Washington Construction Accident Attorney - Lawyers Fighting for Victims of Construction Site Accidents

Construction has always been an industry that's been a benchmark for the local economy, and it remains an industry that's very dependent on the people who show up every day and dig the holes, build the frameworks and climb the ladders so that our buildings and our roads can continue to grow in number and rise in quality.

Unfortunately, construction work is also inherently dangerous, which means that injuries and fatalities can occur for many reasons. Below is a look at some of the leading causes of construction site accidents in Washington, who could be liable for those injuries and how you should proceed if you or someone you love has suffered as a result of a construction site accident in Washington.

Leading Causes of Construction Site Accidents

Construction work involves much in the way of injuries and even fatalities. The federal government reported that 87 construction workers were killed in 2006, which comes to an average of more than 7 per month. Below are some of the leading causes of construction site accidents:
  • Falls from a scaffold or ladder - This is generally considered to be the leading cause of injuries and deaths at construction sites, as these platforms are obviously not sound and immovable, which means that any disturbance towards the bottom levels could lead to swaying and falling from over 100 hundred feet off the ground.

  • Hit by equipment - There are pieces of equipment on construction sites that weigh thousands of tons, and many of these pieces are swinging and carrying enormous objects. If a person is hit by this equipment, he or she stands almost no chance of surviving.

  • Falling objects - When a building is being constructed, it's a common sight to see huge pieces of steel and concrete falling to the ground for one reason or another. However, if any of these pieces happen to hit a worker, that worker can be seriously injured or crushed to death.

  • Toxic exposure - Some buildings are built in areas where toxic substances are nearby, and others are built with substances that are toxic in nature. When this occurs, workers and anyone else who is exposed to these substances can become instantly and seriously ill.

  • Tool malfunctions - Tools at construction sites are worked relentlessly for hours every day, and as a result they tend to malfunction. One example of a tool that commonly leads to injury is a nail gun, which if misfired can impale a worker.

Who Can Be Liable for a Washington Construction Site Accident

When construction accidents occur, there are several parties or entities that could be liable for the damages suffered, and they appear below:
  • Employer - When a worker is injured and incurs medical costs and lost wages, the most logical place to start in terms of liability is the employer. The reasons are many for this line of thinking, but employers are generally required to provide a safe working environment for their employees, even in the construction industry. If the employer fails to do so, it could be liable for damages incurred as a result of an accident.

  • Other workers - While this may seem to be a strange possibility, assaults and batteries are quite common on construction sites. Many of them are without malicious intent and are more along the lines of jokes gone bad, but these incidents still lead to injuries much in the same way as malfunctioning equipment.

  • Workers' compensation fund - If a worker is injured in the course of employment, he or she has the right to file for workers' compensation benefits in Washington under certain circumstances. These claims can be challenged, denied and appealed, and this administrative process is generally seen as completely separate from any form of civil litigation.

  • Equipment manufacturers - If workers are using equipment that proves to be defective and injuries result, the manufacturers of the equipment in question could be liable for the damages their inventory caused much like any other defective product that causes injuries to a consumer.
Obviously, there are additional parties who could be liable for construction site injuries, but those above represent the most common.

Seattle Construction Site Accident Attorney

If you or someone you love has been injured in a construction accident, you need to contact the attorneys at the Washington law firm of Phillips Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation. You only have a certain amount of time to bring a claim for your injuries, and there could be multiple theories and realms of law involved with doing so. Therefore, you need the help of someone who can sort all of this out for you in such a way that your legal rights are properly protected and enforced. Contact the firm today.
 



1-800-ABOGADO

Phillips Webster es la firma de abogados de Washington y nuetros abogados experimentados lo pueden ayudar.   Si usted se ha lastimado en un accidente,  si necesita declararse en bancarrota o necesita que le ayudemos a negociar su deudas, podemos ayudarlo.

Hablemos Españo; 1-800-226-4236

 

 

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