Wherever they occur, slips and falls can cause serious injuries. When those accidents happen on construction sites, there can be serious consequences.
Workers are often hurt or die after a construction site slip or fall. You need to understand how these serious injuries can affect your life. It is important that you understand how to recover the money you need to pay expenses and get back to your life. There are options, including workers’ compensation, that can help.
Worksites free of recognizable hazards
The most common slip and fall injuries are back injuries, bruises, broken bones, muscle strains and sprains, On construction sites, you can add paralysis and death. Most of those injuries come after workers fall from higher levels.
Construction site slips and falls are one of the top worker’s compensation claims. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists slips and falls as the leading cause of construction site injuries and deaths. In 2018, 338 out of the 1,008 worksite deaths in America were after falls. Nine of those deaths were in North Carolina.
Employers must do whatever is possible to protect workers from fall hazards. That includes providing safety harnesses, personal fall arrest systems, information and training.
Workers compensation vs. a third-party lawsuit
Worker’s compensation can help workers recover expenses. There are other things that it does not cover. A third-party lawsuit might be a possibility.
In most cases, you cannot sue your employer or coworkers. Your employer has workers’ compensation protections. If you believe your employer has some responsibility, you will have to pursue a workplace injury claim before the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
If you have a third-party claim (someone who is not your employer), you might be able to sue them for things not covered by worker’s compensation.
