Boston Construction Site Accident Lawyer

Whether you are a construction worker who was injured doing their job or someone who was injured while simply passing by a construction zone, you can depend on Rubenstein Law to have your back when you need help.

Construction jobs involve working with heavy equipment and machinery as well as other potentially hazardous elements. In this type of setting, danger lurks around every corner. It is crucial that construction companies and all employees follow all safety regulations to avoid potential injuries and death. The danger of working on a construction site is very real. In fact, just in the year 2020 alone, more than 20% of all workplace deaths in the United States occurred in the construction industry.

With more than thirty-five years of experience representing those injured in construction site accidents, you can count on us to manage all aspects of your personal injury claim efficiently and effectively. We know the strategies and laws that will have a bearing on your claim and how to construct the most compelling case possible to receive an equitable settlement. Give us a call today or complete the contact form on our website to schedule your free consultation.

Occupational Hazards Involved in Boston Construction Work

The rate of fatal occupational injuries in Massachusetts in 2016 was 3.3 fatalities for every 100,000 full-time workers. Construction workers maintain the highest incident rate of any industry, due to the fact that several hundred construction workers are injured statewide every year.

Falls pose the greatest danger to construction workers. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported that 24% of all fatal job site injuries are caused by falls, trips, or slips. Construction workers are also vulnerable to a disproportionate amount of additional dangers associated with exposure to the elements, dangerous equipment, and hazardous materials.

Both federal and commonwealth regulations designed for the safety of construction workers and others who may be near construction zones have been enacted. According to these regulations, contractors and subcontractors are required to do the following:

• Conform to all regulations set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Maintain a work environment that is reasonably safe
• Provide proper and sufficient training to employees
• Supply all necessary safety supplies and safety gear, and ensure workers are familiar with all safety regulations
• Ensure that all workers are aware of any potential dangers

When a worker is injured on the job, they are entitled to seek Workers’ Compensation benefits to cover their medical bills, lost wages, and many other expenses as well.

Our Boston construction accident attorneys are not afraid to go up against major insurance companies and fight to secure the financial compensation you deserve in the most efficient way possible. We offer all potential clients a free case evaluation to help them understand their rights and options, and we never collect any money unless we win your case.

Common Causes of Boston Construction Accidents

When you take into account the hazardous conditions that construction workers usually work in, it is not surprising to learn that those involved in accidents often face catastrophic consequences. Boston construction sites typically have a lot of moving parts, both figuratively and literally, that are required to keep things running smoothly. This means that construction site accidents happen many different ways. Here are some of the common ways Boston construction accidents happen: 

Falls

Whether from ladders, rooftops, or scaffolding, when a person is tasked with performing their job at a significant height, their odds of falling and sustaining serious injuries are high enough already. When you factor in unsafe work conditions or procedures, the situation becomes even more dangerous.

Shocks and Electrocutions

Exposed wiring, downed power lines, and incomplete electrical systems are common on a construction site until the job is finished. This puts anyone in the area, especially construction workers, at a much higher risk of being shocked or electrocuted, especially if they aren't made aware of the location of any potential hazards.

Falling Objects

Whether you are working on a construction site or simply passing by one, scraps and debris such as bits of scaffolding, equipment, or tools could fall from up high and strike whoever is underneath, especially if they were poorly managed or improperly secured.

Trip-and-Falls/Slip-and-Falls

Although this kind of accident might not sound very serious, a person can easily sustain severe or even fatal injuries if they are not properly warned about any potentially dangerous conditions, such as a liquid spill on the floor.

Overwork/Overexertion

Those who work in the construction industry are often at the mercy of prolonged work days and inclement weather conditions. Being overexerted under these circumstances can cause workers to experience dehydration, fainting, and, in severe cases, strokes. 

Explosions and Burns

In addition to electrical shock, exposed wiring can also lead to explosions and fires. A gas leak on the premises can also cause similar catastrophes that could leave workers badly injured and/or burned.

Trapped Between Objects

Due to negligence, a person could get trapped in between chunks of fallen material and a wall, leading to oxygen deprivation and other serious injuries.

Accidents Involving Machinery and Equipment

Construction workers are often required to operate heavy machinery such as bulldozers, cranes, or jackhammers. If an employee has not been trained properly or the machinery or equipment malfunctions, they could be seriously and permanently injured.

Being Struck by a Motor Vehicle

When a portion of a highway or interstate is under construction, workers are extremely vulnerable to being struck by a motor vehicle because of a motorist's negligent driving behaviors.

Trench or Ground Collapse

If the area in which you are working isn’t stable because of improper construction or inspection, you could sustain injuries if the trench or ground underneath a construction site caves in.

No matter how serious your injuries are, or what kind of construction accident caused them, you are entitled by law to recover compensation for your damages. Our Boston construction accident attorneys can help you bring the responsible party to account.

Common Injuries Caused by Boston Construction Site Accidents

Accidents on construction sites can have multiple causes and produce a multitude of debilitating injuries and devastating illnesses. Some of the most common construction accident injuries are:

Traumatic Amputations

Construction sites are fraught with peril for workers and passersby alike. In many construction accidents, like those concerning heavy machinery, an accident could possibly cut off a person’s limbs or cause such catastrophic damage that the doctors have no choice but to amputate. In accidents involving amputation, the injured worker must cope with not only the loss of one or more extremities but also must deal with the fact that their lives will never be the same.

Exposure to Toxic Substances

While exposure to toxic substances is certainly not one of the more commonly occurring construction accidents, the potential for causing injuries to both construction workers and bystanders is very real. There are a lot of different ways that exposure to toxic substances can occur on a construction site, such as:

• Failing to sequester toxic chemicals
• Chemical fires or explosions
• Failing to supply proper equipment or protective gear
• Chemical spills
• Failing to locate toxic chemicals inside demolished materials

Instances of neglect like these could put someone at risk of being exposed to a toxic substance near or on a construction site.

Head and Traumatic Brain Injuries

An injury to the head or brain is one of the most serious that someone can sustain. This is because a traumatic brain injury can impact a person’s ability to function in everyday life. There are numerous construction site hazards that can lead to serious head and brain injuries, including: 

• Falling objects
• Falls from a height
• Trip-and-fall/Slip-and-fall accidents
• Scaffolding collapse
• Abuse/misuse of tools and equipment
• Negligent site management
• Failing to furnish proper safety gear, such as helmets, goggles, etc.
• Motor vehicle accidents

Any of these scenarios could lead to severe head injuries or possible brain damage for the person or persons involved. Some long-term or permanent consequences of this type of injury are decreased motor skill function, memory loss, and limited communicative abilities.

If you sustained a head or brain injury and you feel like construction site negligence was to blame, reach out to a Boston construction accident lawyer today.

Slip-and-Fall/Trip-and-Fall Accidents

To shield construction workers and pedestrians from serious construction accidents, sites are required to be properly secured by ensuring that sidewalks are kept clear and any dangerous wiring is covered. Regrettably, these and other important safety rules are not always followed, making workers and the public in danger of slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents. As the Boston construction accident attorneys at Rubenstein Law know, these kinds of accidents are capable of leaving innocent people with injuries that have life-altering consequences.

When making sure that a job site is safe, there are some potential dangers that should always be secured, such as:

• Open manhole covers
• Exposed wiring stretched over walkways
• Wet or slippery walking surfaces
• Scaffolding issues
• Obstructions in walkways

Any of these situations can increase the likelihood of a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident happening at a construction site. If you are injured in this or any other kind of construction site accident, our Boston construction accident lawyers are ready to defend your rights.

When a pedestrian or construction worker is harmed by these or other construction site accidents, they usually have a very difficult time moving on with their life due to an extended physical recovery period, mental health challenges, exorbitant medical expenses, and lost wages.

What Should I Do After Being Injured in a Boston Construction Accident?

Working in construction is certainly a dangerous vocation, so workers have certain protections afforded to them if they are injured while they are on the job. Construction site injuries are normally covered by workers’ compensation, but, if their needs are not met, an injured worker might have no choice but to bring a Boston personal injury claim against their employer or other liable parties.

There are some steps that workers can take to ensure that their rights are protected after being injured in a Boston construction site accident: 

Get Prompt Medical Care

Even if you think that you managed to escape your Boston construction accident unharmed, you should be medically evaluated right away. You could have sustained internal injuries that are not immediately obvious and will only worsen as time passes. If you are critically injured, dial 911. If not, you need to go directly to a hospital emergency room for a complete physical evaluation. Be sure to tell the physician attending to you that you are a construction worker who was hurt on the job. This will create an official medical record of any injuries as well as their suspected cause, which will be useful evidence if you later decide to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Report the Incident

After handling any urgent medical issues, you need to inform your employer of your accident and subsequent injuries, no matter how serious or minor they may seem. Reporting your accident guarantees that it will be officially documented. This will prove important later in the event that you need to file a lawsuit. Should your employer participate in any other dangerous workplace practices, the details of your accident will be on record and could be used to stop similar future construction injuries from happening. 

Collect Evidence and Relevant Information

Once you file a claim against the at-fault party, you will have to prove that their negligence was the direct cause of your accident and injuries. This means you need to gather as much evidence as you possibly can following the incident in order to present the strongest claim possible and secure full and fair compensation for your damages. Types of evidence you could gather that will help your case include:

• The contact details of any eyewitnesses so that statements can be taken later
• Pictures of the scene and any contributing factors
• Evidence of any broken or malfunctioning machinery or equipment that contributed to the accident
• Documentation of how the accident happened and what injuries it caused
• Any written communication between you and anyone from your company

This information is vital for our full investigation into your Boston construction site accident. It can also be used to claim full compensation by proving how your accident occurred and how serious your injuries are.

Boston Construction Workers' Rights

Even though construction sites are potentially hazardous places, a construction worker is just as entitled to a reasonably safe work area as someone who works in a store or office. Their employer is required, to the best of their ability, to prevent workplace accidents by following safety protocols using equipment designed to improve workplace safety, including:

• Personal fall protection systems
• Manhole covers
• Secure scaffoldings
• Guardrail systems
• Safety gear
• Harnesses

If your employer fails to maintain reasonably safe working conditions, our Boston construction accident lawyers are prepared to hold them liable for their negligent and dangerous actions.

What Damages am I Eligible for After My Boston Construction Site Accident?

There are a lot of factors that play a role in determining the overall value of complex personal injury cases like construction site accidents. Along with the value of your economic damages, such as medical expenses, the total worth of your claim will hinge heavily on whether or not you receive workers’ comp benefits. Furthermore, a ersonal injury suit is the only way you can recover your non-economic damages, including pain and suffering.

Workers’ comp benefits have a distinctly specified value that is determined by averaging your weekly wages. Our construction accident attorneys can help you accurately calculate your claim’s value to make sure you obtain a reasonable settlement. 

Speak With a Trusted Boston Construction Accident Attorney at Rubenstein Law Today

Facing the aftermath of a Boston construction accident and injury is extremely stressful. You might be worrying about how your injury is going to impact your ability to return to work, and how you are going to pay for expensive but medically necessary treatments. An experienced construction accident attorney from Rubenstein Law can help ensure you get the compensation you need to deal with all of the obstacles that your workplace injury has created in your life.

After being injured after a Boston construction site accident, you should not have to agonize over negotiating with the insurance company over benefits you are entitled to. Our Boston construction accident lawyers will represent you in all communications with relevant parties, including the insurance company for your employer and any other involved party. Our team knows the most effective way to build the most robust possible case, to result in maximum compensation. Our law firm has more than three decades of experience in successfully securing fair settlements and jury awards for our injured clients. You can rely on us to handle your Boston personal injury claim.