Construction Season in Full Swing: What to Do if You’re Injured on a Summer Job Site

Summer presents additional risks for construction employees, who are already working in a dangerous profession. If you are injured while working on a construction site, there is a chance that you may be able to file a personal injury claim. The experienced Vancouver construction accident lawyers at Schauermann Thayer can help.

Here are the steps that you should take if you have been injured on a job site.

Report the Injury to Your Employer

You should always inform your employer of your injury, preferably in writing. Giving notification to your employer as soon as possible preserves your right to file claims, whether for worker’s compensation, personal injury, or both. Your employer may want to perform their own internal investigation of your accident and state regulators may also investigate. 

Get Medical Help Immediately

It is vital that you see a doctor and have your construction accident injuries evaluated and treated as soon as possible. You may have gone through your employer to obtain medical care as part of a potential workers’ compensation claim. Whether you are in Washington or Oregon, you have the right to choose your own doctor, subject to certain limitations. Make sure that you follow all of the treatment recommendations, get prescriptions filled as directed, and attend all of your doctor’s appointments. 

Consider Filing a Complaint with OSHA

If your injury resulted from the fact that your employer violated a safety rule, you should consider filing a complaint with OSHA. You can inform OSHA of any rule violation for their investigation. Not only could a complaint mean that other workers may not face the same conditions that you did in the future, but it could also create a record in case you need to take legal action. 

Preserve Evidence That You Have

You should take any steps necessary to save any evidence you have involving your accident. This could include photographs, videos, emails, text messages, and any other document related to the accident or your injuries. 

Hire a Construction Injury Lawyer

When you have been injured on the job, you would potentially be entitled to some form of compensation. In some cases, compensation may come in the form of workers’ compensation benefits. In other cases, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.

A construction accident attorney would conduct an investigation of the circumstances of your injury to help determine whether you can file a third-party personal injury lawsuit. 

You May Have a Lawsuit Against Your Employer

Although the usual rule is that you are not allowed to sue your employer in a negligence-based lawsuit, there are some exceptions that could apply to your injury. There is a valid reason why safety rules require employers to allow workers to take breaks at certain intervals. The same rules provide safeguards, so employees do not suffer heat-related injuries.

You may be able to file a lawsuit against your employer if they put you in a situation where it is virtually certain that you would have been injured. In those cases, the usual exclusion that would keep you from filing a personal injury lawsuit against your employer may not apply. 

Contact a Vancouver Construction Accident Law Firm Today

If you are a construction worker who has been injured on the job, contact the experienced Vancouver construction accident lawyers at Schauermann Thayer.  The first step in the legal process is scheduling a free initial consultation with an attorney, which you can do by filling out an online contact form or by calling us today at (360) 695-4244.