Common Construction Injuries And Workers’ Compensation

Construction work can be extremely dangerous, and even with proper attention to safety protocols, construction workers can sustain serious and life-threatening injuries on the job. You should know that Florida workers’ compensation law allows construction workers to seek workers’ compensation coverage to pay for medical bills and to help make up for lost wages when an accident happens on a construction site. To be clear, you do not need to worry about whether the hazard that resulted in your injury was obvious, or whether your own negligence may have contributed to the accident.

Given the way the workers’ compensation system functions, you can be eligible to seek compensation. The following are some of the most common types of construction site injuries for which injured workers routinely seek workers’ compensation benefits.

Falls from Heights and Slip-and-Fall Accidents 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identifies four types of common construction as the “fatal four,” and falls are cited as the deadliest of them, accounting for a majority of construction accident fatalities. In addition to falls from roofs and scaffolding, construction workers can also sustain serious injuries in slip-and-fall accidents. Regardless of whether a fall-related accident resulted in a serious or deadly injury, the injured construction worker or a surviving family member can seek compensation by filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Falling Debris and Struck-By Accidents 

Struck-by accidents are another of the “fatal four,” and these injuries frequently occur when a construction worker is injured by falling debris. You may be able to seek compensation for medical bills and lost wages by filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Electrocutions, Shocks, and Burns 

In construction, electrocutions are the third-leading cause of death, accounting for more than 8 percent of fatal workplace injuries on construction sites. Electrocution injuries are fatal, but some of the same types of accidents that result in electrocutions may lead to nonfatal shocks and burns. Injured construction workers and their families should know that they can seek compensation by filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Caught-in or Caught-Between Accidents 

When heavy machinery or large vehicles are in use on construction sites, workers can sustain serious crush injuries in caught-in or caught-between accidents. A workers’ compensation attorney can help you to seek compensation.

Trench Collapses 

Trenching is extremely dangerous work, as is any excavation work on a construction site. While this type of work is often necessary to start a construction project, trenches can collapse, and construction workers can be seriously injured or killed.

Crane Accidents and Other Vehicle Accidents 

Cranes, and other large motor vehicles like cement trucks, can result in devastating injuries on construction sites when they collide with construction workers on the ground or cause other types of accidents. Accidents involving cranes and other types of vehicles on construction sites usually can be compensable through the Florida workers’ compensation system.

Contact Our West Palm Beach Workers’ Compensation Lawyers 

If you or someone you love sustained serious injuries in a construction accident in or around South Florida, one of our experienced South Florida workers’ compensation attorneys can help with your claim and can assist you in seeking the financial compensation you deserve. Contact the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. to learn more about filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Resource:

osha.gov/data/commonstats