Construction workers are exposed to a number of possibilities of workplace accidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is tasked with enforcing the rules related to safer working conditions across the nation. In concert with the Department of Labor, the OSHA also inspects worksites and investigates workplace safety complaints by employees. Yet, given the bustling nature of activity that goes on at a construction site, accidents still happen.
If you or someone you know has experienced a construction workplace accident, then you should seek legal advice from an experienced construction accident lawyer in Middlesex County NJ immediately.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures indicate that 802 fatal construction site accidents occurred in 2010. These stats were compiled from across a broad spectrum of construction activity, including new buildings, additions to existing structures and alterations to a structure. These statistics take on an even more ominous note when you consider that, 20% of the nearly 4,000 fatalities reported from workplaces happened at construction sites.
Construction accidents are not that uncommon. The BLS statistics indicate that, when it comes to full-time construction workers, 4 out of each 100 were involved in some form of illness or injury sustained at a construction site in 2010. Many construction industry employees may not be aware of what might construe a construction workplace accident, and therefore might not be inclined to report it or pursue their rightful claim for compensation.
Based on 2010 BLS statistics, a majority of construction site accidents (almost 56%) were classified into 4 distinct categories:
1. 4% of fatalities resulted from getting caught in or in-between various worksite objects
2. 8% were accounted for due to being struck by objects at the site
3. 10% received injuries due to electrocution or electric related causes
4. A full 34% were the result of slips and falls from heights
Consulting a seasoned construction accident lawyer in Middlesex County NJ, preferably immediately upon sustaining an injury, can put your mind at ease about whether you have a valid claim for construction site accident compensation.
While ignorance of your rights may be one factor that keeps you from exercising your right to compensation because of a construction site accident, there could be yet another reason. Often, employees hesitate to take legal action against their employers because of “misguided” loyalties. Remember, if your injury results in a temporary or permanent disability, no one will take responsibility for looking after you or your family’s needs. That responsibility is yours, and yours alone!
By seeking legal remedy through a qualified construction accident lawyer in Middlesex County NJ, you could also be doing a huge service to the rest of your colleagues and fellow construction workers. Studies confirm that, whenever an employer has faced a
successful claim for compensation, it often results in improved working conditions at the construction site. That’s because employers are eager to not have a repeat of the accident.
