Joliet Construction Accident Lawyer

Construction accidents can be devastating, with life-altering and long-lasting effects that go far beyond the physical injuries of a construction accident. Unfortunately, even if you have workers’ compensation insurance, it doesn’t always cover everything you need it to cover.

An experienced attorney who handles workers’ compensation claims understands Illinois law for those seriously hurt at work or on the job site due to someone else’s negligence or carelessness.

At the law offices of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, our Joliet construction accident lawyers represent injury victims to ensure they receive maximum compensation for construction accident cases.

Call Joliet personal injury lawyers at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today for immediate legal advice and schedule a free initial consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our law firm remains private through an attorney-client relationship.

If you’ve been injured in a Joliet, IL, construction site accident, don’t wait until it’s too late before speaking with one of our outstanding lawyers about getting help today!

Dangerous Constructions Sites in Joliet, Illinois

Joliet is a thriving community with major construction projects building residential homes, office buildings, retail stores, and roads. Unfortunately, many hazardous conditions on construction sites in the local community leave workers severely injured or dead.

In some cases, the deceased worker’s family members may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against those responsible for their loved one’s construction site accident-caused injuries or death. In other instances, the injured individual worker might file a construction accident lawsuit.

Some general, common causes of construction accidents include:

• Explosions
• Crushing injuries
• Electrocution and electrical shock
• Slip and falls
• Falling from great heights on ladders and scaffolding
• Fatal truck accidents

Construction site workers injured in any of these ways (or others) might require emergency surgery.

However, the long-term effects of those injuries can be even more damaging and result in expensive medical bills, emergency room visits, physical therapy, surgeries, and pain and suffering.

In cases like these (and others), an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer or construction accident attorney may sue the negligent party responsible for the accident with evidence from a third-party investigation.

Determining Responsibility for a Construction Accident

One of the most critical factors in a construction site injury case is determining who was responsible for a worker’s accident at a construction site.

The victim or their family might file a worker’s compensation claim, an auto insurance claim for an auto accident at work, or a lawsuit against someone or some entity with funds to pay for the damages incurred by the victim.

Were you or a loved one injured in a construction accident in Joliet, Illinois, and believe another party was responsible?

If so, please call our legal team at (888) 424-5757 today to speak with an experienced construction accident attorney who can help you with your case.

Our legal team will investigate what happened, speak to eyewitnesses, take depositions, and hire an accident reconstructionist to reveal who caused the accident that led to your damages.

Accident Injury Victims in Joliet, Illinois

Severe many construction accidents occur at construction sites in the Joliet area. These include:

• Construction worker falls
• Fatal elevator construction accidents, which often involve stairs and faulty designs for emergency exits
• Falls on ladders or scaffolding, including defective guardrails and inadequate railings
• Truck accidents with defective equipment and faulty brakes
• Unprotected steel beam collapses during a construction project
• Falling from building heights, which can occur when scaffolding collapses or otherwise fails to provide adequate support for workers on high floor levels or rooftops

If you have been injured in an accident at work that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages, medical expenses, and other damages.

Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim for Injury Benefits

Every injured worker harmed in a Joliet construction accident has the legal right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.

Under the workers’ compensation system, the employee can ensure they receive financial compensation to pay for their time away from work and medical expenses.

However, the amount they receive is typically insufficient to cover all their costs and does not include payment for pain, suffering, mental anguish, or other intangible injuries.

Once the injured party agrees to accept worker’s compensation, they forgo their opportunity to file a civil lawsuit against their employer unless the company’s egregious behavior led to their injuries.

In these cases, a personal injury attorney might advise their client to file a civil lawsuit against the employer through a third-party claim.

These claims might involve damage that led to the company failing to provide safety gear to protect a worker, provide a safe environment, give every appropriate employee training on staying safe, and other contributing factors.

Filing a Third-Party Claim

Sometimes, other defendants involved in the construction accident whose negligence or egregious behavior led to the victim’s injuries.

Third-party claims could be filed against numerous defendants, including:

• Other contractors and subcontractors
• Property owners
• Project developers
• Delivery truck drivers
• Rental equipment suppliers
• Equipment manufacturers selling defective products to the construction site
• Other parties and individuals whose negligence caused or contributed to the accident

Establishing Negligence in a Personal Injury Case: The Legal Process

In Joliet, Illinois, every civil lawsuit must go through specific steps to be heard by a judge and receive compensation. Unfortunately, this means that personal injury attorneys spend much of their time filing and dealing with paperwork.

To get a settlement or verdict in favor of the victim, a lawyer must prove that were three elements met:

• The defendant failed to exercise reasonable care in protecting the customer from injury
• The accident resulted from this failure to exercise care
• The plaintiff suffered an injury caused by this negligence

Is Your Legal Case Ready to Go to Trial?

After meeting the initial requirements of filing a case, hiring an attorney, settling or negotiating with insurance companies, and filing an intent to sue in writing with the defendant’s insurance company, you are ready for your trial.

Once the civil lawsuit is filed and served on all parties involved in the accident, settlement negotiations will begin. Finally, a trial date will likely be set, and evidence and testimony will be collected and presented to a judge or jury during the court proceedings.

However, data shows that approximately 95% of all personal injury cases involving construction accidents are settled out of court. Only a tiny fraction of the remaining percentage ever goes to trial.

According to statistics, cases to go to trial tend to favor the defendant more than the plaintiff, causing the injured victim to go without compensation.

Insurance Companies Making Bad Faith Offers

Sometimes, the insurance companies providing the defendant’s coverage will make a bad-faith offer, hoping the injured party will settle significantly lower than the case’s worth. In these cases, hiring a personal injury attorney to reopen negotiations and resolve the case without going to court is advisable.

Joliet Personal Injury Lawyers: Filing a Claim for Damages

If you suffered an injury in a Joliet construction accident caused by someone else’s negligence, filing a claim through the workers’ compensation board is not your only option.

You could also file a civil lawsuit to receive compensation for non-tangible losses, including pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of consortium, and other losses.

To prove that negligence played a role in the accident, you must present evidence outlining events leading up to the injury or when the accident happened.

In addition to working with your attorney, you should report the incident immediately to the insurance company covering those responsible for causing or contributing to your injuries.

Immediately reporting how accidents happen ensures no discrepancies when evidence is collected and presented in court.

Contact a Joliet construction accident lawyer today to discuss your legal issues. Our law firm provides legal representation in related practice areas, helping victims with legal matters involving:

• Personal injury
• Construction law
• Workers’ compensation
• Medical malpractice
• Nursing home abuse
• Product liability
• Premises liability
• Defective drugs
• Wrongful death

Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Surviving family members who lost a loved one in a construction accident have a legal remedy for compensation to pay for their losses and damages. Qualifying family members could include surviving spouses, children, parents, siblings, and others.

Damages for loved ones who died in construction accidents include:

• Funeral costs
• Lost wages due to the deceased’s death or disability
• Loss of financial support or companionship
• Mental anguish and emotional distress damages
• Hospitalization bills(and related expenses)
• Pain and suffering injuries (including pre-death pain)

The family can also receive funds for their pain, suffering, grief, and loss. Joliet wrongful death lawsuits could include full and fair compensation for things like:

• Burial and funeral expenses
• Medical bills related to the injury or passing, including physical therapy costs
• Childcare costs if the family member was a single parent

Common OSHA Violations

According to OSHA, many contractors violate OSHA regulations, often at the expense of their workforce.

Data shows the most common violations include:

• Failing to properly train employees on how to use equipment (including wearing fall protection devices) properly
• Ignoring safety warnings or concerns raised by employees
• Failing to conduct workplace inspections according to OSHA standards, including failure to inspect for uneven surfaces, electrical hazards, and faulty construction materials
• Failing to provide safety gear and equipment to ensure worker safety

Joliet construction site accidents may result in serious injuries or death if proper safety precautions are not followed while on the job site. When working under a qualified supervisor’s direction, you should be protected from dangerous equipment, falling objects, and other potential hazards.

A construction accident lawyer works with clients to help them recover damages from a third party or an employer. We have years of experience handling worker’s compensation and personal injury cases. Learn more about your legal options today by contacting our law firm today.

Filing an Accident Report

To file a lawsuit or even claim through worker’s compensation, the injured construction workers must report any construction accident to the proper authorities. Traditionally, this meant reporting to the police, but public works employees report construction accidents to their employers or contractors instead.

Authorities should be notified immediately after an incident so that evidence can be collected and photographed. Neglecting to report the construction accident could result in the case being thrown out of court later.

Filing an Insurance Claim

If you were injured in any construction accident, filing a claim through your insurance company is the first step to receiving compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.

Your insurer will work with you to hire a medical provider that meets their standards and regularly review your injuries and progress. You can also discuss the type of care you received with your doctors and how it relates to your injuries.

The defendant’s insurer will hire a claims adjuster to ask about your accident and its impact on your life. Your answer could affect whether or not they pursue a legal claim in court or reach a settlement outside of court.

It would be best if you were prepared to give your statement, submit evidence and cooperate with the insurance company’s requests for information. However, do not answer any questions without first talking to a personal injury lawyer who has your best interests in mind and can protect your legal rights. At the same time, you recover money to pay for your damages.

A Chicago, IL, personal injury attorney can help you navigate the claims process and receive a fair settlement for your pain and suffering.

If an agreement cannot be reached outside of court, your lawyer will represent you in court proceedings and present evidence to support your claim, meeting their construction accident needs.

Hire a Construction Accident Attorney Serving Joliet to Resolve Your Construction Accident Case

Our Joliet, IL legal team comprises construction accident lawyers representing individuals injured or killed in accidents across the US and Canada caused by another party’s negligence. Our injury attorneys handle all types of accident claims, including those related to construction site accidents.

If you or a loved one has become injured, contact our legal team today for your free case consultation and learn how our super lawyers can help you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Our Joliet, IL, construction accident lawyers do not charge any upfront fees to clients injured in an accident at work. Instead, our attorneys only get paid if our law firm recovers your money.

Our law office accepts all construction accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means injured construction workers do not pay us until their Joliet construction accident lawyer recovers damages for our clients.

If you have been injured in an accident at work, please call (888) 424-5757 or contact our experienced legal team members online today to speak with a construction accident attorney.

Joliet Construction Accident Lawyer Resources:

• NIH – Construction industry accidents
• OSHA – Protecting Roofing Workers
• NIH – Exploring Precursors of Construction Accidents