Whether you believe it or not, working in a construction site has plenty of risks. Despite being extra careful, there’s still a chance you’ll get involved in an accident. Getting into an accident in this work area may cause you some minor, moderate, or serious injuries. When this happens, it’s important that proper steps be taken to ensure your safety and protect your legal rights.
So, if you’ve been injured in a construction site accident, below are the four steps you need to take:
- Seek Medical Care
The first step you should follow after sustaining an injury due to some hazards on a construction site is to get the right medical care. Even if the injury seems to be minor after the accident, it’s essential to assess and treat the damage as soon as possible. For example, a minor injury on the head can be a sign of a concussion and a bruised abdomen can result in internal injuries.
Because of this, you should find time to get yourself checked to avoid more serious health conditions. Also, when you get medical attention, you can ask for a medical report which will be necessary when you decide to file a claim for your injuries.
- Notify Your Superior About The Accident
In addition to seeking medical attention, it’s also essential that you report the accident and your injury to your superior as soon as possible. Be sure to write down the name and the position of the one who accepted the report as well as the date it was submitted.
By notifying the proper authorities about what happened, you can avoid missing the details that can be crucial when obtaining compensation for your injuries with the help of a legal professional. Lastly, when you let your superior know about the accident, you give them the opportunity to revisit their safety protocols, including some construction accident protections. To better understand this matter, check out this great post to read for more information.
- Obtain Pieces Of Evidence
To ensure you’re fairly compensated for all your injuries, it’s crucial to gather pieces of evidence that can help increase your chances of receiving the financial compensation you deserve. Also, by preserving evidence as quickly as possible, you can make sure the investigation will go smoothly.
Typically, the pieces of evidence that you should gather after a construction site accident include medical records, correspondence with your employer, photographs of the accident scene, witness lists, security videos, and more.
- Get Legal Help
Getting involved in a construction accident site may entitle you to a right to recover fair compensation. Generally, seeking compensation for construction-related injuries can be done in two ways:
- Workers’ compensation claim – This is a form of insurance that provides medical benefits and wage replacement to employees injured while at work. However, workers’ compensation laws vary from state to state. As such, you should educate yourself with the laws applicable to your area before starting the filing process. Moreover, when you file a workers’ compensation claim, you waive your right to file a personal injury lawsuit, making the former an exclusive remedy.
- Personal injury lawsuit claim – When a workers’ compensation claim isn’t available for your situation, the other remedy is to file a personal injury lawsuit claim to run after the at-fault party and get compensation for your injuries.
As you can see, there are two remedies to get compensated for all your injuries as a result of a construction accident site. But whatever remedy you choose, it’s important to hire a good lawyer who can help you navigate the legal process.
Conclusion
Again, any construction work can be extremely hazardous. Without proper safety protocols at the site, you may sustain injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to fatal injuries. Therefore, to ensure you can safely recovery and protect your rights and interests, follow the steps mentioned above and work with a reliable and experienced legal expert.
