Construction jobs entail risky work that typically involves performing tasks at heights and around heavy equipment and machinery. Accidents in the construction industry often occur because of unsafe working conditions, faulty equipment, a lack of safety precautions or human error.
Victims of nonfatal construction accidents may suffer injuries that cause them to miss work and lose income during their recovery, and may make it impossible for them to continue to earn a living.
If you have been injured in a construction site accident in South Carolina, you have legal rights regarding workers’ compensation benefits that may be due to you. If a close relative died in an accident on a construction site, you may be entitled to workers’ comp death benefits.
The Manning construction accident attorneys at the law firm of Land Parker Welch LLC have extensive experience with workplace accidents in South Carolina and can help you to seek the benefits you deserve.
Call (803) 435-8894 or use our online contact form for a free evaluation of your claim.
Falls and Other Construction Site Hazards
Construction is among the most dangerous lines of work in South Carolina and throughout the United States.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says there were 775 fatal work injuries in the private construction sector in 2012, a 5 percent increase from 2011. Construction work fatalities represent 17.6 percent of the 4,383 workplace fatalities across the private sector in 2012.
The BLS says there were another 200,000 construction job accidents in 2012 that resulted in injuries requiring days away from work, job restrictions or a job transfer (out of 2.97 million total recordable injury-producing accidents). There were 1,900 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in construction work in South Carolina in 2011, according to the BLS.
Construction site injuries are commonly caused by accidents that involve:
Falls from ladders, scaffolding, roofs, unguarded openings, etc.
Being struck by equipment, materials or falling debris, such as in a crane accident.
Being struck by vehicles such as forklifts or trucks.
Strain from lifting, carrying, reaching, climbing, etc., including repetitive-stress injuries.
Tool, equipment or machinery malfunctions.
Being caught in or compressed by machinery.
Trench or excavation collapses.
Fires and explosions.
Exposure to toxins or other dangerous substances.
Common nonfatal injuries in construction accidents include:
Fractures (broken bones).
Dislocated joints.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), including concussion.
Back and spinal injuries, which may include paralysis.
Burns.
Electric shock.
Respiratory damage.
When a construction worker is injured in an accident, the accident may have been caused by human error, someone’s failure (negligence) to use safety precautions correctly or by equipment malfunction.
Many construction site accidents occur because workers or their supervisors do not follow
established safety protocols. For instance, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says workers who are 6 feet or more above lower levels are to be provided fall protection, including personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), as well as the appropriate kinds of ladders and scaffolds. OSHA also requires employers to train their employers in hazard recognition and to safely use ladders, scaffolds, fall protection systems and other equipment.
Violations of OSHA rules contribute to many job-related accidents at construction sites. Construction project supervisors and owners have a legal obligation to ensure that their construction sites are safe, that each worker has been issued properly functioning safety equipment, and that workers are trained to use safety equipment and other tools.
Help With a Workers’ Comp Claim after a Construction Accident
Serious injuries from a construction site accident can lead to long, expensive recoveries or ongoing disabilities that prevent a worker from returning to work or returning to a job that pays as well. In the worst cases, a family loses its breadwinner in a construction accident death.
Construction workers who have been injured on the job, or the families of construction workers who have died from a job-related injury or illness, may be eligible to file workers’ compensation claim to assist with their medical expenses and income losses. This includes future lost wages for those who have suffered a permanent partial or total disability.
Too often, South Carolina construction workers who qualify for workers’ compensation have trouble obtaining the settlement they truly deserve. Sometimes an employer will fight their own employee just to avoid higher insurance premiums. Companies that provide workers’ compensation insurance may also be interested in the smallest payout they can get away with, despite the worker’s injuries and needs.
The workers’ compensation attorneys at Land Parker Welch LLC work with the victims of construction accidents to ensure that they are not denied what they deserve by their employer, an insurance company or the bureaucracy of the S.C. Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Most people are not ready to deal with the complications that can arise in a workers’ comp claim, particularly someone who is recovering from a serious injury. But a lawyer experienced with South Carolina comp claims can make sure you are treated fairly and that you get the benefits the law says you deserve.
Contact Our Construction Accident Lawyers
Located in Manning, our firm prides itself on treating its clients like family. When you call Land Parker Welch LLC you won’t be talking to an automated service. You’ll get to speak directly with a construction accident lawyer who has extensive knowledge of South Carolina’s workers’ compensation system and is committed to your case from start to finish.
Call (803) 435-8894 or use our online contact form for a free consultation.
