Construction sites in Safety Harbor, Florida, can be fast-paced, loud, and dangerous for workers and those nearby. At any job site, there will be numerous work tasks to be done and heavy machinery involved everywhere you turn. Most construction sites will proudly remain accident-free most days. However, when a construction accident happens, it can be serious and devastating. Falls from heights, fallen objects, pinning injuries, and other machine-related injuries can happen suddenly–even to experienced construction workers.
Construction accidents can lead to hospitalization, medical bills, lost income, and other costs connected to the accident. Injuries can be severe, long-term, or even permanent. If you were injured at a construction site, talk to a Safety Harbor construction accident lawyer as soon as possible. The experienced construction accident attorneys at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can answer your questions and help you pursue the financial recovery you need after an accident. Call our law office today at (727) 787-2500 to schedule your free consultation.
How the Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Catastrophic Accident in Safety Harbor
After a construction accident in Safety Harbor, FL, you could face incredible physical pain and mental trauma. You will also face mounting medical bills, lost pay due to the accident, out-of-pocket expenses, and other costs caused by the accident.
An experienced Safety Harbor personal injury attorney will investigate the facts involved, determine where liability lies, and evaluate your potential damages due to the accident. You don’t want to hire just any lawyer to handle a construction accident claim. Our attorneys at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers know the potential dangers at job sites and the rights construction workers have when they are on the job. We will fight to protect your legal rights and seek the compensation you are entitled to after a workplace injury.
Some steps our law office will take for you include:
- Meeting with you for a free, no-risk consultation to learn about your accident;
- Investigating the accident to determine its cause and potential liability;
- Collecting evidence such as photos, video recordings, physical evidence, work logs, equipment maintenance logs, and other facts to build your claim;
- Negotiating aggressively with insurance companies when they are involved with a settlement;
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit whenever necessary to achieve justice;
- Handling all phases of your construction accident lawsuit;
- Taking your case to a jury trial if your case does not settle beforehand.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our Safety Harbor construction accident lawyers will fight for the financial recovery you deserve following a devastating accident at a construction site.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Lawyer in a Safety Harbor Construction Accident Case?
In most Florida construction accident cases, lawyers such as ours will work under a contingent fee agreement. Under a contingent fee arrangement, you do not pay your attorney a large retainer upfront or pay legal fees as the case moves forward. In fact, you do not owe any attorney’s fees unless we win your case. Then (and only then), your attorney will receive a percentage of the overall financial settlement.
Personal injury lawyers in a construction accident case will also advance the costs involved with hiring experts, filing court documents, and costs involved with advancing your claim. If your case does not succeed for any reason, you owe nothing and pay nothing. Therefore, you have nothing to lose by asking a personal injury lawyer for help. Our dedicated legal team stands ready to answer your questions and get your case started.
Common Causes of Construction Accidents
Construction accidents can involve a wide range of causes. Construction sites can be complex and always have tools and machinery that are dangerous when not used properly. A manufacturing defect could lead to mishaps and injuries even if a tool is used properly. Contractors must follow strict protocols to make sure workers act safely and with caution toward others.
In the event that a construction worker acts with negligence, serious injuries can result. Frequent causes of construction accidents in Safety Harbor, Florida, include:
- Falling debris
- Blade and saw accidents
- Scaffolding falls and collapses
- Crane accidents
- Hazardous material and chemical exposure
- Ladder accidents
- Falls
- Explosions
- Nail gun accidents
- Electric shock
- Lifting injuries
- Unsafe work conditions
Understanding the common causes of construction accidents is essential for preventing injuries and ensuring a safer work environment, but if you or someone you know has been injured due to negligence on a construction site in Safety Harbor, it’s important to consult an experienced attorney to protect your rights and seek the compensation you deserve.
Non-Worker Injuries at Construction Sites
Construction workers are not the only individuals that can be hurt at job sites. If you were a non-worker injured at a construction site, you would not be covered under workers’ compensation. Instead, you would be entitled to pursue a premises liability claim if negligence was involved. In that situation, you’d need to prove another party was negligent and their negligence caused your injuries. Premises liability claims allow injured victims to obtain compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. A construction accident lawyer can help.
What Are Common Injuries in a Construction Accident?
Injuries often associated with construction accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Skull fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Internal bleeding
- Soft tissue injuries
- Damaged or lost vision
- Damaged or lost hearing
- Loss of fingers, toes, or limbs
- Permanent disfigurement
- Catastrophic injuries
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
If you were hurt in any way at a construction site, you could endure ongoing pain, emotional distress, lost pay, reduced future income, reduced quality of life, long-term or permanent disability, and other devastating effects. Your construction accident lawyer will address the full scope of your losses after a construction accident in Safety Harbor, FL.
What Damages Am I Entitled To?
Construction accident claims will involve economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages include actual financial costs, such as:
- Medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Costs of future medical care
- Lost income
- Reduced future earnings due to your injuries.
Non-economic damages involve the psychological damage caused by a construction accident, such as:
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Disability
- Permanent disfigurement
No matter what type of damages you suffered, we can help you get compensation.
What Is Negligence and How Do I Prove It?
Construction accident claims typically involve the legal theory of negligence. Negligence happens when someone does not use the reasonable level of care and caution they should have under the circumstances. In a construction accident, for example, negligence could involve poor supervision, overworked and fatigued employees, defective machinery, or recklessness on the job site.
Negligence is proven by establishing four separate elements:
- Duty of care: Someone, such as an employer or co-worker, must have owed a duty of care in the situation.
- Breach of duty: The at-fault party failed to follow their duty of care to others.
- Causation: There must have been a causal connection between the breach of duty and your injuries.
- Damages: There must be actual damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, or other losses.
Our skilled Safety Harbor construction accident lawyers will use all available evidence and resources to build your claim and prove negligence in a construction accident.
Do I Still Have a Personal Injury Claim if I Was Partly to Blame for the Accident in Florida?
Under Florida law, you can file a claim for financial compensation even if you were partly at fault for an accident. Florida follows a modified comparative negligence standard, meaning accident victims can file personal injury claims as long as they are not more than 50% responsible for the accident. However, the claimant’s financial payout could be reduced in proportion to their share of fault.
For example, if you were 30% responsible for an accident, and the total financial award was $100,000, your payment would be lowered by 30% to $70,000. If you are more than 50% responsible, you cannot recover at all.
Experienced Florida construction accident lawyers will work to maximize your payout, even if you were partly to blame for an accident. The bottom line is that you should contact a Safety Harbor personal injury lawyer even if you think you shared responsibility for an accident.
What is the Deadline to File a Claim in a Florida Construction Accident Case?
Florida’s statute of limitations for filing a construction accident lawsuit is two years in most cases. The time period you have to file your claim usually starts on:
- The day of the accident
- The day your injuries were discovered or should have been discovered
- The date of death in wrongful death claims
A skilled construction accident lawyer will help you build a case strategy, prepare your claim, and get it filed well before the deadline. It is usually better not to wait too long, as evidence is easier to find and use closer to the date of the accident. Witness memories can also become unreliable if you wait too long after the accident.
Contact a Safety Harbor Construction Accident Lawyer For a Free Consultation Today
Were you hurt or seriously injured on a construction site in Safety Harbor, FL? Workers on construction sites have important legal rights and protections, along with the right to pursue financial compensation. Non-workers injured on or near construction sites have important legal rights as well. The experienced construction accident lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers are here to help. Contact our law office today to schedule your free consultation with a Safety Harbor construction accident lawyer.