Waterbury Construction Accident Attorney
Serving Construction Workers Throughout Connecticut
Construction injury cases are never simple. In fact, more often than not, they are complex, both legally and factually. They demand comprehensive knowledge not only of the applicable law but also of the construction industry and operations. If you are injured on the job, and it is determined that a third party was responsible for your injuries, you may be entitled to a claim for personal injury. Call us today for a free consultation.
At the Law Offices of James A. Welcome, we have been representing construction workers and bystanders injured in construction accidents throughout Connecticut for more than 17 years. Our attorneys can help you understand and exercise your rights as an injured victim when going up against a careless or reckless party.
Do You Need to Hire a Waterbury Construction Accident Attorney?
Collecting evidence and determining fault are complicated legal matters for someone who does not have the legal background or resources of a Waterbury personal injury lawyer. You should be focusing on healing from your injuries after a construction accident, not dealing with a stressful and confusing legal process.
After you hire a Waterbury construction accident lawyer, you can rest and focus on healing while a trained professional handles litigation. A Waterbury construction accident attorney can help you go up against a construction company or another defendant using aggressive legal strategies. Most importantly, your lawyer can give you greater peace of mind during this difficult time in your life.
What Are the Causes of Construction Accidents?
Many accidents are caused by unsafe work conditions, improper use of equipment, a lack of safety measures—typically a type of negligence. Negligence in personal injury law describes carelessness that causes injury or harm to another person. If a reasonable and prudent party would not have done the same thing under similar circumstances, the defendant may be guilty of negligence.
Common causes include:
- Cave-ins from demolition or excavation
- Defective equipment
- Falling objects
- Heavy equipment
- Missing safety gear
- Uneven terrain
Some of the most common injuries suffered on construction sites are:
- Falls from high heights, scaffolds, or ladders
- Slips and falls
- Burns from fire or chemicals
- Electrocution
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
If you or a loved one has suffered a Waterbury construction injury, contact the Law Offices of James A. Welcome so that we may begin an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. The earlier an investigation is started, the better the legal work we can perform on your behalf.
Call us today at (203) 753-7300 or fill out a free contact form to begin.
Who Is Liable?
The person who is liable, or financially responsible, for your construction accident in Waterbury depends on who or what caused the accident. Liability goes to the party that is most responsible for causing your injury or illness. For example, the construction company could be liable for acts of negligence such as improper hiring and training procedures, lack of proper protective equipment for workers, a dangerous premises, or broken federal safety rules.
A construction company in Connecticut could also be vicariously liable for the actions of its employees. Vicarious liability is a rule that states that employers must speak for the actions and behaviors of their on-duty employees. If a careless construction worker caused your injury, therefore, you may be able to hold the construction company liable. Other common liable parties in these cases include product and equipment manufacturers, maintenance crews, property owners, and the government.
What Damages Can You Collect?
The injuries suffered in a construction site accident are rarely mild. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has noted that construction work is among the most dangerous in the country, year after year. If you are seriously injured on a job site, then you should be provided significant compensation for your damages.
You may be able to collect damages through your injury claim to help pay for:
- Medical treatments
- Rehabilitative therapies
- Lost or missing wages
- Pain, suffering, and other non-economic damages
The value of your case and the damages available will depend on the specific factors of your lawsuit. An experienced Waterbury construction accident lawyer can help you create a comprehensive list of all of your past and future economic and non-economic damages.
Construction Site Accidents Involving Employees
In Connecticut, most employers and companies are required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance for all employees and uninsured subcontractors. As such, if you were hurt on the job as a construction worker, then you might be covered by workers’ comp. If true, you may not be able to file an injury claim for compensation. Instead, your benefits would be provided through your workers’ comp claim.
The good news is the Law Offices of James A. Welcome handles workers’ compensation cases for construction workers as well as personal injury claims. Our Waterbury construction accident lawyer can help ensure you are provided a fair amount of benefits by the insurance company.
If you were not an employee at the time of your construction accident or you were not on duty, you may still have grounds for a claim if you or your attorney can prove that someone else was negligent and this caused your accident. Our Waterbury lawyers can investigate your recent accident to determine if you have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Keep in mind, however, that once you accept a workers’ comp settlement, you cannot bring a lawsuit against your employer.
What Is the Deadline for Filing?
It is imperative to act quickly if you believe you have grounds to file a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury lawsuit for a construction site accident in Connecticut. The state has a statute of limitations or deadline to file. If you miss the statute of limitations, the court will most likely refuse to hear your case, meaning you will be barred from any financial recovery.
The statute of limitations on a standard personal injury case in Connecticut is two years from the date you sustained or discovered your injury. For a workers’ compensation case, you have one year from the date of your accident or three years from the date you first experienced a symptom of an occupational disease to file. You must typically notify your employer of the construction accident, however, within 30 days. The sooner you contact a Waterbury construction accident lawyer, the sooner you can file your claim and submit it before Connecticut’s deadline.
Contact Attorney Welcome Today – (203) 753-7300
For many years, the Law Offices of James A. Welcome has offered personalized and results-driven legal representation for injured individuals and families living in New Haven, Fairfield, and the surrounding counties with great results. We are confident in our abilities to help you, too. We conduct a comprehensive investigation of your accident and provide you with a sound and effective case strategy aimed to accomplish your case with a just outcome. You should not have to suffer any more on account of your accident, much less pay for the financial aftermath.
Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about your rights and options.