If you’ve been hurt while on a construction job, you might be facing the burden of medical expenses and lost wages if you are now out of work. Because many construction workers are covered by their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policies, you could be entitled to benefits that would cover your medical care and a portion of your lost wages as you recover. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may also be able to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim.
The experienced Durham construction accident lawyers at Kreger Brodish LLP can help you pursue every possible option for compensation. For more than a decade, our attorneys have provided comprehensive and personalized legal representation and client service to injured workers throughout North Carolina. We believe you should not have the added stress of fighting for compensation while also trying to recover from devastating construction accident injuries. Our attorneys will craft a tailored, effective case strategy designed to secure the maximum results you need and the future you deserve.
If you have been injured in a construction accident in Durham, reach out to our firm today for a free initial consultation. A Durham construction accident lawyer will review your case with you and walk you through all your legal options. And there is no charge unless we recover payment for you.
Pursuing Compensation After a Construction Accident
Depending on the underlying facts of the construction accident, you may have multiple avenues through which you can recover compensation for the expenses and losses you have suffered.
Workers’ Compensation
If you were injured while working on a construction site, you might be entitled to file a workers’ comp claim with your employer. Under North Carolina’s workers’ comp system, a claim can compensate you for expenses including:
- Reasonable and necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation of work injuries or occupational illnesses
- Partial wage replacement, if you miss time from work or suffer a reduction in your earnings while recovering from injuries suffered in a construction accident
- Disability benefits, which can be paid if your injuries leave you with permanent partial or total disabilities
- Vocational rehabilitation to retrain you for other work within your physical limits and experience, if your injuries or disabilities prevent you from earning substantially the same level of income as in your pre-injury job
Additionally, if your loved one passed away as a result of injuries sustained on the job, you may be entitled to death benefits. These benefits provide surviving family members with partial replacement of the wages their loved one would have earned, as well as with money for funeral and burial services.
Personal Injury Claim
You may be entitled to pursue a personal injury claim if you were injured as an innocent bystander at a construction site or if you were injured by someone other than your employer or a coworker. A Durham personal injury lawyer can help you recover compensation for a wider range of losses than workers’ compensation, including:
- Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation of injuries
- Costs of long-term care services for permanent disabilities that result from construction accident injuries
- Loss of wages/income and earning capacity for the future
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life because of disabilities or visible scarring/disfigurement
A skilled Durham construction accident lawyer from our firm can help you identify all possible sources of compensation, so you can demand the maximum payment you need to move forward with your life.
How a Durham Construction Accident Lawyer Can Help
When trying to recover from devastating injuries after a jobsite accident, you need an experienced attorney who has successfully handled cases like yours before. At Kreger Brodish LLP, our seasoned North Carolina construction accident lawyers can help with all the details of preparing and pursuing your claims, by:
- Thoroughly investigating the underlying facts and circumstances of the construction accident to determine what caused your injuries and who might be held liable for your expenses and losses
- Explaining your legal rights and options to you, including advising you as to whether you might be entitled to pursue workers’ comp and personal injury claims
- Documenting the full extent of your injuries and losses, including future anticipated losses
- Helping you obtain the medical care and specialized treatment you may need for serious injuries and health conditions
- Managing all communication with the at-fault parties and insurers
- Vigorously pursuing a full settlement of your legal claims
- Taking your case to formal hearings or trial if this is your best chance at securing maximum payment
How Much Does a Durham Construction Accident Attorney Charge?
If you’ve been injured in a construction accident, you may be left with significant financial burdens. You should not have to worry about the cost of hiring a Durham construction accident attorney as well. With Kreger Brodish LLP, you will not pay any upfront fees to hire one of our experienced attorneys. Instead, we only accept payment when we win you money through a settlement, after a worker’s comp hearing, or at trial. In addition, if we pursue a workers’ comp claim on your behalf, our fees must be approved by the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
Common Causes of Construction Accidents
Some of the most frequent causes of construction accidents in Durham include:
- Slick surfaces, debris, or other slipping or tripping hazards
- Unguarded ledges or holes in the floor
- Negligently constructed scaffolding
- Lack of fall protection equipment
- Improper balancing or securing of construction materials
- Unmarked or unbraced trenches or excavation sites
- Improperly rigged crane loads
- Improper erection of cranes
- Loose and unsecured electrical wires and power lines
- Unsafe storage of flammable or explosive materials
- Improper storage or handling of toxic or hazardous materials
- Defective machinery or equipment
- Improper maintenance of tools, equipment, and machinery
- Lack of safety guards or lockout/tag-out functions for powered equipment or machinery
Common Injuries on Construction Sites
The heavy equipment and machinery, hazardous materials, and electrical lines found at construction sites pose serious dangers to nearby workers and bystanders. As a result, construction accidents can lead to life-altering injuries, including:
- Severe lacerations and excessive bleeding
- Skin abrasions
- Burns and smoke inhalation injuries
- Electrocution injuries
- Toxic exposure
- Repetitive stress/strain injuries
- Overexertion injuries
- Broken bones
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Muscle/tendon strains and tears
- Nerve damage
- Herniated spinal discs
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head and facial injuries
- Vision or hearing loss
- Crush injuries
- Asphyxiation
- Traumatic amputation
What to Do If You Are Hurt on a Jobsite in Durham
Taking the following steps after an accident at a construction site can protect your legal rights and options:
- Report your injury to your foreman or employer as soon as possible, as well as in writing within 30 days of the accident.
- If possible, take photos or videos of the accident scene, including whatever caused the accident and your injuries, any safety equipment or warning signs in the area, any visible injuries you suffered, and weather or lighting conditions, if relevant.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible to have your injuries diagnosed. If you were injured in the course and scope of your employment, your employer has the right to designate a medical provider.
- Keep copies of bills and invoices for expenses you incur, along with copies of your income records.
- Consider starting a journal to document how your injuries have negatively affected your quality of life.
- Stay off social media until your claims are resolved. Anything you post could end up being used against you.
- Speak to a Durham construction accident lawyer as soon as possible to begin building a case for the financial resources you need to treat and rehab your injuries.
Time Limit for Filing a Construction Accident Claim in NC
If you decide to pursue a legal claim for compensation after being hurt in a construction accident, you will have to keep in mind the time limits that North Carolina state law puts in place:
Workers’ Compensation Time Limits
In North Carolina’s workers’ compensation system, you are expected to provide your employer with written notice of your work injury within 30 days of the date that the injury occurred. To begin a formal workers’ comp claim with the Industrial Commission, you must file a Form 18 no later than two years following the date that you suffered a work injury.
Personal Injury Claim Time Limits
North Carolina’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims gives you only three years from the date you suffered an injury to file a lawsuit against the party or parties at fault.
If you fail to file a workers’ comp claim or a personal injury lawsuit before the relevant time limit expires, you may lose the opportunity to recover compensation. You should know that investigating these claims and preparing a strong legal case takes time. So the sooner you begin working with a lawyer, the better.
Get Advice from an Experienced Durham Construction Accident Lawyer
If you have been hurt in a construction accident in Durham or elsewhere in North Carolina, contact Kreger Brodish LLP today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Our seasoned Durham construction accident lawyers can help you understand your options and make a plan for your recovery.
