3 Steps To Take After Suffering Serious Bodily Harm When Working In A Construction Site
Construction workers have the right to get personal protective gear and safety devices during work hours. Moreover, employers must ensure that the work environment is safe for all laborers. Unfortunately, some employers ignore these steps, hence a high risk of construction site accidents.
You should know that suffering a construction site accident can leave you with serious bodily harm. In addition, the injuries might make you stop working to concentrate on treatment. If this is the case, you are entitled to compensation for your losses. Here are a few measures that will protect your legal rights and the chance to receive favorable payment.
Seek Immediate Medical Care
Following a construction site incident, start by seeking medical care, even if your injuries are minor or invisible. In some cases, serious injury symptoms take time to reveal themselves. Therefore, you might feel fine regardless of suffering severe invisible injuries.
Unfortunately, some harms may cause severe complications if you don't get timely medication. Besides quick recovery, treatment is also crucial in proving that you suffered severe harm. This is because you will require a doctor's report if your employer disputes your case.
Contact a Legal Advisor
After receiving treatment, contact an attorney to help pursue compensation. Depending on your injuries, you may get a payment to cover your treatment expenses and a percentage of the salary you will lose as you recover. Unfortunately, the settlement you get might not be enough to cover all your losses. This is often the case if you suffer catastrophic or life-threatening injuries.
The good news is your attorney may recommend filing an injury lawsuit. They might also advise you to file a third-party claim against equipment manufacturers. This might be possible if a defective appliance causes your injuries. You can also sue a general contractor, sub-contractors, or any other party that may have contributed to your injuries. This way, you will get a significant settlement covering all your losses.
Gather Useful Information
Your attorney will gather as much information as possible about the incident and build a strong claim against the wrongdoers. This is the only way to counter the defenses they might raise to deny liability or lower your payment. As such, your attorney will collect photos and video of the accident scene, equipment, and unsafe worksite conditions. Your lawyer will also ask you to provide your medical records and receipts to help negotiate the best payment possible.
As you can see, there are measures that can enable you to protect your rights following a construction site injury. The most important step is enlisting the services of a workplace injury attorney to get the settlement you deserve.
Begin today by contacting a workplace injury attorney in your area.