Injuries can occur on any job but construction jobs are particularly dangerous. Visitors and workers who are injured at construction job sites have the legal right to compensation for their injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job or while visiting a construction site in Connecticut you should contact the workers’ compensation and personal injury attorneys at the Tindall Law Firm, LLC. Connecticut workers have trusted Attorney Tavis Tindall’s nearly 24 years of experience and skills to ensure the protection of their legal rights.

Connecticut Construction Companies Are Legal Obligated to Maintain Safe Conditions on Work Sites

As is required of any workplace, construction sites must also be kept safe for the employees who work on them. Due to the dangers of working in the field of construction and the higher risk of construction accidents, there are specific regulations specific to this industry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) performs safety inspections specific to the varied construction site hazards. Connecticut Statutes and Courts through the common law decisions also impose specific safety obligations on construction companies including for example, setting building construction standards and safety requirements. Failure to meet these obligations can result in personal injuries to innocent parties. Breaches of these obligations by companies, include the following:

• Failure to follow the specific safety standards or guidelines set by OSHA, the Connecticut Statutes, or the Connecticut Courts;
• Failure to provide employees the adequate safety equipment they require to safely perform their duties, including hard hats, harnesses, gloves, reflective vests, or other equipment appropriate for the working conditions;
• Failure to provide proper training on safety protocols for employees;
• Failure to adequately provide supervision during dangerous construction activities;
• Failure to perform inspections and maintenance on the equipment and at the construction worksite to ensure safe operating condition for workers;
• Failure to display proper signage, such as cordons, signs, tape, or other preventative safety measures to warn others.

When a construction company violates one or more of the federal or state safety standards resulting in an injury, they are financially responsible.  If an employee is injured, the employer is responsible under Connecticut Workers’ Compensation law. If a non-employee is injured, the company is liable for monetary damages for the harms and losses caused to the innocent third party.

Receiving Compensation for Construction Site Injuries

The Workers’ Compensation Act of the Connecticut General Statutes provides medical benefits for causally related injuries, and partial wage replacement for injured workers. On-the-job injuries and occupational diseases are typically covered by workers’ compensation, even if the worker is at fault.
Workers’ compensation provides compensation for a percentage of the worker’s lost wages, permanent disabilities. It also provides medical benefits for treating the injury/illness and to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses causally related, along with mileage reimbursement to and from the treating doctors. Under CT Workers’ Compensation law, there is not compensation for pain and suffering and impact upon one’s life activities.

If a negligent non- employer third party was responsible for your injury while you are working for your employer, you may be able to collect additional damages in a separate personal injury suit. Third-party suits can provide compensation that is not available under workers’ comp, such as pain and suffering or loss of life’s enjoyment.

Due to the nature of construction work, accidents often result in catastrophic or fatal injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, back and neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, amputations and internal injuries. Even a minor injury may render a construction worker unable to return to a job that requires physical strength and involves activities such as lifting, bending, repetitive motions, walking on uneven surfaces, standing for long periods or operating heavy equipment.

Even if you do not have health insurance, you can get treatment with workers’ compensation benefits and/or with letters of protection in third-party suits. Do not let lack of insurance prevent you from filing a claim.

Related Injury from a Construction Site

You do not have to be part of the construction crew to be compensated if your injury was related to the construction site. Visitors as well as passersby have been injured due to a variety of conditions and hazards found at construction sites. Persons that have suffered an injury due to negligence at the site in question can be compensated for injuries. A claim will need to be filed with the construction company’s liability insurance carrier. This is different than claiming on the company’s worker’s compensation insurance. You (the victim and attorney) will have to prove that the owner of the land—or the construction company in charge of the premises—was legally responsible for causing the injuries.

Pursuing this type of claim requires a detailed legal analysis that needs to be done by an experienced legal team. Large construction firms depend on their insurance carriers to provide a defense to any claim brought through the attorneys they hire. As such, Injury victims need to retain experienced legal counsel to best ensure the protection of their rights to be compensated for injuries, medical care, and additional related costs.

Choosing an Experienced Attorney for Your Workers Comp or Personal Injury Claim at a Construction Site

While workers’ compensation will cover medical bills and provide a percentage of lost wages, it is often not enough for the injured worker and his or her family. If a third party is also responsible for the accident, we can file a separate personal injury suit for the additional compensation you need.

At Tindall Law Firm, LLC, we represent injured construction workers and their families in Connecticut. In addition to helping people with workers’ compensation claims, we hold negligent third parties responsible for causing construction accidents, injuries and wrongful deaths. For a free consultation with a Waterbury construction accident lawyer, please call 203.755-0018 or contact us online.

Contact a Southington Construction Injury Lawyer

To schedule a free consultation, please call 203.755-0018 today.