If you have been seriously hurt in a construction accident, our St. Petersburg construction accident lawyers would like to express their deepest sympathy. It is a terribly stressful place to be in and the injuries can often be severe. You are most likely unable to return to work and now you have all of the medical bills to pay because of someone else’s negligence. We are more than glad to take your call to set up a free consultation.
Important First Steps After a Construction Accident
The most important thing to do after your accident has occurred, if you are physically able to, is tell your employer what happened. They need to document that you were injured at work in order for your workers’ compensation to come through. If you are taken on an ambulance, obviously there will be more attention on your injury which brings us to the next step. You need to seek medical care as soon as possible. If the ambulance shows up, get on it, and go to the emergency room. Lastly, collect evidence in the form of photos. Take as many as possible. Ask witnesses for their contact information. Anything that you think might be important later should be documented so that you can use it to make a strong case later on.
Statute of Limitations in Florida
In Florida, you have four years from the date of your construction accident to bring your claim. If you wait longer than those four years, there is nothing we can do to help you get compensation. It is a hard deadline that you must abide by in order to get your award. You deserve to get compensation, so it is so important for you to get to an attorney right away so that they can preserve your evidence and get to work on building a strong case right away.
How Compensation Works
If you have been injured on a construction site at work, you have every right to pursue compensation for your injuries. It is not as simple, however, as it would be for someone in a different personal injury claim. Construction accident injuries can be compensated through the employer’s workers’ compensation. It is most unfortunate that sometimes this does not cover the complete damages you have suffered. Workers’ compensation is not the end all be all of recovery. You may be able to pursue a third-party claim in some instances.
If there are other people responsible for your injuries beside your employer, you may be eligible to file a third-party claim. Your injuries would have to have been caused by a negligent act from someone like a general contractor, property owner, architect, engineer, developer, or construction manager. That is not a comprehensive list of potential third-parties.
A good example of when someone is eligible for a third-party claim is if you are seriously injured because of a fault product/tool, you may have a third-party claim against the manufacturer of that product/tool. There are a number of other situations that would qualify you for a third-party claim. To find out if you are eligible, please call our Florida construction accident lawyer today.
Common Construction Accidents
Construction accidents can be totally devastating. The construction sites that people work on are fully of hazards that have the potential to be fatal when there is negligence involved. The most common accidents include:
This certainly is not a complete list of all of the accidents that can potentially happen on a construction site. Remember, if you are hurt on a construction site, your health is a priority. We will make sure we work hard to get compensation for all of the damages you have suffered.
Do NOT Talk to the Insurance Company
When the insurance company who represents the liable party calls you, do not give them any statements. They will try to act as if your statement will be helpful to your case, but what they are not telling you is that anything you say can be used to reduce your compensation. They want you to slip up and accidentally blame the accident on yourself so that they don’t have to be responsible for the accident. Instead of talking to them, have your St. Petersburg injury attorney handle all communication with them. They know how to keep them from reducing your claim.
Call Our Office Today for a Free Consultation
If you have been seriously injured in a construction accident, please do not hesitate to give us a call to get a free consultation with our St. Petersburg construction accident lawyers. We will make sure you are on track to get the best possible compensation award. We will make sure your case is thoroughly investigated and that you are pursuing every means of compensation possible. We will work hard to keep the insurance company responsible for your damages and get you your desired result. Call our St. Petersburg construction accident attorneys today to learn more about how we can help your case.