Working construction is inherently risky. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other U.S. safety regulation groups do everything in their power to keep construction workers from getting injured on the job, but construction and workplace accidents still unfortunately happen from time to time.
Sometimes, these accidents are purely accidental and caused by user error or a simple misjudgment. Other times, construction accidents occur due to workplace or company negligence or carelessness. These accidents are 100% preventable and can and should be prevented as often as possible. These types of accidents are also often the most dangerous, potentially causing lifelong, debilitating injuries and prolonged suffering.
If you’ve been seriously injured while working at a construction site in the state of Missouri, you’ll most likely be rewarded with some type of worker’s compensation benefits—regardless of who was at fault for the accident. If you’re lucky, that coverage will be enough to provide for your medical treatment and recovery costs, etc., as well as help your family recover from any lost wages. Most of the time, however, worker’s compensation benefits are not enough. If the accident wasn’t your fault, this is when you’ll want to consider speaking with a Columbia, MO construction and workplace accident lawyer.
It’s also important to note that even if you do receive full worker’s compensation benefits, you are still fully entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against the construction site owners and/or the construction company if they were at fault for the accident. Filing a lawsuit potentially increases the compensation you would receive while additionally delivering peace of mind to you and your loved ones.
Holding Construction Companies and Site Owners Liable
Aside from the financial implications of being involved in a serious construction workplace accident, there are also the issues of liability and accountability to consider. If, for example, the construction site was poorly maintained, had equipment that wasn’t properly taken care of, or didn’t have the correct safety measures in place, the company you work for or the owners of the construction site could legally be held accountable in court.
The above examples are instances of negligence. When construction companies and construction site owners are negligent or careless, they can and should be held accountable for accidents that occur as a result of that carelessness. If the company you work for or the construction site owners are attempting to claim they were not responsible for the accident and you know this to be untrue, you have a legal right in the United States to hire a personal injury lawyer to argue on your behalf in court.
Contacting a Columbia, MO Construction and Workplace Accident Lawyer
Taking legal action helps ensure the negligent party (the construction site owners or company owners in this case) take responsibility for their careless, wrongful actions and do what needs to be done in order to prevent future workplace accidents. By filing a personal injury claim, you may also be able to help change policies and procedures which can help save others from costly injuries. Civil litigation affects safety regulations and procedures, making construction sites safer throughout the state of Missouri.
A Columbia, MO construction and workplace accident lawyer from Thomas Law Offices has experience in civil litigation cases of all types that involve benefits like worker’s compensation claims which can complicate lawsuits of this nature. We will pursue every avenue of recovery you have available to you and will fight on your behalf tirelessly. Contact us today to learn more or receive a free case consultation.