Austin Construction Accident Lawyer
Assisting Injured Employees and other Victims of Austin Construction Accidents
Construction of all kinds is booming in the Austin, Texas area. High rises, office buildings, and hotels are growing bigger and higher all across Texas – and in the Greater Austin area, in particular. Despite the widespread growth that is occurring, there is no question that construction jobs and projects are dangerous. This is true both for bystanders and for individuals who are actually working on construction sites.
If you sustained an on-the-job personal injury in an Austin construction accident, you should seek out legal representation as soon as possible. The Austin construction accident lawyers at George Salinas Injury Lawyers offer a free legal consultation in all personal injury cases. In addition to addressing all of your legal questions and concerns, our experienced lawyers may be able to help you recover monetary compensation for all of your lost wages, medical and physical therapy bills, and pain and suffering you experienced as a result of your construction accident.
Types of Construction Accident Injuries
Construction sites are populated with large and heavy machinery. Construction workers’ close proximately to this machinery makes the possibility of serious injuries – and even death – all the more likely. The types of injuries one may sustain at a construction site are virtually limitless. However, some of the most common injuries sustained by workers in a construction accident include:
- Fall injuries suffered after falling from a ladder, roof, or scaffolding
- Injuries sustained by falling objects
- Burn injuries sustained from fires and explosions on the job site
- Electrocution injuries caused by a worker’s close proximity to electrical wires
- Crush injuries sustained in heavy machinery or by machinery that malfunctions
- Injuries sustained in job-site motor vehicle accidents
- Illnesses sustained as a result of exposure to asbestos or other harmful chemicals
Construction site accidents can also result in soft tissue injuries, spinal cord damage, cuts, broken bones, and traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s). Any of these injuries can be permanent in nature and may require long periods of medical treatment, physical therapy, and convalescence. Consequently, a construction worker may be forced to take significant time off work in order to recover from these injuries. Alternatively, the construction worker may have to switch to a lighter duty job and take a hefty pay cut.
Defective Tools and Machinery on Job Sites
Construction workers are exposed to large tools and dangerous machinery on a daily basis. These tools may include welding equipment, drills, saws, and nail guns. Heavy equipment on job sites includes dump trucks, diggers, forklifts, and cranes. In some cases, however, this machinery malfunctions or does not operate the way it is supposed to. These malfunctions can result from both manufacturing defects and design defects.
If you can show that your injuries resulted from defective construction equipment on a construction site, you may be able to file a strict liability or negligence claim against the product manufacturer, designer, or distributor.
The Austin personal injury lawyers at the George Salinas Injury Lawyers can review your case with you and may be able to file a products liability claim or lawsuit on your behalf.
Seeking Compensation After a Construction Accident
In some cases, if you sustained an on-the-job injury at a construction site, you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim directly against your employer. However, in order for you to be able to do this, your employer must subscribe to the workers’ compensation system in Texas.
If your employer is a subscriber to the Texas workers’ compensation system, you would need to show that you sustained your injuries while you were on the job – and while you were working within the scope of your employment. The good thing about workers’ compensation benefits is that they are available to injured employees without regard to fault or liability.
If your employer does not subscribe to the Texas workers’ compensation system, you may still be able to file a claim or lawsuit for negligence arising out of your construction accident. The Austin personal injury lawyers at the George Salinas Injury Lawyers may be able to assist you with filing a claim for workers’ compensation against your employer.
Suing Your Employer for Negligence
In order to be able to sue your employer for negligence arising out of a construction accident, you must show that your employer did something unreasonable or failed to take certain action. For example, you may be able to show that your employer failed to maintain a certain piece of construction equipment, causing it to malfunction and subsequently bring about your injuries.
In addition to proving fault on the part of your employer, you also need to prove that you sustained injuries and damages as a result of your employer’s negligence. You may be able to then recover compensation for all related medical bills and treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and inconvenience stemming from your construction accident.
Wrongful Death Actions
According to recent statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately one-fourth of all work-related deaths occurring in the State of Texas are from construction site accidents. If your loved one was killed in a construction accident while on the job, you may be eligible to recover some or all of the following:
- Workers’ compensation benefits for wrongful death
- Wrongful death benefits stemming from a negligence claim for personal injuries
- Wrongful death benefits from a claim involving gross negligence
Our Austin construction accident lawyers may be able to help you pursue wrongful death benefits in either the workers’ compensation or personal injury contexts.
Call an Austin Construction Accident Lawyer Today to discuss all of Your Legal Options
If you or someone you love has sustained serious injuries in a construction accident, you have legal options available to you. Let the attorneys at the George Salinas Injury Lawyers be your advocates and pursue monetary compensation on your behalf.
To schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with an Austin construction accident lawyer, please call us today at 210-225-0909, or contact us online.
