The nature of construction work is such that injuries are common. As with many workers who rely on their bodies to perform a job, an individual who is hurt doing construction work may worry about having his or her income threatened. Workers’ compensation is a part of the law that many people do not understand. It is a complicated system and it is nearly impossible to navigate without legal representations. With more than 40 years of experience in this field, The Harris Firm is here to help you through every step of the process.
Dangers of Construction Sites
Construction workers are among those persons who are most at risk for developing workplace injuries. Construction workers often use heavy equipment, are asked to lift heavy objects, and may be forced to work In harsh weather conditions. These conditions can lead to a variety of injury risks, including, but not limited to:
- Lifting injuries
- Machinery related injuries
- Falls from heights
- Falls due to icy conditions
- Dehydration or heat stroke in hot weather
- Repetitive use injuries such as carpal tunnel from use of equipment such as jackhammers
- Electric shock
- Injuries sustained due to working on uneven terrain
- Many other types of injuries and ailments
While these may be worries for many employees in other types of jobs, not many other fields have all of these aspects in which to heed warning.
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 correctly or if they are dysfunctional. If an employee is not completely trained on a piece of equipment before they are sent out into the field, they put themselves and everyone else surrounding the area in danger. Unfortunately, someone who is new to a piece of equipment may not have the knowledge of when they are truly ready to responsibly operate. These kind of equipment issues are just one of the many dangers that can lead to work injuries.
Working at heights is another danger of many construction jobs. Whether you are working on a shed or a skyscraper, a fall always has the possibility to lead to injury or even death. 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. If a fall occurs due no matter whose fault it is, the employee deserves compensation. Moreover, 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.
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 leads to slips and falls that can result in a variety of injuries. Any of these circumstances should be covered by a workers compensation claim.
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 you injury, you deserve compensation for your medical bills, time off, and pain and suffering.
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.
We represent workers who have been injured on a construction site.
At The Harris Firm, we treat every client as its own special case, which is not how every firm does it. We take pride in the every single client’s outcome and will not stop working for you until the very end. Because we are a family owned firm, we have spent many years watching and learning about workers’ compensation and how to navigate the complicated system. All we want to do is use this knowledge to help others return to being happy.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction related accident in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area, do not hesitate to contact us today.