A construction accident can have a devastating impact on your life. You may struggle to pay for medical bills, prescription drugs, and other expenses related to your injury.
- The Dangers of Aurora, IL Construction Jobs
- Illinois and National Construction Accident Statistics
- Apply for Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Construction Accidents
- Limited Compensation for Construction Site Accidents
- How to File a Third-Party Construction Injury Claim in Aurora, IL, Involving Additional Defendants
- Receiving Maximum Financial Compensation
- Surviving Family Members Filing Wrongful Death Claims Over a Fatal Construction Site Accident
- Preventing Serious or Fatal Construction Accidents
- The Aurora Construction Accident Statute of Limitations
- Current and Proposed Large Construction Projects in Aurora, Illinois
- Aurora Construction Accident Case Settlements and Verdicts
- Hiring Aurora Construction Accident Attorneys to Resolve Personal Injury Claims
- Receiving Maximum Full and Fair Compensation
- Aurora Construction Accident Lawyer Resources:
If you or someone you love was injured in an Aurora construction site accident, contact a personal injury lawyer at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, as soon as possible.
Our Aurora construction accident lawyers are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days per week, ready to help answer any questions that you might have about the legal options available to you.
Call us at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
The Dangers of Aurora, IL Construction Jobs
Construction jobs in Aurora, Illinois, are inherently dangerous. Serious construction accidents with severe injuries often involve a construction worker or visitor at the job site.
Many construction accidents result from negligence by one or more parties, including the project developer, general or subcontractor, project manager, building manufacturers, and suppliers. However, determining liability can be challenging.
Suppose you were injured in an Aurora construction accident. In that case, you need an experienced Aurora construction worker accident attorney who specializes in personal injury, wrongful death, and premises liability cases working on your behalf.
Illinois and National Construction Accident Statistics
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NIOSH, construction accident cases have risen significantly over the last decade. Data shows construction accidents occur at a rate 25% above the national average.
The leading causes of construction site injuries are falls, being struck by an object or equipment, electrocution, and being caught in or compressed by equipment.
In addition, construction sites often involve heavy machinery, high-voltage electricity, dangerous tools, and scaffolding stones/blocks, resulting in death or crippling injuries.
Some of the most common construction accident injuries include but are not limited to:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord damage
- Contusions and lacerations
- Concussions and head trauma
- Facial injuries
- Fractures and broken bones
- Severe burns
- Eye injuries
- Amputations
Apply for Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Construction Accidents
Nearly every employer in Illinois must have insurance coverage for all injured workers acquired through the workers’ compensation system. This insurance policy covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other benefits for injured workers disabled due to workplace accidents.
If you cannot work because of construction accident injuries, contact your local workers’ compensation office immediately after the injury has been reported. Your on-the-job construction site injury must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours or as soon as possible to qualify for these benefits.
Resolving workers’ compensation claims differs significantly from filing a car accident report. Unlike car accidents, where the responsible party must pay the accident victim, workers’ compensation claims are limited to the employer’s pay, excluding all potentially liable parties.
Limited Compensation for Construction Site Accidents
The amount of compensation from a workers’ compensation claim is limited only to medical expenses and time away from work. Additional costs and damages not included in the construction workers’ benefits packages might include mental anxiety, emotional stress, pain, suffering, or other intangible damages.
Also, by accepting workers’ compensation benefits, accident victims must agree not to file a civil lawsuit against their employer for additional damages. But, again, this limitation restricts the amount they could receive.
In some cases, the employer’s actions are so egregious that accident victims could file personal injury claims against the company due to their reckless behavior and negligence that led to the accident.
How to File a Third-Party Construction Injury Claim in Aurora, IL, Involving Additional Defendants
Additionally, other parties may be responsible for causing the construction accident, including tool equipment manufacturers who sold the defective product. Also, other contractors and subcontractors from other companies might be involved in causing the construction site injury, creating a liability issue for their company.
In these cases, the construction accident victim can consider filing a third-party claim against others involved in the incident that caused injuries, property damage, or wrongful death.
Third-party construction site injury claims will usually be brought against everyone involved in the construction process.
For example, third parties could include landowners, general contractors, project managers, building designers, and manufacturers who produced any defective products used on the property.
Receiving Maximum Financial Compensation
The construction accident victim’s compensation exceeds the workers’ compensation benefits paid to their employer’s insurance coverage.
Receiving both compensations from two different sources could ensure that the accident victims have a sufficient financial recovery to pay all their outstanding expenses and medical bills, including:
- Hospitalization costs and medical expenses
- Lost wages and future lost earnings
- Expenses associated with temporary or permanent disabilities
- Medical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Physical pain, suffering, emotional distress, and mental anxiety
- Funeral & Burial costs in wrongful death claims
At the Law Offices of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our Aurora construction accident attorneys have years of experience helping victims recover compensation after an accident at worksites throughout northern Illinois.
Call (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form to schedule a free initial consultation.
Surviving Family Members Filing Wrongful Death Claims Over a Fatal Construction Site Accident
All surviving family members who lost a loved one in a fatal construction site accident have the legal right to file a civil lawsuit seeking full compensation for their losses. Typically, qualifying family members include surviving spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, and others.
However, Illinois law limits the families’ time to file a personal injury claim against all potentially liable parties. The law stipulates that such lawsuits must be filed within two years of the victim’s death.
Also, in some construction accident cases, surviving family members could be compensated for future lost earnings. However, this will depend on whether the accident victim earned a steady income before dying.
Preventing Serious or Fatal Construction Accidents
Constructing a building is no easy task, especially amid all the dangers that come with it.
Many people get injured or even killed on construction sites yearly due to a lack of safety precautions. However, knowing your surroundings and taking safety tips can significantly reduce your accident odds.
Avoiding a construction accident in northern Illinois and beyond is possible by taking the correct safety precautions.
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the steps to take to avoid a serious or fatal construction site accident include:
- Wear personal protective equipment, including safety goggles, hard hats, high-visibility vests, steel-toe shoes, earplugs, or mufflers
- Make sure that tools are inspected before use
- Stay alert by avoiding distractions such as talking on the phone or texting while working
- Report any hazardous work conditions to your supervisor or project manager immediately
If you or someone you know was injured in a construction site injury, contact the Illinois personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC immediately to schedule a free legal consultation.
Our attorneys have extensive experience and can provide all legal guidance needed to help you recover financially from your injuries.
The Aurora Construction Accident Statute of Limitations
Illinois law requires you or your attorney to file a claim within two years (limitations period) under the Illinois Wage Payment & Collection Act (IWPCA), three years for serious injury to property, five years for death or injury, and three years for wrongful conduct.
Injured victims of construction accidents are often overwhelmed with the costs of medical care and lost wages that are not recovered in a construction workers’ compensation claim. As a result, the victim might be forced to file for social security benefits or claim under their health insurance policy.
Until a party files a personal injury claim in court to recover compensation, they are barred from pursuing action against the other party.
An Aurora construction accident lawyer can help determine how much time you have to file a personal injury claim. Also, if your statute of limitations is about to expire, contact an Aurora construction accident attorney immediately.
If you have been told that you must pay for your medical expenses from a settlement or an insurance policy, don’t let your medical bills pile up until you recover compensation. You may obtain free or low-cost medical care through the Illinois Patient Compensation Fund.
A construction accident lawyer will help you determine the potential insurance coverage that significantly reduces your financial burden. Construction accidents are a frequent cause of personal injury claims. Our attorneys have extensive expertise in dealing with such claims.
Current and Proposed Large Construction Projects in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora Transportation Center (ATC)
Local City officials have slated to significantly improve the Aurora Transportation Center to help alleviate congestion and improve access to the surrounding neighborhoods.
West and East Aurora School Districts Projects
Over $84 million of improvements and renovations will be implemented in the West Aurora School District 129. In addition, the state government is expected to make significant renovations and additions to school buildings by adding a new building at Hill Elementary School and installing a new cooling and heating system.
Contractors are expected to complete the projects by the end of 2018. More than $70 million is slated to construct the East Aurora School District 131 was work performed on the high school, high school stadium, and middle schools.
Lake Street Rehabilitation Project
Construction has begun on a rehabilitation project in Aurora at 55 S. Lake St. as a part of the Aurora economic development arm. The long-neglected building was once the local mattress Company that had fallen into disrepair.
The $250,000 new renovation will transform the structure into six mixed-use commercial units. The project is being completed with the 30 N. Broadway and 56 S. LaSalle projects, funded by the John Durham Revolving Loan Fund to assist downtown property owners.
New Residential Home Construction
Residential developers are building new homes in Aurora, Illinois. These developers include Pepper Viner, K. Hovnanian, Calvis Wyatt, King’s Court Builders, Didier Custom Homes, Timber Trails Development Co., and Red Oak Builders & Remodelers.
Other developers will include M House Development, Faganel Builders, Guerrero A. Construction, Newgard Custom Homes, SG Homebuilders, Fifth Avenue Construction, Scott Builders, Overstreet Builders, Monument Homes, Nottinghill Builders, and others.
Aurora Illinois City Building Department
City of Aurora Building & Permits
65 Water St.
Aurora, IL 60505
(630) 256-3130
Aurora Construction Accident Case Settlements and Verdicts
Our Aurora construction accident attorneys have handled and reviewed many personal injury claims involving construction accidents in northern Illinois in the last few years.
Some of these personal injury cases include:
- In 2020, a Chicago area construction worker suffered severe injuries when falling from a local university roof. The victim was preparing to repair the structure’s air conditioning system when he lost his balance and fell off the building.
- In 2018, an Aurora construction worker suffered severe spinal injuries after falling from the second floor under renovation. He was taken to a local hospital by ambulance with no vital signs. He was revived by paramedics and transferred to another hospital after further examination. Unfortunately, this personal injury case was just one of many company construction accidents.
- In another 2018 construction accident, one Chicago-area worker suffered severe injuries when he fell through the roof of a building under renovation. The victim was working on the third floor but continued down the stairs before falling three stories into the basement. He suffered severe injuries to his back and pelvis but survived the fall.
- In 2017, a Chicago-area worker fell about 20 feet after scaffolding collapsed while working on a second-floor balcony of an office building under renovation at the University of Illinois in Chicago. The victim suffered severe leg fractures that required surgery.
- A co-worker on the site witnessed the accident and ran to call for help. Paramedics arrived quickly, but the victim could not move his legs after being transported to a local hospital.
- In 2017, an Aurora construction worker recently suffered debilitating injuries when he fell about 10 feet from a ladder while working with metal beams. The victim suffered severe injuries to his back and pelvis but was released from the hospital after observation.
- In another 2017 accident, a construction worker fell off the roof of an apartment building under renovation in Chicago. When he hit the ground below, the victim suffered severe head trauma and internal bleeding. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where doctors could revive him after his heart stopped beating.
- In 2016, a worker was helping to remove bricks from an old chimney on a residential home in the Naperville area when he fell through three stories of the structure into the basement. He suffered head trauma and multiple fractures that required surgery. The victim’s wife watched as her husband fell into the structure.
The most common severe injuries and fatalities on construction sites involved scaffolding, ladders, a failure to use fall protection, a lack of training, excavation/trenching incidents, and mishaps with electricity, stairways, cranes, forklifts, and the failure to wear adequate head protection.
Hiring Aurora Construction Accident Attorneys to Resolve Personal Injury Claims
Were you or a loved one severely injured in a construction site accident in Aurora, Illinois? If so, you are likely entitled to obtain benefits through workers’ compensation in third-party claims.
Construction workers’ compensation benefits will likely cover medical expenses for your injuries and lost wages. However, every construction accident scenario is different, and obtaining all available funds can be challenging.
It is typically best for your family to consult with an Aurora, Illinois, construction accident attorney at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, to discuss filing a personal injury claim and review your legal options.
Contact an Aurora construction accident lawyer today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the online form for immediate legal advice and schedule a free initial consultation.
Receiving Maximum Full and Fair Compensation
Let’s discuss receiving fair compensation paid to the defendant’s insurance company and all other responsible parties while protecting your legal rights.
Our Aurora construction accident attorneys accept all personal injury cases and wrongful death lawsuits on a contingency fee basis. This promise ensures you will not pay our attorney’s fees until your Aurora construction accident claim is resolved through a negotiated settlement or jury award.
Our personal injury law firm currently represents clients throughout Illinois, including Cook County, DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, Kendall County, Winnebago County, Will County, Sangamon County, Peoria County, etc.