Construction Site Accident Cases
Construction projects spring up all around us, and for most individuals we tolerate their presence as a sign of societal progress and advancement. We go about our day, allowing skyscrapers, office buildings, and other construction projects to proceed without spending much time considering the dangers that these sites can possess. However, news stories from across the nation in recent years show that construction sites can be dangerous not only for the workers on the jobsite (who are – or should be – wearing protective equipment and who are cognizant of the specific dangers they face) but for average citizens who live and work around the construction site. Large cranes collapse, spilling their cargo on the people below. Heavy machine operators do not pay attention to their surroundings and accidentally hit passersby and construction workers alike. These and other types of construction site injuries can leave victims in considerable pain and anguish and require thousands of dollars in medical treatment to repair.
In steps a construction site accident lawyer to help the injury victim begin to put his or her life back together.
What Does a Construction Site Accident Lawyer Do?
A construction site accident lawyer’s goal is simple: To help individuals injured by dangerous construction site conditions and other careless construction workers recover financial compensation (called “damages”) following an injury accident brought about because of a careless or reckless worker or company. To accomplish this goal, your personal injury attorney will:
- Receive a report from a prospective client about injuries the client sustained in a construction site accident. During this initial meeting, the attorney will gather important details (including the names and contact information for potential witnesses) and give the client an opinion as to whether or not the client has a viable claim for compensation. Although the attorney has little information or evidence available to him at this point, the attorney should be able to say whether the client’s story as presented suggests he or she may be entitled to compensation.
- Conduct an investigation and determine “what happened.” In other words, the attorney will begin contacting witnesses who may have seen the construction site crash and examine records relating to the activities of the construction site (along with news reports, if the accident was covered in the local or national press). The lawyer is attempting to see how much of the client’s story can be proven true and what individuals and entities are responsible for causing the client’s injuries. If the client’s story cannot be proven in court, then the client does not have a strong claim for compensation. The attorney need not accumulate evidence that proves “beyond a reasonable doubt” what happened – instead, the attorney need only be able to convince a judge and/or jury that the client’s story is more likely than not true.
- File a claim for compensation against the at-fault parties. Once a claim is filed, the parties can choose to settle their case before trial (with the client’s permission) or proceed to litigate the claim in court. The attorney’s job at this stage (assuming that a settlement agreement cannot be reached) is to present the facts and witnesses he or she uncovered during his or her investigation to tell the client’s story in a powerful and persuasive way. Using the testimony of witnesses and evidence like accident reports, the lawyer needs to be able to convince the judge or jury hearing the case that his or her client’s story is likely accurate and that the client’s injuries were caused by a construction worker’s or company’s careless actions.
- Seek damages for the client. If it is shown that the client’s injuries are due to the careless or reckless actions of someone on the construction site, that person may be held responsible for the client’s injuries, financial losses, and pain and suffering. The lawyer will have worked with the client prior to court to determine the appropriate amount of financial compensation to seek and will be prepared to present this figure to the court for its consideration.
Why Proceeding Without a Construction Site Accident Attorney is a Bad Idea
Obtaining financial compensation after a construction site injury is a long and challenging process, and it is easy for individuals who are not familiar with the process to make mistakes that can prevent them from receiving any compensation at all. Stern Law, PLLC is your construction site accident attorney and is here to help make sure this does not happen to you. Construction site injuries are some of the most devastating injuries that can be sustained, and having to worry about properly asserting one’s legal rights while paying attention to one’s health and recovery is often too much for most victims. Call (844) 808-7529 and enlist the help of Stern Law, PLLC in your construction site accident today. We will help you hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for the harm they caused you and thereby help you begin the recovery process.
