Your Legal Options Following a Walnut Creek Construction Accident
In most cases, workers’ compensation applies to construction accident injuries. These victims are entitled to no-fault benefits which replace lost wages and pay medical bills. Both benefits are critical. The average injury-related hospital bill usually exceeds $50,000. Furthermore, an injured construction worker is often a family’s primary or only source of income.
In some cases, our Walnut Creek construction accident lawyers must sue outside the system. Nonsubscriber cases (the employer has no workers’ compensation insurance) are the most common kinds of these claims. Additional compensation is available if the victim establishes negligence, or a lack of care. State law prohibits employers from using some key defenses in these situations. So, it’s easier to establish negligence in court.
Other possible nonsubscriber claims include injuries caused by a negligence co-worker and/or a defective product. The same thing could apply if the employer recklessly sent workers to an area it knew was dangerous.
The Fatal Four Construction Accidents
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, most of the fatal construction accidents in California involve one of the following:
- Fall: These incidents are, by far, the most common fatal construction accidents in the Golden State. Slip-and-fall injuries are especially serious for people with certain pre-existing conditions. Furthermore, a fall from as little as four stories above ground is fatal in most cases.
- Caught Between: Large, heavy commercial vehicles often zigzag around busy, noisy construction sites. Frequently, the workers operating such equipment have little experience behind the wheel. As a result, workers are often caught between a moving vehicle and a wall or other fixed object. These workers are almost literally crushed to death.
- Struck By: The further an object falls, the more speed it picks up, and the harder an impact is. If Bill drops a hammer on his toe, the injury might not even be serious. If Bill drops a hammer while he is working several stories above ground, that hammer could easily kill someone on the ground.
- Electrocution: There are basically two types of fatal electrocution injuries. An arc blast is usually many times hotter than the sun. A few moments of contact could cause burns so severe that it’s impossible to fully recover. Alternatively, the force of the blast could throw a victim several hundred feet through the air.
Under California law, construction companies have a duty to provide safety equipment, a duty to explain how to use it, and a duty to inform workers about the safety equipments importance. A breakdown in any area could mean liability for damages.
Reach Out to Our Walnut Creek Construction Accident Lawyers
Injury victims are normally entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced construction accident lawyer in Walnut Creek, contact Venardi Zurada, LLP. You have a limited amount of time to act.
