Injured on the Job?

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA), work-related accidents and illnesses claim over two million lives every year. Over 250 million accidents in the workplace cause victims to miss up three days of work.

Construction sites are one of the most hazardous job locations in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 350,000 suffered disabling injuries with another 1,000 people dying in 1995. More than 30 percent of injuries and fatalities are due to falls from defective ladders or scaffolds. That's why construction companies and all contractors and subcontractors must ensure employees work in safe conditions, inform them of inherent job hazards, provide safety training, and enforce compliance with safety regulations.

A construction worker's safety also depends heavily on the condition of their equipment. Manufacturers are responsible for design and production defects in their equipment. Tools and structures necessary for construction must meet basic safety requirements. Injuries caused by failure of equipment may be eligible for compensation from the manufacturer under laws for defective products.

At time, workers' compensation alone will not cover all of an injured employee's expenses, particularly if the injuries were serious and debilitating. In these cases, the personal injury lawyers at Berglund & Johnson will investigate the liability of a negligent third party. Third parties can include manufacturers of defective products, a supervising subcontractor or the owner or others responsible for the jobsite.

Should you require assistance with a job-related injury, please contact us for an immediate free evaluation of your situation. It is critical after a workplace accident that evidence be preserved and the responsible third-party located right away.