Working in construction is known for being dangerous. Workers often find themselves in risky situations made worse by negligent contractors or property owners. Contact an attorney about your injuries as soon as possible.
There are perhaps hundreds of possible accidents on construction sites. Accidents commonly involve falls from great heights, faulty tools, electrical shocks, and an overall lack of safety gear. Deciding who to name in your lawsuit is an important step and is not always clear. The general contractor or subcontractor who hired you might be responsible, or negligent property owners might bear the blame. To prove your claims against the defendant, we need strong evidence. Were there security cameras on the construction site? Did any other workers see your accident? Such details are crucial in our quest for evidence.
For a free, private assessment of your case, call (732) 838-9769 and speak with our construction accident lawyers at Legal Care New Jersey.
How Construction Accidents Can Happen in Union City, NJ
Construction sites are often large, sprawling areas where lots of work is being done by different workers. These zones are so dangerous that they are often off-limits to anyone not hired to work there. While a bad accident might happen in numerous ways, below are a few more common accident claims.
Falls are some of the most common accidents on construction sites. Whether you are working from atop high scaffolding, a tall ladder, or from a high window, a falling accident might gravely injure you. Falls often happen because equipment like scaffolding is not assembled correctly. They also happen because workers are not trained properly or others are too careless.
Faulty equipment is another common cause of accidents. Perhaps you were using a circular saw that malfunctions and badly hurt your arm or hand. Maybe you were working with large machinery, like a forklift, when the machine caused an accident. Our construction accident attorneys can have the tools or equipment inspected to determine if the items were truly defective.
Electrical shocks or burns are common for people working with electrical wiring. Workers must be mindful of when wiring is active so they can take proper precautions. Other times, workers remove old wiring during a renovation only to find the property owners have not turned off the electricity.
Sometimes, accidents happen because of a lack of safety gear. Maybe your boss was supposed to provide your team with hard helmets but failed to do so. A falling object or debris might cause severe damage simply because you do not have the right protective gear.
Who to Include in Your Construction Accident Case in Union City, NJ
With so many possible causes of construction accidents, it is no wonder that determining who should be held responsible is often challenging. The fact that construction sites are usually bustling with workers and other people does not make things easier.
Contractors
There are two different kinds of contractors that work on construction sites. The contractor who hired you might be responsible for your injuries.
The general contractor is the person who is in charge of the overall construction site and hiring of workers. As such, they bear much responsibility. When things go wrong on the construction site, there is a good chance the general contractor is responsible.
While general contractors are in charge and hire many other workers, they do not hire everyone. General contractors may hire subcontractors to be in charge of more specific work areas. Subcontractors may then hire their own workers to help them. For example, a general contractor might hire an electrician as a subcontractor. If the subcontractor hired you, they might be responsible for your accident.
Property Owners
Usually, the owner of a property under construction has little to do with the actual construction work. However, some property owners take a more active role in the project and might open themselves up to liability in case of an accident.
If your accident resulted from dangerous conditions on the property from before you began working, the property owner might be responsible. For example, if you are doing work on the roof of a home and the homeowner fails to warn you about a large area where the roof has rooted, you might fall through and be badly hurt. It is the owner’s job to at least warn workers about certain hazards on the property.
Manufacturers
If your injuries come from faulty or damaged tools or equipment, we can help you sue the manufacturer for your damages. Power tools and heavy machinery are important parts of construction work, and these things must be in safe working order when they arrive to you. A tool or piece of equipment might be defective because it was damaged when it left the manufacturer or because it was poorly designed.
Evidence We Can Use to Support Your Union City, NJ Construction Accident Case
Your case will not exceed without evidence. Finding evidence is often easier said than done, and our attorneys can help you find what you need.
Construction jobs are places of work, and, like many workplaces, construction sites might be monitored by security cameras. If we can obtain footage of your accident, we can show a jury exactly how your accident happened and who was there. This kind of video evidence is sometimes the strongest evidence we can get.
We should also get any important physical evidence that we can. For example, if you were injured by some faulty tool or piece of machinery, we need the item that hurt you as evidence. If it is defective or damaged, we can get it inspected so we can find out exactly what went wrong and why.
Witness testimony may be extremely powerful and persuasive, especially if our witnesses have clear recollections of the accident. Coworkers and anyone else nearby who might have seen your accident can testify about what they know.
Talk to Our Union City, NJ Construction Accident Attorneys About Taking Legal Action
For a free, private assessment of your case, call (732) 838-9769 and discuss your case with our construction accident lawyers at Legal Care New Jersey.
