Have you been injured on a construction job or while visiting a Connecticut construction site? If so, you have a right to seek workers’ compensation benefits for the injuries you sustained. Although multiple safety precautions and standards are observed to prevent injuries, the worst can still happen. Construction site accidents are fairly common in Connecticut and often cause serious injuries or even death.
Did you sustain an injury while working or visiting a construction site in Connecticut? A construction accident lawyer can help you understand your rights and successfully claim workers’ compensation benefits. Get to know the most common construction site accidents that can cause injuries and how you can determine liability for your accident.
What Are the Common Accidents in a Construction Site?
Statistics released by both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Connecticut Department of Labor show that construction workers account for at least 30% of all workplace deaths recorded in the state.
As you can imagine some construction site accidents are more prevalent than others. These are the four most common risks on a construction site in Connecticut:
Falling
Falls in the construction industry may occur due to human error, unstable work surfaces, and failure to use or misuse of fall protection equipment. A report by OSHA indicates that falls are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry.
Falling accounts for about 24,882 injuries and 36 fatalities every year. Different situations can cause a construction worker to fall, but most of them fall when they are using a ladder.
Machinery Accidents
Heavy machinery, like cranes, bulldozers, and forklifts, are essential in construction but can be extremely dangerous. Accidents often occur due to mechanical failures, operator error, or lack of safety measures.
Electrocutions
Construction workers face risks from exposed wiring, power lines, and incomplete electrical systems. These accidents can cause severe burns, nerve damage, or even be fatal.
Trench and Building Collapses
Collapse accidents are particularly dangerous, often resulting in trapped or crushed workers, highlighting the importance of adhering to safety standards in construction.
Exposure to Airborne Materials
Construction workers in Connecticut also face respiratory hazards at work from time to time. This happens when they interact with toxic materials, including:
Asbestos
As a construction worker, you are more likely to come into contact with asbestos when working on renovation projects. In this regard, you may encounter asbestos in spray-on fireproofing, pipe installations, floor tiles, drywall joint compounds, and fire-resistant drywall.
You may also find asbestos in older acoustical products, roofing felts and shingles, ceiling tiles, and cement pipes. If you do not wear proper protection when handling asbestos, its particles can embed themselves in your digestive or respiratory system.
With time, asbestos may cause you to develop lung cancer, emphysema, and gastrointestinal, or mesothelioma cancer. In such a case, your construction accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Lead
Your body may absorb lead when you inhale lead-contaminated dust, mist, or fumes at the construction site. Lead may be present in cornices, roofs, paint, electrical conduit, and tank linings.
Since lead is banned for residential use, you may only interact with this metal when working on renovation projects. Repeated exposure to this metal may cause irreversible system and organ damage. If you believe this to be your case, talk to our Connecticut construction accident lawyer to discuss options.
Slipping and Tripping
Slipping is when you lose traction between your foot and the work surface. This may, in turn, cause you to lose balance and fall. Tripping happens when your lower leg or foot hits an object unexpectedly as you walk around the construction site.
Some of the things that may cause you to trip or slip on a construction site include, wet surfaces, grease, mud, dust, oil, and gravel. Despite being some of the most common accidents on Connecticut construction sites, slipping and tripping only cause minor injuries.
Struck-By Incidents
A struck-by incident on the site occurs when a worker is hit by something—often a moving vehicle, or a falling or flying object. According to OSHA, one in every four struck-by-vehicle deaths in the country involves a construction worker.
About 75% of struck-by fatalities on Connecticut construction sites involve heavy equipment, such as cranes and trucks.
Schedule a free legal consultation with our personal injury team.
Who is Liable for Your Connecticut Construction Accident?
Following a construction accident in Connecticut, the party responsible for maintaining a safe working environment for you may be held liable for the accident. To recover any damages from a construction accident injury claim, you need to prove liability.
You need to show that the liable party failed to do what they should have done for you to have a safe working environment. This can be difficult to prove since construction accidents are often triggered by multiple factors.
The following questions can help you ascertain who is responsible for your construction accident injuries:
1. Where Did Your Accident Occur?
Normally, construction workers are assigned different roles and responsibilities on the site. Understanding where your accident occurred can help you know who is responsible for providing a safe working environment in that particular area.
2. What are the Conditions at the Accident Spot?
Construction sites in the state of Connecticut are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). As such, the responsible parties are required to meet certain standards for safety.
If the site does not meet the minimum safety requirements, you can use this to prove that the liable party was negligent.
3. What Piece of Equipment Was Involved in the Accident?
If your accident occurred because a piece of equipment malfunctioned or failed, then the parties responsible for reselling, building, and maintaining the equipment may be held accountable.
4. Was the Equipment Used as it Should?
Was the equipment operated properly when the accident occurred? If equipment misuse caused your construction accident, then the one operating the equipment at that particular time may be held responsible for your injuries.
Connecticut Laws and Regulations Protecting Construction Workers
Connecticut maintains rigorous safety standards to protect construction workers. The state adopts guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ensuring that construction sites adhere to federal safety protocols.
These standards include mandatory use of safety gear, regular safety training, and strict adherence to operational procedures for machinery and equipment. By enforcing these regulations, Connecticut works to reduce workplace accidents and provide a safe working environment for construction professionals.
Workers’ Compensation Rights
In Connecticut, construction workers are covered by robust workers’ compensation laws. These laws guarantee benefits to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses, regardless of fault.
Benefits include medical treatment, wage replacement, and rehabilitation services. This system ensures injured workers receive essential support and financial assistance during their recovery without the burden of proving employer negligence.
Third-Party Liability Claims
Apart from workers’ compensation, Connecticut law allows injured workers to file third-party liability claims in certain circumstances. Workers can pursue additional compensation through personal injury lawsuits if an injury results from a third party’s negligence, such as equipment manufacturers or subcontractors. These claims can provide further financial relief for damages like pain and suffering, which are not covered under workers’ compensation.
What Should You Do After a Construction Site Injury?
Following a construction site injury, you need to take the appropriate steps towards recovery and recover maximum damages. If you happen to find yourself in a construction accident and have sustained injuries, here is what you should do:
- Assess your injuries – if you sustained back or head injuries, you should not move. Instead, you should have someone call an ambulance right away. If you do not think that your injuries are life-threatening, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor for an examination.
- Document the Accident Scene – if your injuries are not all that serious and you can move, take photos of the construction accident scene as well as the injuries you sustained as a result of the accident.
- Notify the Supervisor or Manager – Notify your supervisor or manager of what happened. However, you should only give them straightforward details, and avoid giving in-depth information until you have consulted with a construction accident lawyer.
Protecting Yourself and Your Rights After a Construction Accident
Construction accidents can have life-altering consequences, and navigating the aftermath can be overwhelming. Knowing your rights and the steps to take following an accident is critical.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a construction accident in Connecticut, don’t hesitate to seek the expertise of a qualified workers’ compensation attorney. At Jonathan Perkins Injury Lawyers, we are committed to providing compassionate and professional legal assistance to ensure you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
Final Verdict on Construction Accidents in Connecticut
Claiming workers’ compensation benefits after sustaining injuries at work is not always as straightforward as it should be. The best way to go about it is to hire an experienced construction accident lawyer to advocate for you.
At Jonathan Perkins, we have attorneys who are knowledgeable on all aspects of a construction accident injury case. We can help you ascertain liability for the accident and claim maximum damages from the responsible parties. Contact us to schedule a free consultation and case evaluation.
