Construction workers are the backbone of America. If you enjoy homes, apartments, roadways, buildings, and parking lots, you should thank all of the hard construction workers that crafted them into existence. Unfortunately, construction workers have some of the highest injury rates of any industry. Due to this, they must know what their rights are, and what legal remedies exist for them if they are injured at work due to negligence, or other unethical behavior. If you or a loved one were injured at your construction job, here is some crucial information that you should know: 

The Importance of Worker’s Comp Laws and Benefits

When you’re injured on a construction site, you are almost certainly entitled to worker’s comp benefits and even additional payouts for your suffering. Alongside keeping those responsible for your injury accountable, worker’s comp benefits can help you stay financially secure as you recover from your construction job site injuries. By hiring a construction injury lawyer in your area, you can discover what path to take post-accident. 

It’s important to recognize that many states have different laws and regulations when it comes to workplace accidents. Some even have laws that specially deal with construction-related workplace accidents. Once again, this is an area where your construction injury lawyer can help you stand up for yourself, and fight back against those that caused your injury in the first place. 

Common Construction Site Injuries Lawyers Handle

There is a large variety of potential accidents and injuries that can occur on construction job sites. Knowing about the potential injuries workers face on construction sites helps to raise awareness, which in turn helps to keep these job sites much safer in the long run. Four types of injuries are incredibly commonplace when accidents occur:

Fall Injuries

When people think of a construction worker’s daily job, they often imagine them hanging from high-up scaffolding, welding a piece of metal together. While the day-to-day job rarely actually looks like this Hollywood-esque scenario, the fact is that many construction workers do their jobs at dangerous heights. While there are tons of safety protocols in place to prevent fall and scaffolding collapse accidents, they tragically still occur (both due to negligence and random chance). These injuries are often severe, as falling from a tall height, or falling alongside collapsing debris, can lead to broken bones, nerve damage, and even death. 

Electrocution Injuries

Construction workers are frequently using power tools, generators, and other high-voltage electrical equipment. Due to this, the chances of a worker being electrocuted are much higher than they are in other industries. Most commonly, workers who are electrocuted suffer from electrical burns. These burns are both incredibly painful and often lead to long-term (or even life-long) nerve damage. Knowing how to avoid electrocution hazards is key for all construction workers, and site managers. Doing so could literally save lives, as severe electrocution injuries are no joke. Especially when it comes to the electrical generators construction workers are dealing with, a high level of precaution is 100% necessary. Being safe and aware is a top responsibility of every construction worker. 

Repetitive Motion Injuries

The term “repetitive motion injury” is likely brand-new to many readers. This is an injury that can affect any worker in any industry, but one that’s much more commonplace in labor-intensive jobs, such as construction work. If workers do not take precautions to protect their bodies as they do intensive and repetitive physical labor, the strain they’re putting on their bodies can cause severe tissue, nerve, and bone damage. This damage can lead to long-term pain and even incurable physical disabilities. Due to this, workers must be allowed breaks to keep their bodies from becoming overheated and over-strained. Additionally, proper stretching and preparation pre-labor is one of the best tools construction workers have for fighting repetitive motion injuries. 

Burn and Laceration Injuries

Alongside the more specific injuries we’ve discussed above, burn and laceration injuries are incredibly common on construction sites. Because construction workers are dealing with heavy machinery, power tools, welding equipment, and more, they are often surrounded by potentially hazardous materials and environments. Wearing the proper safety gear, and following safety regulations fully is useful in preventing these types of accidents. Tragically, accidents still occur, and many of them are preventable. When you’re the victim of an accident on a construction site, and one that was clearly preventable, you should contact a lawyer who can help you assess what your rights are, and whether or not you’re entitled to compensation for your injuries and suffering.