Construction Site Fall Attorneys in Boston

Getting hurt on the job and suffering a serious injury can wreak havoc on your life. If you work in the construction field, an on-the-job injury can be especially devastating given the dangers inherent in that type of work. According to information from the National Safety Council, construction is one of the top five occupations with the largest number of workplace injuries resulting in days away from work.

If you’ve suffered a permanent injury, you could be facing a lifetime of pain and impairment requiring expensive prescription medication, doctor appointments and physical therapy. Plus, construction work is physically demanding. You’re might be unsure about when, or if, you’ll be able to work again.

Add to that the stress that comes from the prospect of navigating a workers’ compensation claim and getting the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been injured in a construction site fall, you owe it to yourself and your family to contact a skilled and experienced construction site fall attorney in Boston. The attorneys at the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers are experts at handling workers’ compensation claims arising from construction site falls, as well as personal injury claims against all parties responsible for your accident.

Construction site falls aren’t exclusive to construction workers. An uncovered hole or other hazard on a construction site can be dangerous or even deadly to people walking by. It’s critical for anyone who has been injured in a construction site fall in Boston or the surrounding area to hire experienced and aggressive legal representation. A seasoned construction site fall attorney will fight for you and make sure you receive full compensation for your injuries, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Take a look at these statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health:

• Falls are the number one cause of construction worker fatalities.
• Falls comprise one-third of all on-the-job deaths in the construction industry.
• There were 366 fall fatalities out of 971 total fatalities in construction in 2017.
• Construction has the most fatal falls out of all industries.

Construction site falls can result in wrongful death or serious injuries such as:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back and spinal cord injuries, which can result in paralysis

Keep in mind that injuries sustained in a construction site fall are likely to have long-term effects. A construction site fall attorney in Boston will help you evaluate your injury, as well as your entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits and any other compensation owed.

A construction site can be a dangerous place, especially when safety protocols aren’t being followed and workers aren’t being provided with adequate safety gear or proper training.

Here are a few common construction site fall scenarios:

• A construction worker falls while performing work on a new apartment building on scaffolding six stories above the ground that lacks railing or other safety equipment preventing the worker from falling over the edge.
• A construction worker falls into a deep hole on a job site that was not covered by his co-workers. An uncovered hole on a construction site also poses a danger to people passing by, especially if the hole isn’t taped off or marked properly with warning signs. Oftentimes, construction work is performed on sidewalks, roads or other places that are accessed by the general public.
• A crane knocks a worker down causing the worker to fall.

All construction site falls are different, and a qualified construction site fall attorney in Boston or the surrounding areas will review the facts to determine who’s to blame for your fall and hold those parties accountable.

Construction site falls are all too real. Here’s a look at a few recent construction site falls in the greater Boston area that resulted in serious injury and death:

• According to a report from CBS Boston, in November 2019, one person was killed and another was seriously injured in an accident at a bridge construction project in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The workers fell 40 to 50 feet onto a barge, from the bucket of a lift truck which was over the Merrimack River.
• According to a report from the Patch, in May 2019, a construction worker fell approximately 20 feet from the TD Garden construction site onto Causeway Street in Boston. The report stated at the time of the accident, the worker was putting on a safety harness.
• The Boston Real Estate Times reported a man working for a commercial roofing company in Shirley, Massachusetts, died after falling from the roof of a 25-foot barn in December 2019.

If you’ve been injured in a construction site fall while working, a skilled and experienced construction site fall attorney in Boston will help you answer any questions that you might have about your work injury such as:

• Is my injury eligible for workers’ compensation?
• Can I file a personal injury claim against my company or the people who work there?
• What are my rights as an injured worker?
• Does my health insurance cover my work injury?
• Should I accept a settlement?

Generally speaking, workers’ compensation provides coverage for all types of on-the-job injuries, as well as all kinds of work accidents. Most employers are legally required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance.

If someone else is responsible for your workplace injury, you can file a personal injury claim. Based on the facts of your particular situation, a construction site fall attorney in Boston will help you decide if this is an action you should pursue.

You might be able to sue the job site owner, general contractor or subcontractor for your injuries. Or, you might be able to file a products liability suit against the manufacturer of the construction equipment that caused you to fall or the manufacturer of any safety equipment that failed to work as promised.

Typically, health insurance does not cover at-work injuries.

If you’ve been offered a settlement for an injury you sustained at work, consult with a construction site fall attorney in Boston before signing any documents. Oftentimes, a workers’ compensation insurer will try to get you to settle your claim for far less than it’s worth. An attorney will help you understand the long-term effects of your injury and help you maximize your benefits.

You’ve hurt yourself while working. What should you do?

First, obtain medical treatment as soon as possible. A delay could cause your employer to argue that your injury was not caused by a workplace accident.

In Massachusetts, a worker has four years from the date he or she discovers a work-related injury or illness to file a workers’ compensation claim. However, the sooner a claim is filed, the sooner you’ll start receiving benefits.

You’ll also need to report the injury to your employer, so your employer can file a claim with their insurer on your behalf. It’s important to notify your employer of any at-work injury you sustain, even if the injury appears to be minor. A mild injury could turn into something much more serious, and a failure to report could result in denial of your claim.

Constructions sites are always changing. That’s why it’s important that the site—and the hazard that caused your fall—is documented as soon as possible. Photographs of the unsafe condition could be key pieces of evidence. After an accident, the construction firm or owners of the property might have the dangerous condition repaired or removed, or the hazard could be eliminated as construction moves forward. Quick action and consultation with a construction site fall accident attorney in Boston will help you bolster your case and maximize your recovery.

In addition to documenting the fall site using photos, you should write down important information about the accident. For example, did you have knowledge of the hazard before you fell? Were there warnings posted at the construction site? Who was supervising the site and on duty when you fell?

If your employer has denied your workers’ compensation claim, contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You have the right to appeal the denial.

Because every construction site fall case is different, the key to a successful outcome is personalized legal advice tailored to your situation and the facts of your case.

The Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers has successfully handled construction site fall claims and a wide variety of other workers’ compensation claims on behalf of individuals in Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Lawrence and surrounding areas in Massachusetts.