Cincinnati Construction Accident Attorney

Machinery/Vehicle-related injuries: Construction workers use machinery almost every day. This equipment can vary from vehicles, cranes, sledgehammers, and countless other implements. All of these things can be dangerous if not operated or maintained correctly. If an employee is not completely trained on a piece of equipment before he or she is sent out into the field, that employee is at risk and all of the employees surrounding that person are at risk as well. Someone who is new to a piece of equipment may not have the knowledge of when they are truly ready to responsibly operate. Even someone who has been operating a machine for years can cause or suffer injuries due to factors out of their control, or due to a lack of maintenance. These kind of equipment issues are just one of the many dangers that can lead to work injuries. Injuries are sometimes just part of the job on construction site.   Be aware, that while sometimes an injury is someone’s fault, it does not have to be to give rise to a workers’ compensation claim.  The workers’ compensation system does not require fault for a person to have a claim.  So regardless of whether an injury is the employer’s fault, a co-worker’s fault, the injured person’s fault, or no one’s fault, a claim under the workers’ compensation system is valid and should be pursued.

Falling from elevated work settings: Working at heights is another danger of many construction jobs. Whether you are working on a shed or a skyscraper, a fall has the possibility to lead to injury or even death. If a fall occurs at work, no matter whose fault it is, the employee qualifies for workers’ compensation and should receive coverage.  Moreover, when a construction company has employees working at heights, it is the company’s responsibility to make sure that all of the correct safety measures are implemented and in place to prevent falls. While a workers’ compensation claim exists regardless of who was at fault, if an individual was not provided fall protection equipment, it is possible that the employer committed a safety violation that could result in additional compensation paid to an injured worker.  If you suffer a fall at work, you should talk with an attorney to make sure you get all the benefits you deserve.

Working in harsh weather conditions: Some construction projects require workers to be at the site no matter the weather. This means that some projects require employees to be on the job during snow, sleet, hail, and extreme heat. Although this may be a requirement to get the job done in a certain amount of time, these weather conditions can be unsafe. Heat stroke and dehydration can lead to injuries in the summer. In the winter, ice and snow on the ground often lead to slips and falls that can result in a variety of injuries. Any of these circumstances should be covered by a workers compensation claim.

Electric Shock: When working in buildings that have electricity, workers put themselves in danger of electrical shock. Whether the electricity is supposed to be turned off or not, one wrong move or miscommunication can lead to an accident. If this is the case for your injury, you deserve compensation for your medical bills, time off, and pain and suffering.

Repetitive Use Injuries: Construction employees are often asked to operate a variety of equipment.  Some of that equipment has a kickback, or vibrates in a way that, over time, can cause problems to develop. Tools such as jackhammers, certain kinds of wrenches, and basically any vibrating machine tool commonly cause workers to develop conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, epicondylitis, and a number of other conditions.  If you begin to suffer from a condition that you think arose from repetitive work and/or use of machine tools at work, make sure to see your doctor for a diagnosis.  It is also important to contact an attorney because repetitive use injuries are more complicated than injuries that arise from a single incident.  You should pursue your claim if you have a condition that arose from work, but you want to make sure that you take the right steps to make sure that claim gets approved.

The lawyers at The Harris Firm understand that it is not always easy to stay safe in some jobs, especially construction based jobs. We want to help you understand that you should be covered by the workers compensation system for the consequences of any accident. We want to make sure that you receive the compensation that you deserve.