At Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, we believe that construction workers deserve compensation for all of their injury-related damages. Often, construction-related injuries occur due to a complex chain of negligent acts, omissions, or circumstances. It's not always easy to uncover the negligent parties, but we're used to sorting through complex liability issues to get to the truth. We use our firm's energy and resources to determine legal responsibility, and we work tirelessly to get our clients the fair compensation they deserve. Contact our Fort Lauderdale Construction Site Accident Lawyers to learn more.
When you work on a construction site, you're always at risk. Each year, thousands of construction workers across the country endure workplace injuries. Harmful events often occur during inherently dangerous operations, and the injuries are frequently catastrophic or even fatal. The most recent Department of Labor Fatal Occupational Injuries Count documents 991 construction worker deaths from job site events. Certain accidents are so common and so deadly, OSHA calls them Construction's Fatal Four.
In Florida, an employer must maintain workers' compensation coverage to pay injured workers' medical bills and lost wages. Unfortunately, these benefits don't consider the full value of an injured worker's pain, suffering, disability, or other damages. If a premises owner, contractor, supervisor, or someone else is responsible for a worker's injuries, they may be held liable for the harm suffered by an injured worker.
Our Case Results
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA has recovered millions for our injured clients. We often negotiate our clients' cases outside of the courtroom or resolve claims through Alternative Dispute Resolution. If the responsible parties refuse to negotiate fairly, we have no problem presenting our clients' cases before a judge and jury. While it's impossible to predict the outcome of a particular case, we are proud to share a few of our prior case results:
- $3.2 million: We resolved the plaintiff's brain injury case during pre-trial mediation. The case information is confidential.
- $1.75 million: A poorly-maintained semi struck the plaintiff's vehicle on I-75. The plaintiff sustained a torn rotator cuff injury and a mild traumatic brain injury. Until Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA filed suit, the insurance company presented only a $265,000 offer.
- $1.58 million: The defendant struck our client's vehicle, causing two herniated discs. She underwent a cervical discectomy and fusion and could no longer work. The defendants tried unsuccessfully to relate our client's damages to a prior accident and were found responsible.
Typical Construction Accident Injuries
OSHA has determined that Construction's Fatal Four—falls, struck by object, electrocutions, and caught in/between—cause 63% of all construction fatalities. Workers fall from scaffoldings and other elevated surfaces. They drop equipment and materials, striking their coworkers or other subcontractors. Electrocutions occur when premises owners and contractors don't protect workers from live on-site power lines. Improperly guarded machines and heavy equipment entrap and crush employee limbs. Construction accidents cause these and other injuries:
- Spinal cord damage
- Partial or full paralysis
- Traumatic amputation
- Electrocution
- Traumatic brain injury
- Anoxic brain damage
- Crushed limbs and digits
- Multiple fractures
- Fatal injuries
Who Can Be Held at Fault?
When we handle our clients' construction accident claims, we work through complicated liability and contractual issues to determine who is at fault. A general contractor (GC) controls the construction site, but suppliers and subcontractors often complete the work. While the GC is responsible for the whole project, any one of the other involved parties may be at fault when an accident occurs.
- Architects: Architects design construction projects. They also set the specifications for materials and construction methods. They may be liable for design defects that cause collapses or other accidents.
- General contractor: GCs oversee construction projects and hire the subcontractors who do the work. Although a GC is responsible when safety issues arise, subcontractors often sign contracts agreeing to protect a GC and assume all liability for their employees' injuries.
- Subcontractors: Subcontractors perform concrete, steelwork, glass installation, plumbing, and a litany of other construction jobs. As they work closely with other contractors, their actions can often harm other workers.
- Industrial equipment: Construction workers are often injured in accidents involving forklifts, tractors, platform lift trucks, backhoes, or other construction equipment. The operator and their employer may be liable for negligently operated equipment. If an accident occurred because of a malfunction or defect, the manufacturer or maintenance contractor could share liability.
- Property owner: When an existing condition causes a construction accident, the premises owner, agents, maintenance contractors, or security personnel could be liable for the worker's injuries.
What Are Recoverable Damages for a Construction Accident Injury?
The damages we recover for our clients fall into two broad categories: economic and general damages. A judge or jury can also award punitive damages if evidence proves the defendant's intentional misconduct or gross negligence contributed to the injury. We calculate our clients' economic damages from actual and anticipated future expenses, including:
- Current and future wage losses
- Impaired earning capacity
- Current and future medical and physical therapy
- Prescription medications
- Mobility devices and appliances
- Household services
- Private nursing
- Funeral expenses
General damages are often difficult to evaluate. We must determine a value for our injured client's emotional and mental concerns. We measure how an injury affects the injured person's lifestyle by discussing these and other issues:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Inability to perform spousal and family services
- Emotions related to scars, functional impairments, and disabilities
How Do Responsible Parties Avoid Liability?
Workers Compensation and OSHA reports often point a finger at potentially negligent parties. Still, responsible parties rarely accept liability until they're forced to do so. Once a responsible party reports an incident to its liability insurance carrier, claim personnel and its attorneys often refuse to settle. In court, responsible parties can assert one or more common defenses that include:
- No Negligence: Defendants portray themselves as blame-free.
- Damage defense: A defendant tries to prove the plaintiff didn't receive the injuries he alleges.
- Comparative Fault: A successful comparative fault defense doesn't necessarily prevent an injured plaintiff from recovering damages, but it can reduce the award. Florida maintains a pure comparative negligence statute. A plaintiff recovers even if she is 99% negligent. If the defendants prove the injured construction worker contributed to her own injuries, however, the court reduces her damages by the percentage of her negligence.
- No Defect: When an injured person alleges a mechanical or equipment defect, the manufacturer or owner rely on a no defect
- Contractual transfer of liability: A GC avoids liability by enforcing a hold harmless or indemnification agreement. The responsible subcontractor pays the GC's defense costs. If the plaintiff wins a judgment against the GC, the subcontractor must also pay the judgment. GCs also seek protection as employers under Florida Workers Compensation Statutes.
How Much Will a Ft. Lauderdale Construction Accident Lawyer Cost Me?
Your initial consultation with Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA is free. Our attorneys will discuss your accident and injuries to determine if we can help you. We typically represent clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning attorney's fees are deducted as a portion of any settlement or judgment obtained on the client's behalf.
Our Attorneys Want to Help You
If you're struggling to recover from a construction accident or have lost a loved one due to fatal injuries sustained on a job site, our Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers want to help. Construction accidents can cause a lifetime of pain, suffering, disability, costly medical treatment, and lost income. A settlement may not undo the damage of a serious construction accident, but it can help clients recover successfully and ensure responsible parties are held liable. Call Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA at (754) 208-1130, or complete our online contact form to schedule a free consultation today.
Fort Lauderdale Office
150 E Davie Blvd Suite 201-2
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Phone: (754) 208-1130
What Our Clients Have to Say:
“This firm is amazing! Very professional, they helped me with my case until the end. They were available and very flexible. Dolman Law Group would answer all my calls/emails and wouldn't hesitate on explaining all of my concerns. They represented me on my case, in which it turned out to have a successful result. Super recommend them!” Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thiara Bandeira June 2018 Read more reviews on Google!