Hammond, IN Construction Accident Lawyer

When we go to work, we expect to be in a safe, clean environment. However, some jobs, like construction work, are inherently dangerous. Workers and project managers must take precautions to avoid accidents. If an accident does happen, injured workers should seek compensation.

While most injured workers file workers’ compensation claims, many injured construction workers must find alternatives. Construction workers are not usually considered “employees,” but are instead independent contractors and are ineligible for workers’ comp. However, this means they may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Construction accidents can have devastating consequences for workers. Our Hammond, IN construction accident lawyers can help you get compensation for your injuries and the other effects of a construction accident. Call Wruck Paupore at (219) 322-1166 for a free legal case evaluation.

What Causes Construction Accidents in Hammond, IN?

Construction sites are dangerous places. People who work on construction sites must be hyperaware of their surroundings and on the lookout for safety violations. Many accidents are caused by some of these common safety violations and errors on construction sites.

Falls are one of the most common causes of construction injuries. A lot of construction work happens off the ground. Sometimes, workers are atop scaffolding. Other times, they are high up on rooftops or hanging off the sides of tall buildings. If safety equipment fails or someone acts negligently, a worker could fall and be seriously injured.

Another common construction accident happens when workers are caught in between heavy objects. For example, if a forklift moves a large pallet of drywall and a worker gets caught behind it, they could be squeezed between the pallet and the wall. These kinds of injuries are often severe because they can damage the entire body.

If you are working with electrical wiring on your construction site, you could be electrocuted or burned from exposed wiring. Similarly, when working with equipment that heats up, like welding equipment, you risk serious burns.

Malfunctioning equipment may also lead to construction accidents. Sometimes, when equipment malfunctions, it creates a serious safety risk. For example, if the brakes on a forklift fail, the forklift driver could end up running over other workers.

While accidents are often caused by workers on a construction site, many other accidents are caused by trespassers or third parties who should not be there. People taking shortcuts through construction sites or cars that accidentally drive through the site can cause significant accidents and injuries.

Serious Construction Accident Injuries in Hammond, IN

Construction accidents can have life-altering outcomes for injured workers. Depending on the nature of your accident and the extent of your injuries, your recovery could be very expensive and take a long time. Our Hammond, IN construction accident lawyers can help you get compensation to fund your recovery efforts.

All kinds of injuries arise from construction accidents. Head, brain, neck, back, spinal cord, and internal injuries are possible. While some construction workers make full recoveries, many others do not. It is especially difficult to manage your medical treatments when you have no way of working and no income to pay for them.

Injuries from construction accidents encompass more than bodily harm. Many workers lose income from missing work. This not only makes paying for medical treatment difficult, as mentioned above, but it also impacts every other aspect of life. You may no longer be able to afford your mortgage, rent, car payments, utilities, or groceries. Your construction accident could make affording the bare necessities impossible.

You must also consider the physical and psychological toll an accident can take on a person. Many injuries are excruciating. Sometimes, the pain is made worse with painful medical procedures, like surgeries or physical therapy. Many injured construction workers also suffer mental and emotional trauma from accidents. Anxiety, depression, or symptoms of PTSD are all common.

How Do I Get Money for a Construction Accident in Hammond, IN?

After a construction accident, you might have a few different legal options worth exploring. When people are injured in job-related accidents, they are often required to file workers’ compensation claims. This is the required method in Indiana, and lawsuits against employers are usually prohibited.

However, this rule does not apply to many construction workers because they are not employees but rather independent contractors. The primary difference is that independent contractors do not have employers. Instead, they have clients who hire them to perform certain work. As such, independent contractors are ineligible for workers’ compensation but are not barred from suing for work injuries.

Our Hammond, IN construction accident attorneys can help you file your lawsuit and begin proceedings to recover damages.

Evidence Needed for Hammond, IN Construction Accident Cases

If you wish to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the person who hired you or other third parties, you will need evidence to support your personal injury claim. Most accident claims are based on the principle of negligence, which has four elements you are required to prove: a legal duty the defendant owed you, a breach of that duty, that the breach caused your injuries, and that you suffered damages.

To support your claims and prove these elements, you may need a mix of physical evidence, witness testimony, and various records about the accident. Our Hammond, IN construction accident attorneys can help you gather the necessary evidence for your case.

If possible, you should take photos and record videos of the accident scene. Ideally, these photos and videos would have been recorded immediately after the accident. However, depending on the extent of your injuries, this might not be possible. Recording what the accident scene looked like right away is important because the scene will likely be cleaned up before you can go back and take additional pictures or video.

Surveillance cameras monitor many construction sites. We may be able to get video footage from these cameras and see if they recorded your accident as it happened. This kind of evidence can strengthen a case, especially if the full accident is captured clearly.

Even without photos or videos, we can still rely on eyewitness testimony. Other construction workers may have been on-site at the time of the accident, and we can ask them questions about what they saw. Sometimes, even if they did not see the accident, other workers might have noticed and reported safety violations in the days leading up to the accident.

Contact Our Hammond, IN Construction Accident Lawyers About Your Case

If you were hurt in a construction accident, your injuries might be severe and your damages very costly. Our Hammond, IN construction accident attorneys can help you claim damages and get compensation. For a free case review, call Wruck Paupore Injury Lawyers at (219) 322-1166.