Construction Accident Lawyers – Seattle, Washington
Your family’s livelihood depends on your income and at Phillips Law Firm, we are dedicated to getting you the justice and compensation you deserve. Medical treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering can leave you feeling depressed and hopeless, but many times we can help.
We handle construction accident cases of all types. Whether you are a roofer, carpenter, electrician, plumber, laborer or other craft worker we are proficient in construction law and leave no stone unturned in our fight for the justice you deserve.
Determining Liability
Construction accidents can be complex in determining liability because there may be multiple potentially negligent parties involved. A case may range from a small incident at a private residence to a catastrophic incident at a commercial development. Working conditions can be extremely dangerous at any work site, even when regulations and safety guidelines are followed.
It will take a thorough investigation to determine liability when there has been a construction accident as there are a variety of hazards and potentially liable parties. Because of this, insurance companies can be quick to offer settlements in these types of cases without considering all compensable factors.
In assessing construction accident liability, we will investigate issues such as occupational and safety standards and the relationships that determine each parties control over work being done, degrees of control, delegation of work responsibilities, and more.
We will also need to determine the various insurance coverages as there are requirements that certain parties carry certain types of coverage. Owners or property managers may have property liability insurance while general and sub-contractors will often have commercial general liability and/or workers’ compensation insurance.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970(OSHA) and Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) dictate safety regulations that must be followed at construction sites and someone at the site must ensure compliance with these regulations (usually the general contractor or sub-contractor). However, when someone gets hurt, often blame as to who was responsible for compliance will shift between the two as neither want to admit liability.
We know that even a small injury such as a sprain or broken bone can be detrimental when that translates to lost income for you and your family. In most cases, we can get a claim settled before it goes to trial based on fact-finding and investigation. We have over 30 years experiencing representing every day workers of Washington State, including roofers, electricians, plumbers, laborers, landscapers, and more.
Some Common Reasons for Construction Accidents in Washington State:
Ignored Construction Safety Policies – It is important for an employer to have a safety policy implemented and followed during all phases of construction, from foundation to finish. In some cases, a rush for project completion causes employers to ignore safety regulations, putting the employee at risk for injury.
Construction Motor Vehicle Accidents – Traffic accidents are the number one cause of death for American workers on the clock. Traffic accidents are not limited only to cars, but apply to trucks, cranes, tractors and other vehicles operated while on a construction site. Construction workers are also at high risk for pedestrian accidents, being struck by passing vehicles, or falling into ditches.
Improper Safety Training for Construction Site – Employees should be properly trained regarding daily operational safety on construction sites and emergency procedures.
Falling at the Construction Site – Safety harnesses may not always protect an employee from a serious fall. A top reason for construction injuries is when the employee falls from an unsafe height in a construction zone and there was a lack of proper safety constraint. Injuries from a fall can include broken bones, back, spinal and brain injuries, even wrongful death. In some cases, a safety rail could have prevented these falls.
Defective Construction Equipment – If you become pinched, crushed or trapped under machinery, a serious injury can occur and in some cases this can even include amputation. Forklifts, wood chippers and augers are common machinery items posing a risk for amputation. In other cases, a hydraulic lift can be defective causing hundreds of pounds of equipment to fall, possibility on top of an employee, causing life-threatening injuries.
Improper Construction Equipment Storage – On construction sites, equipment and other tools are sometimes left out in the open, thereby posing a risk for the employee to trip and fall. In more serious cases, an employer’s failure to perform a scaffolding safety audit can result in a scaffold collapse and serious injury to the employee.
It is our job to asses all injuries, medical bills (surgeries, medications, etc.), physical pain, mental suffering and lost income after an accident. While we realize that sometimes no amount of money can replace your loss, we can help you recover damages from the responsible parties insurance company. You are an innocent, injured party and we are here to help you handle the legal issues so you can focus on getting your life back.
Get Started With Your Free Construction Accident Case Evaluation
At Phillips Law Firm, our construction accident attorneys are dedicated to getting you the justice and compensation you deserve. Call us at 1-800-708-6000. We are waiting to assist you 24/7, with a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. That means if we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.
