Legal•Info

Construction Accidents And Quadriplegia

If you are a construction worker, then you are already aware of how dangerous the job can be. Whether you are using a dangerous instrument like a jackhammer, or climbing up to the top of an unfinished building, there is always the risk of serious injury. You have probably been to safety courses about how to avoid accidents that could lead to these injuries, and these were courses put on by the company you work for in an attempt to reduce the number of workplace accidents that occur. This is an admirable goal but unfortunately the company leaves out an important aspect in these safety courses; it fails to discuss in any great detail the types of serious injuries that can occur from workplace accidents.

Thousands of workers each year are involved in accidents on the job site that lead to quadriplegia. In spite of this, it is still a condition not many people think twice about. The reason for this is that people who know the full effects of quadriplegia are usually people who are either afflicted by it or alternatively people who are close to people who have become afflicted by it.

Quadriplegia is usually the result of a brain or spinal cord injury. Paralysis of the arms and legs occurs, leaving the patient wheelchair bound. However, this condition does not necessarily mean total paralysis as a person might still retain some sensory or motor function.

Any number of work site accidents can cause quadriplegia, from scaffolding that collapse to unsafe working conditions, including a lack of safety equipment or training. Any type of head trauma accidents might cause quadriplegia, as they have the potential to cause the type of brain or spinal cord injury that results in a person being unable to move any of his or her limbs. Head trauma injuries include head first falls, head impacts, and other such injuries that might result from accidents at the construction site.

It is important that you try and determine the cause of your injuries. Of course, accidents will happen, but if they happen as a result of negligence on the part of your employer, you have rights. If they provided unsafe working conditions, withheld safety information from you, or simply did not take every action possible to ensure the safety of their workers, you might be able to file a suit against them and get the compensation you deserve. Quadriplegia will almost certainly prevent you from ever going back to work, and you not only lose money for the time you missed with the injury, you will never have a source of income again. This is already a substantial loss beyond the use of your limbs, and that's without factoring in hospital bills, physical therapy bills, cost of a wheelchair and any modifications to your house and car, and any number of other expenses to help you cope with your new life.

Discuss the situation with a lawyer as soon as possible. Lawyers are legal experts and will be able to help you decide what's best for your future in an intelligent and educated manner. Tell them the situation in full detail and answer any questions they might have. Because personal injury law can be complicated, with statutes of limitation, legal precedents, and other factors that may come into play, make sure you find an attorney who specializes in construction site accidents. Based on what you have told them, they will let you know what your current options are, and how to best make your case. Take this advice seriously because it is some of the best you are likely to get.