction work is critical to the development and progress of our community. Construction workers often perform dangerous jobs to ensure this progress. However, accidents sometimes happen. When they do, our experienced construction accident attorneys can investigate the circumstances and fight tirelessly for the fair compensation you deserve. Contact Siniard Law, LLC today for a free and confidential initial consultation. 

How a Construction Accident Lawyer Can Help with Your Personal Injury Claim 

Construction workers face many dangers in the workplace, from falling objects to unmarked hazards and environmental contaminants. Thousands of construction workers are injured or killed every year due to these unsafe workplaces. When employers and other parties fail to follow safety standards, you need a construction accident lawyer who will work to hold negligent parties accountable. 

When you hire the personal injury lawyers from Siniard Law, LLC, we help with every aspect of your claim, including:

  • Legal consultation – The process begins when you meet with a Huntsville personal injury lawyer during a free and confidential consultation. We can explain the laws that apply to your case and identify the legal options available to you to seek compensation for your injuries. 
  • Investigation – If you decide to move forward with your case, we can launch an in-depth investigation to determine how the accident happened and who is at fault for your injuries. We can interview witnesses, review accident reports, investigate safety complaints against the defendants, and analyze your medical records.
  • Expert consultation – Construction accidents can be complex. It might be necessary to hire engineers, accident reconstruction experts, or other professionals who can help explain how the accident happened. 
  • Damages assessment – Our personal injury attorneys can account for all the damages you sustained in the accident so we know the full value of your claim.
  • Legal claim management – We handle communication with insurance companies, prepare legal claims, and monitor case deadlines to safeguard your interests. 
  • Negotiations – If the insurance company fails to offer a fair settlement, our trial lawyers can take your case to court to demand the maximum compensation you are due.

Our Huntsville personal injury attorneys have the experience and resources necessary to secure results. Contact us today for a free consultation. 

Long-Term Complications of Construction Accidents

Our Huntsville construction accident lawyers work closely with personal injury victims. We understand the lifelong toll that these incidents can have on them. Some of the lasting effects of construction site accidents include:

Physical Injuries 

Construction workers often work from heights. They may use various power tools. They could come in contact with dangerous substances. These workplace hazards can result in them suffering serious physical injuries and illnesses, including:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Amputations
  • Spinal cord injuries 
  • Internal organ damage 
  • Severe burns
  • Fractured and dislocated bones
  • Damage to tendons, joints, and muscles
  • Respiratory illnesses
  • Cancer

Construction accident victims may suffer from debilitating pain that negatively impacts their lives. They could suffer chronic pain and other complications that limit their ability to work, which is problematic when they need the financial resources to pay for emergency medical treatment and ongoing care. 

Economic Harm 

Construction site accidents can cause lingering health and financial consequences that last for years or even a lifetime. Some construction accidents can lead to total paralysis or other permanent disabilities that prevent a worker from ever working again. Others cause serious physical injuries that require the victim to take a less physical and demanding job to safeguard their health. This often comes at a price.

Construction accident victims could be facing significant financial hurdles due to:

  • Costs for surgery, emergency room visits, hospital stays, medical specialists, plastic surgery, physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists, psychologists, and other forms of medical treatment
  • Lost wages while recovering from injuries
  • Permanent reductions in their earning capacity
  • Costs for job retraining or vocational counselors

These expenses are unexpected and can financially cripple a victim.

Psychological Effects

Construction accidents can be psychologically traumatizing. Victims may have flashbacks and relive the experience again and again. The mental health impact can be significant. 

Additionally, accident victims may struggle with their new normal. They may have physical impairments they are embarrassed about. They may have limitations or have to depend on family members for their basic care, which can strain personal relationships. They may suffer from a lack of mobility when they once enjoyed an active life.

A compassionate Huntsville personal injury lawyer can help to identify all the real-world losses you have suffered and fight to recover compensation that acknowledges all you have endured.

Common Workplace Injuries on Construction Sites

Construction workers can suffer various types of injuries on the job, including:

  • Falls – Because there is so much debris on a construction site, slips and falls are common. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction and extraction workers had the second-highest number of workplace fatalities in 2022, with falls, slips, and trips precipitating nearly half of these fatal accidents. Workers can fall from ladders, scaffolding, roofs, or other heights. They could also fall from wet floors or other slippery substances.
  • Motor vehicle accidents Car accidents are a leading cause of workplace injuries. Drivers near the construction site may not notice workers or watch out for them. Forklift operators and transportation handlers could run over a worker on the site.
  • Muscle strains – Construction work can be physically demanding. Construction workers may try to lift something heavy and strain a muscle.
  • Equipment accidents – Construction workers could be injured by heavy equipment when operators do not know how to safely operate the machine or do not take proper safeguards.
  • Electrocution injuries – Workers may fail to mark live wires, which can cause electrical injuries to others.
  • Industrial accidents – Construction workers who are working to repair or build industrial sites can suffer injuries due to explosions or other hazards. Our industrial accident lawyers can investigate how these injuries occurred. 
  • Repetitive motion injuries – Many construction tasks require repetitive motions, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries. 
  • Dangerous products – Construction workers may breathe in or make contact with caustic chemicals, old construction materials, or other environmental contaminants that can cause serious illnesses and injuries.

Alabama’s Workers’ Compensation System

The first recourse you have after suffering an on-the-job injury is to file a workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation insurance is a no-fault insurance system. You don’t have to prove your employer was negligent to receive workers’ compensation benefits. 

Workers’ compensation can provide several benefits after a workplace accident. First, Alabama law requires the employer to pay medical bills associated with the injury in question after they approve the workers’ compensation claim. The employer is also responsible for reimbursing the injured employee for mileage for medical appointments.

After the employee has missed three days of work due to the injury, they receive financial payments equal to two-thirds of their average weekly wage, subject to the maximum and minimum amounts set by law if their authorized treating physician has approved their missed work days. If the employee misses more than 21 days of work, they receive payment for the first three days of missed work. Benefits can continue until the injured worker can return to work or when they reach the maximum period allowed by law, which may be 300 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury. 

Our workplace accident attorneys can help you with all aspects of your workers’ compensation claim. You could run into workers’ compensation issues if your employer has denied your claim or is trying to undervalue your claim. An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer from our firm can protect your rights throughout the process and fight for the benefits you deserve as a matter of law.

Who Is Responsible for Construction Accident Injuries?

While you rightfully want to look to your employer for compensation following an injury on the job, workers’ compensation limits the benefits you can recover, generally to pay for medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages. You may be able to seek compensation for the full extent of your damages – including pain and suffering – if another party bears some or all of the responsibility for your accident. An experienced workplace injury lawyer can investigate your claim to see if you have viable legal claims against other parties, such as:

  • Negligent motorists
  • Property owners
  • General contractors
  • Subcontractors
  • Product manufacturers

What Financial Compensation Can I Seek in a Personal Injury Claim

If you can a claim against a third party such as a property owner or general contractor, you may be able to recover additional compensation beyond what workers’ compensation would provide you. Typical compensation for construction accident victims includes payment for:

  • Medical expenses, including future medical expenses
  • The full extent of your lost wages
  • Reduced earning capacity
  • Property damage
  • Physical and mental pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Disabilities and impairments

What Should I Do After I Suffer a Workplace Injury?

Injured workers must report their injuries to their employer in writing as soon as possible. The employer files a workers’ compensation claim based on this written report, which has up to 30 days to render a decision about whether to deny or approve the claim. 

If your workers’ compensation claim is denied, you can file an appeal in district court. It is in your best interest to hire an experienced workers’ compensation claim to assist you with this process. They can communicate with insurance companies and craft legal arguments to fight for the compensation you deserve.

What Is the Statute of Limitations to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Alabama law gives accident victims two years to file a personal injury lawsuit against a third party, such as a negligent motorist or property owner. You also have two years to file a workers’ compensation claim from the date of injury or the date of your last compensation payment. If you miss the applicable deadline, you can lose your right to recover compensation for the damages you sustained.

Contact Us Today

If you were injured in a construction accident, Siniard Law, LLC can help. Contact us today to discuss your case with an experienced Huntsville construction accident lawyer.