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Virginia Construction Accident Lawyer

Construction sites are uniquely dangerous workplaces, due to many factors. The construction industry employs approximately 6% of all United States workers, yet accounts for 20% of on-the-job fatalities. This is the highest number of workplace fatalities reported for any industry sector.

Employees of construction companies typically work with heavy equipment and machinery, electrical systems, ladders, and scaffolding. There is an added risk of injury from performing manual labor, especially when the labor is repetitive in nature. Overuse injuries as well as back injuries are some of the most common injuries in the construction field, along with falls either from a height or as the result of slipping burns, and accidents due to equipment or mechanical failure.

In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets and enforces standards concerning workplace safety and health. Unfortunately, not even the most stringent precautions can prevent accidents from happening. Whether you are an employee or an innocent bystander, if you have been hurt on or near a construction site, you have the right to recover damages related to your injury. If your loved one has been killed as a result of a construction site accident, you may be entitled to compensation for wrongful death.

In the state of Virginia, employers are required to purchase workers' compensation insurance for all their employees. This is a no-fault system, which allows workers to file for benefits if they are injured on the job. This is in exchange for workers giving up the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against their employers. Your first step following a construction accident should be to report it to your supervisor, if possible. If you are taken to the emergency room, you can fill out paperwork there or report it directly as soon as you are able.

If you suffer a serious injury or an injury with long term implications, you need to speak to a construction accident attorney who specializes in workers' compensation cases. Once you decide to hire an attorney, they are able to review the facts of your case, inform the insurance company, gather evidence, interview witnesses and handle the notification requirements of the Virginia Industrial Commission. You can relax and concentrate on getting better.

Your attorney can also find a doctor who will wait for your case to be resolved to collect payment, and who is comfortable testifying on your behalf.

If you are not an employee but you are injured on, or near, a construction site, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to cover your damages. From a piece of machinery or material falling outside the actual site, to tripping over debris left on the sidewalk left during a construction project, serious construction-related injuries can happen even to innocent people. A construction accident attorney can be found in most major cities. If you have a strong case, your attorney may even be able to negotiate an out-of-court settlement. If you do have to go to court, you will have an experienced attorney by your side every step of the way.

No matter what caused your injury, you should review the facts with a lawyer so you know where you stand. When you find an attorney you like, make sure they are a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He or she will be a professional who knows how to represent a construction worker or an innocent passer-by who has been the victim of a serious injury.

If you are a family member of someone who has been in a construction accident that resulted in death, contact a Virginia construction accident lawyer attorney. They will be able to determine if you have a wrongful-death case. Find an attorney today so your rights are protected and you receive the full compensation you deserve.