Serious injuries and death result from construction accidents. This is because they involve equipment failure, falls from scaffolding, falling objects, and equipment operator error. These are dangerous environments due to the amount of activity and the high probability of there being a deviation from safety standards. Even if safety standards are followed, there are times when accidents still happen because someone makes a terrible mistake that causes another person to be injured.
When you are dealing with injuries resulting from a construction accident or you have lost a loved one, you want to hold the responsible party accountable. However, the responsible party isn’t always the employer or a co-worker. Sometimes the responsible party is a third party working at the same site. When that’s the case, a lawsuit can be fired against that third party with the help of a Philadelphia construction accident lawyer.
There is so much happening at construction sites at one time that there are many things that can go wrong. There can be hundreds of people carrying out a number of activities simultaneously, so the environment is a very chaotic one. Because of this, the chances of a negligent act increases significantly. The following are examples of third party negligence at construction sites.
People who work in the construction industry use many vehicles, tools, materials, and types of safety equipment. If any of these products malfunction, then serious injury can result. In this case, the third party is the manufacturer of the item that malfunctioned, making it a product liability matter.
Many construction products involve many different independent contractors to perform certain types of tasks. Because there is no employer-employee relationship between independent contractors and construction workers, a lawsuit can be filed against the independent contractor for causing an accident. When an employee’s injury is caused by a third party, they can still file for compensation under Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation law.
There are a number of reasons why people not working at the construction site would visit. Perhaps they are checking the progress of the project or discussing business with other individuals at the site. If a visitor causes an employee or an independent contractor to sustain an injury, the injured can file an injury lawsuit against the responsible party.
From equipment malfunctions to entrapment by equipment, Brotherly Law has seen the effects of the types of accidents that can happen at construction sites. Each type of accident can result in serious injury or even death. The following are the most common types of accidents:
There are regulations that state that construction sites need to be guarded, shored, equipped, and constructed in a way that ensures the environment is a safe one. Everyone is to have the proper protection available to them and all directly working within the construction site needs to ensure they are complying with any and all rules. Compliance can mean safety. While not completely foolproof, if it is found that a party was not being compliant, that party can be considered negligent.
While workplace injuries can fall under workers’ compensation, sometimes the injuries are not the fault of the employer or even the construction worker. There are so many companies and individual contractors working at construction sites that there are times when the accident that leads to serious construction worker injuries is the result of the negligence of a third party on the worksite. If you have fallen victim to a negligent third party while on the job, you may have the right to sue them for monetary damages. To learn more about your options, call Brotherly Law at 215-545-8500 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
If you have been injured due to no fault of your own, you may be able to hold the responsible party accountable for the monetary damages resulting from the accident. Fill out the form below to request a free consultation so we can evaluate your case.