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Ehline Law Firm Logo Ehline Law Firm Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC

Los Angeles Construction Site Accident Attorneys

Construction Site Accident Representation From Ehline Law.

Construction sites are dangerous places with many factors making them more prone to accidents than construction job sites. Generally, two main types of victims get injured on or near job sites: (1) Construction workers; (2) Bystanders. Most of all, workers on job sites, remain exposed to varying unfortunate accidents. It is not uncommon to see employee injuries of all types stemming from the building industry. However, flying and falling objects and open trenches have caused more than their fair share to other people in the area.

Michael Ehline seated at a desk.
Attorney Michael Ehline

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There are cases of significant falls into trenches, all the way to stepping on a rusty nail. Both cases are famous for leading to long-term health problems if there is a survivor at all.

  • Broken bones and lockjaw are a few ways workers and bystanders might suffer. Also, injuries remain catastrophic on job sites for many reasons. One reason is the types of tools used to get the job done.

Many of these implements are inherently more dangerous than white-collar types of tools like pens and keyboards.

Examples of injury-causing devices are:

  • Job-site heavy equipment, such as bulldozers, CATs, and cranes. All of these vehicles could cause mayhem in a variety of ways due to their sheer size and power alone.

What about the Hidden Dangers of Job Sites?

There are even cases of hidden dangers, such as:

  • Faulty wiring that causes severe problems for you or a loved one.

The environs of LA County are bustling, fast-paced places, to begin with, seeing rapid growth and constant land development and construction activities. The building that overlaps much of the area helps promote economic growth as the city is the home to industry, ports, and entertainment.

  • Many buildings go up every year. Even more, they are rehabbed or fixed to meet the current code.

No matter what the reason for the changes, there is a current demand for construction workers and laborers. These accidents can be extreme.

And they can cost the victim huge not only in terms of the physical damage but medical bills too. While you are in the hospital and trying to recover, it becomes difficult for you.

You simply cannot do the legal proceedings on your own in pursuit of compensation for the loss. Not to mention, construction accidents entail legal complexities that cannot be understood by everyone.

Is It True only a Trained Lawyer Can Win A Case Like This?

Probably true. You could be a paralegal or some kind of genius. Excluding that, dealing with the complexities of construction site accident law is tough even for many lawyers.

So you should go for legal representation from an experienced and reputed law firm. In most cases, it is nearly impossible to fight the situation on your own and receive compensation.

The right lawyers know what needs to be done to strengthen your case. Only then can you get the compensation you deserve for the loss you have incurred.

You can get the benefit for the:

  • Medical expenses that you had to make when you were injured
  • Loss of wages from the accident. Ehline Law Firm has the right team of lawyers and attorneys who can help anyone in Los Angeles with a construction site accident case.

What is the Contractor's Duty to Prevent Injury to Third Parties and Workers?

Employers and contractors of job sites and projects have a legal and moral duty to keep construction zones free from danger. This same duty applies to their workers and others.

These duties include:

  • Promulgation and enforcement of rules to maintain equipment, workers, and structures safe.
  • Proper inspection routines. And this includes adequate training of on-site supervisors and forepersons to ensure notice and opportunity to repair or maintain.

The building industry must obey the state, local, and federal regulations that govern health, safety, and welfare.

In other words, these laws are protecting:

  • Craftspeople
  • Tradespeople and blue-collar laborers.
  • People in or near the work area.

So workers such as ditch diggers remain protected. Also, regulations in the local building codes apply. Furthermore, federal laws like the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) stay in place. This set of rules even has its enforcement agency. This agency is called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

All these statutes, codes, etc., are intended to prevent and mitigate worker and bystander types of injuries that are related to construction sites. They also act as a vehicle for worker education, promoting safety and accident avoidance, such as tailgate meetings. All of these regulations can be canceled out by a foreman or owner's negligence.

California's massive construction boom has caused an increase of activity in cities such as Orange, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Yorba Linda, and Marina del Rey, among others. As noted, construction is an industry with a high risk of injury. Many crafts and trades are inherently dangerous activities.

How Can We Help Construction Injury Victims?

We help you find the source of injury, the injury itself, and fight for money.

There are other injuries other than just those on the construction site, such as:

  • Hazardous waste
  • Acetylene torches
  • Welding
  • Severe burns
  • Falling objects
  • Failure of safety equipment

So these are all potential sources of your injury.

We also assist with mechanical equipment injuries like:

  • Forklifts.
  • Bobcats.
  • Tractors.
  • Trailers.
  • Scaffold Trucks.
  • Cranes.
  • Bulldozers, and more.

These events could lead to injuries such as skull fractures, concussions, amputation of limbs and fingers, blindness, burns, chemical burns, scalding, wounds, gashes, and broken bones.

If you, a co-worker, or a loved one has faced an injury like those listed above, you need to make sure you talk to an advocate to help remedy the situation.

Construction: Is it Third in Death Statistics?

You bet your life it is. Unfortunately, construction accidents rank third for deaths in all major industries.

  • For every 100,000 workers, 15 dies.

There are many types of building accidents, even those that are not as obvious. Injuries can occur at any time– facing people that fall from heights, using heavy equipment, or catastrophic failure. Even other issues, such as:

  • Lead
  • Asbestos
  • Paint fumes can cause severe debilitation.

People near the job site remain potential victims. This includes families and local residents.

Construction-related mishap Statistics are Sobering.

Stats are sobering. Construction-related accidents can occur on both large and small job sites. For instance, during 2014, the building participation rate remained 8.2%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor statistical data.

In 2012 the turnout was a small percentage higher, and during that time, approximately 19.3% of workplace fatalities occurred within the construction industry.

These deaths include:

  • Electrocution: Electrocution deaths totaled 8.1% or 66 individual construction workers' fatal injuries.
  • Struck by Object: Deaths caused by falling objects equated to 79 fatalities or 9.8%.
  • Falls: Falls contributed to the highest number of fatalities in the construction industry. There were 279 deaths or 34.6%.
  • Trapped: Construction worker's deaths from being caught or trapped equaled 13 deaths or 1.6%.

How Do We Hold the Negligent Parties Liable?

In most cases, there are policies and procedures, and site supervisors to assure the work zone environment is safe.

This should include:

  • Sending workers home if there is foul weather,
  • Roping off an area that is a risk for falling debris, or toxic fumes, or other hazards.
  • This also calls for making reasonable inspections for hazardous surroundings.
  • Failure to exercise reasonable care in the active operations of a job site is negligence.

The construction industry consists of building contractors, subcontractors, tradespeople, and laborers. The sites where construction takes place involves building equipment. Sometimes the machine has a problem with it that makes it dangerous. So it often puts tradespeople and laborers at risk of job-related injuries. But when a worker gets injured at a construction site, the liability may rest with many parties. Examples include the employer, contractor, or subcontractor.

But depending on the type of incident, there may be a third party liable for the damages like the people who sold the equipment. So this liability exists because, in some cases, the computer or tools used are inferior. Therefore, they have a product defects issue. And in this case, liability may lie with the manufacturer of the machine.

Standard Construction Mishaps.

In the construction field, inevitable accidents are caused by:

  • Improper safety at the site.
  • Poor training.
  • Coworker incidences through unsafe job practices.
  • Debris at construction sites.
  • Dangerous equipment.
  • Defective equipment.
  • Scaffold incidences.

Workplace Safety.

Just like other industries, construction sites can be dangerous, and to help protect workers, there are rules and regulations for most work areas. The Department of Labor oversees the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970.

And it was enacted to ensure safety precautions are used at construction projects. Also, under this Act, the employer has specific obligations.  And accordingly, employees have individual rights.

OSHA Employer Obligations.

OSHA rules and regulations that employers must follow to ensure a safe work environment for workers include:

  • Making sure the job site is free from foreseeable hazards.
  • Educating the employees of OSHA safety and held standards that apply.
  • Displaying the OSHA Act official poster that describes the rights and responsibilities under the act.
  • Informing employees of the availability, existence, and location of medical and exposure records when first employed with an annual requirement to notify employees of these files. The employer must provide the documents upon request by the employee.
  • Making certain tools and equipment are in good condition and safe for use.
  • Written documentation should include a comprehensive hazard communication program. Also, covered items are employee training programs, material safety data, and container labeling.
  • Ensuring employees understand the language and that safety training gets conducted.

OSHA Employee Rights.

Under the 1970 OSHA Act employees have certain rights that protect dangerous workplaces or security hazards.

These rights include:

  • Rules and Regulations: The employer should provide the employee with the appropriate copies of the standards, rules, and regulations, along with the employee requirements for the employee to review.
  • Request Inspections: For example, employees have a right under the act to apply to an OSHA area director. Next, they inspect the workplace if the employee believes some conditions violate the standards of the rules and regulations. The same goes for hazardous conditions. During this inspection, the employee can have an authorized employee accompany the OSHA compliance officer.
  • Name Withheld: The employee has the right to have their name withheld from the employer when making requests to OSHA in the event they sign and file a written complaint.
  • Retaliation: The employee is to be free from any retaliatory or discriminatory actions were taken by the employer as a result of an OSHA complaint.
  • Medical Records: The employee should have access to proper employee exposure and medical records.
  • Testing: The employee should be provided with copies of testing done for possible hazards in the workplace.
  • Records: The employee has the right to review records of work-related illnesses and injuries.
Financial Compensation Remedies.

In some cases, those injured may be employees rather than independent subcontractors. But when employees get hurt, their only financial claim may be worker's compensation. In other situations, it would go against the insurance company or employer.

In conclusion, the employee will not have the option to bring a lawsuit against the company since the worker's compensation insurance is a viable option. But if the product maker was responsible, you could sue all in the chain of commerce.

What About Finding an Attorney?

If injured at a construction site, step forward, and get help. It is not necessary to be a worker to receive compensation or file a case. The full benefit is an entitlement for your personal injury loss while passing by a construction site.

Our attorneys have been handling individual injury cases for more than 30 years. They have done so with the same amount of dedication for all these years without compromising for a second. Ehline Law remains passionate. We maintain an inherent spirit to fight for justice.

You can receive compensation for the agony you have gone through. For example, you may receive money for medical financial loss and economic damage due to the loss of your wages.

If you are in Los Angeles, get top-notch representation for your case. Let us work hard to reach a quick settlement. Ehline Law is the right choice to make. Call now at (213) 596-9642.