Estadísticas de accidentes
Cada año se registran más de 150.000 accidentes de construcción en todo el país. Aunque algunos de los accidentes son leves o moderados, muchos son muy graves. Por desgracia, cuando se producen accidentes en la construcción, las consecuencias pueden ser catastróficas.
The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) reports that an average of approximately 1,100 workers die each year as a result of site accidents. To put this number into some perspective, this means that more than 20 percent of all job-related deaths in the United States occur in this industry — even though only around 5 percent of full-time American workers are in this field.
Sadly, there is some evidence that safety standards may be deteriorating in the construction industry. In recent years, the number of construction site injuries has been on the rise. According to data from the California Department of Industrial Relations, nearly 400 workers died while on the job in the state in 2015 — a significant increase compared to previous years that was driven largely by a rise in workplace fatalities within the construction industry.
Los tipos más comunes de accidentes en la construcción
Modern construction sites are deeply complex. Even when workers follow instructions and use required safety equipment, construction sites can still be dangerous due to poor planning, defective equipment, or unsafe worksite conditions. Accidents can come in a wide range of different forms, and they involve many different parties. Indeed, at most major construction sites, many different things are going on at the same time.
There may be potentially dangerous equipment or hazardous materials being used concurrently all around the site. If proper safety precautions are not taken by construction companies and worksite managers, severe injuries can occur. Construction accidents may involve violations of OSHA or California workplace safety regulations. Identifying these violations can be critical evidence in establishing liability and strengthening your claim.
For reference, some of the most common construction accidents include:
- Crane accidents
- Accidentes de andamio
- Fall accidents
- People being struck by falling objects
- Nail gun accidents
- Compressed gas accidents
- Defective and dangerous machinery accidents
- Mechanical risks due to machinery components
- Slip, trip, and fall accidents
- Trenching and excavation accidents
- Electrocutions
- Chemical exposures
- Welding accidents
- Construction site explosions
- Transportation accidents, including truck accidents and car accidents
Lesiones más comunes en accidentes de la construcción
In some ways, there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ construction injury. As construction accidents come in a wide array of different forms, they can produce many types of injuries. Construction accident injuries vary dramatically, both in their kind and in their severity.
Some examples of construction accident injuries that our legal team can assist plaintiffs with include the following:
Of course, as was mentioned previously, construction accidents can result in fatalities. From vehicle collisions and falls to explosions and trench collapses, many different construction accidents have the potential to be deadly. If a construction accident results in death, your family may be eligible to pursue a wrongful death claim to recover compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the loss of companionship and care provided by your loved one.
¿Quién puede ser considerado responsable de un accidente de construcción en California?
Many different parties can potentially be held legally liable for accidents. This is partially because modern-day sites are more complicated than they used to be in the past. Often, there are many different companies involved in the operation. These companies are frequently backed by powerful insurance carriers and legal teams that work aggressively to reduce or deny injury claims. When an accident occurs, it may be the fault of a single contractor or manufacturer, or the liability may be split in multiple ways, possibly among several different companies.
Responsabilidad por accidentes de trabajo sin culpa
California law requires injured workers to report a workplace injury to their employer promptly. Delays in reporting can jeopardize your ability to receive workers’ compensation benefits. For construction workers, their sole claim against their employer must be brought under the California workers’ compensation statute. Under state law, construction companies that work in California are required to carry no-fault workers’ compensation insurance coverage.
This is mandatory coverage and every employee in California must be covered by it. When filing a construction accident claim through workers’ compensation, the injured construction worker is not required to prove that their employer did anything wrong to be eligible to benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits are generally available even if you believe you may have contributed to the accident, as fault is not a requirement for coverage.
Accidentes en la construcción: Reclamaciones por negligencia
Strict time limits apply to third-party construction accident lawsuits in California. If you wait too long to file, you may permanently lose your right to recover compensation, regardless of how strong your case is. Unfortunately, workers’ compensation — which will provide coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, and permanent disability — is not always sufficient to compensate the injured victim for the full value of their damages.
However, there may be other remedies available. Workers’ compensation provides limited benefits regardless of fault, while a third-party injury claim can allow you to pursue full compensation, including pain and suffering, when another company’s negligence caused your injuries. Injured workers could bring a personal injury lawsuit against parties other than their employer if those parties caused their accident.
Esto significa que otros contratistas, subcontratistas o fabricantes pueden ser responsables de los daños sufridos por un trabajador lesionado. En estos casos (demandas por responsabilidad de terceros), el trabajador lesionado debe demostrar su culpabilidad para obtener una compensación económica.
Reclamaciones por daños corporales: No laborales
Finally, there are also cases in which non-workers are injured in construction accidents. If you were injured near a construction site but do not work there, you may still be eligible to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim against the responsible construction company or contractor. This could occur in many different circumstances, from an innocent person being hit by a falling object when walking by a construction site on a sidewalk to a victim in an adjacent building being injured by an explosion.
Cuando esto ocurre, la víctima no empleada tiene derecho a interponer una demanda por lesiones personales directamente contra la empresa constructora culpable. Una vez más, se trata de reclamaciones legales basadas en la culpa.
El demandante (la víctima lesionada) debe ser capaz de demostrar que la conducta negligente del demandado contribuyó al accidente. Con la representación de un abogado con experiencia en accidentes en obras de construcción en el norte de California, usted puede ser capaz de recuperar una compensación monetaria por sus lesiones y gastos relacionados con las lesiones.
Indemnización para las víctimas de accidentes de la construcción
Reclamaciones de indemnización por accidente laboral en California
Si ha sufrido lesiones en un accidente y está pensando en presentar una reclamación de indemnización por accidente laboral, debe tener unos conocimientos básicos del proceso. En estos casos, la culpa no es una cuestión importante.
You do not need to prove that your employer — or any other party — did anything improper or reckless to cause the construction accident. Instead, you need to be ready to prove the precise extent of your injuries and your damages.
Financial compensation should be made available for:
- Medical bills: California’s workers’ compensation law requires insurers to pay for all medical treatment that is “reasonably required to cure or relieve” the adverse effects of the injury or medical condition. This could include emergency room care, surgeries or operations, trips to doctors or specialists, prescription drug costs, medical devices or medical equipment, and much more. Of course, disputes can and do arise over what specific treatment is reasonably required in any given situation.
- Lost wages: Workers’ compensation also provides benefits for lost wages. If your injuries prevent you from returning to your prior job or any form of work, additional benefits or compensation may be available to address long-term or permanent loss of earning capacity. This compensation is referred to as temporary disability benefits. If your doctor says that you cannot return to work due to your medical condition, tax-free compensation should be made available for two-thirds of your average weekly wage before the accident. There is a maximum and minimum benefit that will be adjusted slightly each year based on inflation. For those who can only work on a limited schedule, partial temporary disability benefits may be awarded.
- Permanent impairment: Finally, injured California construction workers can also seek workers’ compensation benefits for permanent disability. If a construction accident results in death, workers’ compensation may also provide death benefits to surviving dependents, including burial expenses and ongoing financial support. If you or your family member sustained a permanent physical impairment as a result of the construction accident, you must speak to an experienced California work injury lawyer. Insurers are often aggressive when handling permanent disability claims. You need legal representation who can help you get maximum compensation.
Demanda por lesiones en accidente de construcción
Si usted se lesionó en un accidente de construcción causado por la negligencia de cualquier empresa que no sea su empleador, usted debe hablar con un abogado acerca de la presentación de una reclamación de responsabilidad de terceros. Incluso si usted tiene derecho a beneficios de compensación de trabajadores, por lo general es en su interés de presentar una demanda por lesiones personales contra la empresa de terceros responsable.
La razón de esto es que la compensación de los trabajadores de California por lo general no le ofrecen un alivio financiero completo por sus pérdidas - especialmente si usted sufrió lesiones particularmente graves. Compensación adicional podría estar disponible a través de una demanda por lesiones personales. En una reclamación de responsabilidad de terceros accidente de construcción, usted puede ser elegible para recuperar los daños monetarios para;
- Ambulance fees
- Emergency room care
- All other medical bills
- Medical equipment
- Pharmaceutical drugs
- Physical rehabilitation
- Salarios perdidos
- Diminished earning capacity
- Dolor y sufrimiento
- Angustia mental
- Long-term disability
- Cicatrices o desfiguración
- Pérdida del disfrute de la vida
- The wrongful death of a family member
En particular, la indemnización de los trabajadores hace que sea casi imposible obtener un alivio financiero justo por daños no económicos, tales como el dolor y el sufrimiento o desfiguración. Si usted sufrió una cantidad considerable de dolor en el accidente o si sufrió una lesión que desfigura, debe sentarse con un abogado con experiencia en lesiones por accidente de construcción de California que puede ayudarle a explorar todas sus opciones legales disponibles.
How a California Construction Accident Lawyer Can Help
Construction accident claims involve complex legal rules and multiple potential defendants, making experienced legal representation critical to pursuing full and fair compensation. At GJEL Accident Attorneys, our California construction accident lawyers are committed to providing injured victims and their family members with the very best legal representation. Our track record of success cannot be disputed — we have obtained recoveries in 99 percent of our total personal injury cases, and we have helped victims with more than $950,000,000 in financial compensation.
We understand how important it is to make sure that our clients obtain the maximum available recovery. Having an experienced construction accident lawyer helps level the playing field between you and insurance companies that are focused on protecting their own financial interests. When you work with our law firm, you should be confident knowing that our construction accident lawyers will:
- Conduct a free, comprehensive review of your construction accident claim
- Listen to your story, answer your questions, and help you understand your rights and options
- Carefully investigate your case, gathering and assembling all relevant evidence
- Work directly with doctors and other medical experts to ensure that you get the best treatment and that your medical damages are properly documented
- Take action to identify all defendants that may bear the liability and use legal tools such as subpoenas to recover additional evidence
- Negotiate with defendants and insurance companies
- Take your case to court to make sure that you get the full and fair financial compensation that you deserve
Nuestros abogados de lesiones personales de California manejan todas las reclamaciones de lesiones por accidentes de construcción en base a honorarios de contingencia. Cuando usted trabaja con nuestros abogados de construcción de primera categoría, nunca se le pedirá que pague ningún honorario por adelantado o gastos de bolsillo. Tampoco le facturaremos por horas. Nuestro bufete adelanta todos los gastos necesarios para presentar su demanda. Sólo cobramos si recuperamos una indemnización en su nombre.
Were You Injured in a Construction Accident in California?
Nosotros le podemos ayudar. En GJEL Accident Attorneys, nuestros abogados de lesiones personales de California tienen una amplia experiencia en el manejo de toda la gama de reclamaciones por accidentes de construcción. Si usted o un miembro de su familia fue herido o muerto en un accidente de construcción en California, necesita representación legal profesional.
For a free, no-obligation consultation, please do not hesitate to contact our law firm today by calling 1-866-290-1656 or reaching out to us through our website. Our legal team is available to speak with you promptly so you can get answers to your questions and take action before important deadlines pass. We have offices in Oakland, San Jose, Fresno, Hayward, Orinda, Walnut Creek, and many other communities throughout the state of California.
ACERCA DEL CRÍTICO
Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin es socio fundador de GJEL Accident Attorneys y ejerce como abogado especializado en lesiones personales en los tribunales estatales y federales de California desde 1970. Obtuvo su título de Juris Doctor en la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad de Chicago y cofundó GJEL en 1972. A lo largo de su carrera, Andy ha ayudado a cientos de demandantes lesionados a obtener indemnizaciones, incluyendo múltiples acuerdos y veredictos de siete cifras. Se especializa en casos de lesiones graves y muerte por negligencia y cuenta con la calificación AV Preeminent de Martindale-Hubbell, con el reconocimiento de Super Lawyers y Best Lawyers in America.
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