Augusta Construction Accident Lawyer
When it comes to the potential for workplace accidents, there aren’t many jobs in Augusta more dangerous than construction work. Along with a large volume of accidents, comes a large volume of serious injuries. While danger is considered a part of the job, there are often scenarios where an accident is caused by another person’s negligence. If your injury was due to someone else’s mistake, you could be owed compensation.
The types of injuries typically caused by a construction accident are severe. Accidents can leave you with large medical bills and no way to make a living. An Augusta construction accident lawyer can work with you to pursue compensation after a workplace accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Contact us for more information.
Table of Contents
- Our Lawyers Manage Construction Accident Claims in Augusta
- Starting Your Construction Accident Claim Is Easy With Our No-Fee Guarantee
- We Advocate for People Suffering From These Construction Accident Injuries
- You Could File a Wrongful Death Case After Losing a Loved One
- What Should I Do After My Construction Accident in Augusta?
What are the Most Common Causes of Construction Accidents?
Between working on high ladders to operating heavy machinery, there are many ways to be injured working construction. Injuries often suffered are severe burns, electrocution, broken bones, or head trauma caused by a fall, or lacerations. Sometimes it’s an accident or even the fault of the victim, but sometimes an accident might occur because a contractor or employer was negligent. If there was a lack of safety or a piece of machinery not fixed, they could be held responsible. If you think there’s even the slightest chance your injury could have been prevented if your employer had been more diligent when it comes to safety, you should speak to a construction accident attorney right away.
What Damages Can I Recover?
Just like there are a lot of potential accidents on a construction site, there are even more possible injuries. No matter what the case, if your injury was caused by someone else’s acting irresponsibly, then they need to be held accountable. Realistically, injuries from construction accidents are often serious, which means days, weeks, or months in the hospital and away from work. Time away from work means lost income. You can recover damages for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and more. Injured construction workers deserve to know what options they have, and a construction accident lawyer helps them pursue compensation and get relief.
How Much is My Construction Accident Claim Worth?
Like an injury case, every situation is a bit different. An experienced construction accident lawyer will be able to break down each factor and determine how much compensation you could potentially be owed. It will depend on your injury and how it’s going to affect your life going forward physically, emotionally, and mentally. Are you able to continue working? The next priority will be determining who is at fault. Your construction accident attorney will need to know exactly what happened leading up to your accident. Ideally, there are photos or security footage. These cases are complicated and you will want someone with years of experience winning these claims fighting by your side. Once your construction accident attorney has these details, they will be able to better estimate the value of your accident claim.
Our Lawyers Manage Construction Accident Claims in Augusta
To achieve the best possible outcome for your case, our team can:
- Determine your accident’s cause. Knowing the cause of your accident and injuries helps us identify the liable party.
- Evaluate your losses. We want to secure every dime you need to restore your financial stability. We consider your age, working ability, and overall condition when calculating what you deserve.
- File your insurance claim. Whether you want help filing a personal injury or workers’ compensation claim, we can manage everything. From filing your claim to negotiating a settlement, we aim to support you.
- Advise you on possible settlement offers. You may not know what damages you can recover. Once we evaluate your case, we will. We can evaluate the insurer’s offers and explain whether they meet your needs.
- Litigate your case. We resolve most construction accident cases through insurance negotiations. Yet, we stand ready to champion your rights if your case requires a lawsuit.
There is no one-size-fits-all legal strategy when it comes to resolving injury claims. We implement case-specific strategies based on our clients’ needs.
Free Case Reviews for Every Construction Accident Claimant
Your case review is where we listen to your story and evaluate your legal options. We begin by learning your background and familiarizing ourselves with the details of your construction accident. The basis of our relationship is formed during this in-depth conversation as we get to know you and discover what’s at stake in your case.
Starting Your Construction Accident Claim Is Easy With Our No-Fee Guarantee
Not only is your first case review free, but we also extend legal help at no upfront cost. As personal injury attorneys serving Augusta, we work in a contingency-fee arrangement. We do not collect any money from you unless we recover compensation for your construction accident.
It’s only after we’ve obtained a financial settlement or court victory that we collect an agreed-upon percentage of the final award amount.
The decision to work with our law firm is simplified when you don’t have to worry about:
- Paying billable hours
- Upfront fees
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Retainers
You can feel confident that your claim is in the right hands. We can get to work on your case immediately and focus on the best possible solution.
We Advocate for People Suffering From These Construction Accident Injuries
Since 1984, we’ve advocated for people suffering from:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries, such as sprains and strains
- Spinal trauma
- Nerve damage
- Organ damage
- Mental health complications, such as post-traumatic stress disorder
- Lacerations
- Exposure to toxic chemicals, such as lead or asbestos
- Dismemberment
- Burns
We also advocate for families who have lost loved ones.
Your Legal Options Depend on Your Accident’s Circumstances
Your financial recovery options vary depending on whether you were hurt as a:
- Construction worker or construction employee
- Third-party contractor or service provider operating onsite
- Bystander or visitor to the construction site
To determine the most appropriate route to compensation, our Augusta construction accident attorneys must investigate the circumstances surrounding your injuries. We put in the time to understand several key factors that may have an influence on the compensation you receive and how to pursue it.
Our investigation will answer these questions:
- Was the construction company negligent?
- Did another employee play a role in your injuries?
- Did the owner of the property or the development firm contribute to the accident?
- Are any third-party contractors or service providers to blame?
- Did any construction equipment, heavy machinery, or defective parts contribute to the accident?
Our findings determine your case’s trajectory.
Compensable Losses Following a Construction Accident in Augusta
Your circumstances dictate your legal options in the aftermath of a construction accident. For instance, you could file a personal injury claim and hold the liable party financially accountable for your losses.
Through legal action, you can seek reimbursement for economic and non-economic damages. These losses reflect the accident’s toll on your health, quality of life, and future. We use receipts, billing statements, and invoices to seek these economic losses:
- Medical treatment costs
- Physical or occupational rehabilitation costs
- Ambulance rides
- Future medical treatment
- Replacement services (such as help around the house)
- Loss of income
- Decreased future earning capacity
- Medical devices and mobility aids (wheelchairs, crutches, canes, braces, etc.)
- Accident-related travel and transportation costs
- Psychological counseling
Your losses may extend beyond your financial hardships.
These are called non-economic losses, and they include:
- Persistent or severe pain
- Broken or fractured bones
- Disfigurement or scars
- Brain injury
- Paralysis or other mobility impairments
- Mental anguish
- Reduced quality of life
- Diminished enjoyment of activities
- Psychological disorders
We evaluate your overall situation when determining the value of your non-economic losses. Georgia does not limit how much you can seek for pain, suffering, and other related damages. Our lawyers intend to seek compensation up to the maximum allowable amount.
You Could File a Wrongful Death Case After Losing a Loved One
Construction accidents can have fatal outcomes. If you lost a loved one due to injuries suffered in a construction accident, The Hawk Firm would like to give our deepest condolences for your unfathomable loss. Having managed hundreds of cases, our lawyers know the hardships families face after losing a relative.
You could have a right to recover compensation in a wrongful death claim against the liable party. Our construction accident lawyers serving Augusta can pursue:
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of household services
- Funeral and burial arrangements
- Medical expenses
- Lost companionship
- Lost consortium
- Loss of parental guidance
- Emotional distress, such as depression or post-traumatic distress disorder (PTSD)
You may seek additional damages to those listed here.
You Could File a Workers’ Compensation Claim as an Injured Employee
If you were injured as a construction worker, you could seek damages via a workers’ compensation claim. Most businesses with three or more employees are required by law to have workers’ compensation insurance. Your employer’s status directly impacts your options for financial recovery in an Augusta construction accident.
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault-based system. This means, as long as you suffered harm while doing job-related tasks, you can seek damages via this route. You don’t have to prove that another party’s negligence caused your losses.
You Could Seek These Damages in a Workers’ Compensation Claim
A construction accident lawyer serving Augusta can manage everything your workers’ compensation claim entails. We can file the proper paperwork, evaluate your losses, and secure the benefits you are entitled to.
Workers’ compensation benefits comprise:
Medical Benefits
If you suffered harm on a construction site in Augusta, workers’ compensation should cover your healthcare expenses, including:
- Doctor’s bills
- Hospital bills
- Physical therapy
- Prescription medications
- Assistive devices
Workers’ compensation should cover your medical care until you reach maximum medical improvement.
Rehabilitation
Your rehabilitation benefits can include both medical rehabilitation expenses, like physical therapy and vocational rehabilitation. Vocational rehabilitation refers to training and services aimed at helping those with emotional, psychological, physical, or developmental impairments return to work.
Income Loss
If you cannot work for more than seven days, you can start collecting weekly income benefits. Benefits usually begin within 21 days of being out of work. You receive two-thirds of your weekly wage each week.
Benefits can continue for up to 400 weeks. If you suffered catastrophic injuries, you may be entitled to lifetime benefits. Those who can return to work at a lower capacity or pay can recover reduced weekly wage benefits for up to 350 weeks.
You may also be entitled to additional income benefits if you suffered a permanent disability, loss of use of a body part, or loss of sight or hearing.
Death Benefits
Dependent family members of covered workers can receive benefits if their loved one passes away in a construction accident. Dependents include spouses, children, or dependent stepchildren. The family would collect two-thirds of their loved one’s weekly wage for a certain period.
Can I Sue My Employer for Injuries in a Construction Accident?
In general, construction workers cannot sue their employers under Georgia law.
Yet, we may explore filing a lawsuit if:
- Your employer intentionally harmed you: If your employer assaulted you physically, you may have a viable case for a lawsuit.
- The employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance: Without workers’ compensation insurance, your employer doesn’t get immunity from lawsuits.
We don’t want you to fear litigation. If going to court could achieve compensation for your losses, we stand ready to advocate for you.
We Manage All Case-Related Deadlines Following Construction Accidents
There are three important deadlines to keep in mind as you pursue a claim for compensation.
Deadline for Notifying Your Employer of Injury
If you are a construction employee injured on the job, you must report your accident or injury to your employer within 30 days. Failure to do so could jeopardize your workers’ compensation claim.
Deadline for Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim
After notifying your employer, you have one year to file your workers’ compensation claim with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation (SBWC).
Deadline for Filing a Lawsuit
Georgia law notes that you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing the legal deadline could forfeit your right to recover the compensation you deserve. However, there are exceptions that may apply to your case. Speaking with one of our Augusta accident attorneys can provide insight into your case’s applicable filing period.
What Should I Do After My Construction Accident in Augusta?
These measures could secure a favorable outcome for your injury case:
- Get medical care
- Follow through with your treatment plan
- Notify your employer
- Refrain from posting about the incident online
- Refuse to give the insurer a recorded statement
- Share all settlement offers with your legal team
We can provide other post-accident measures when you consult with our firm.
Our Accident Lawyers Advocate for Injured People in These Situations
Certain types of accidents occur more often than others on construction sites.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reveals the four most frequent causes of construction fatalities below:
- Falls. Workers routinely operate from heights, whether on ladders, scaffolding, roofs, or cranes. The risk of falling is always present.
- Being struck. Construction workers can get struck by vehicles, machinery, falling objects, and projectiles.
- Being caught in or between objects or structures. Workers may be caught in or stuck between objects and structures like moving parts of machinery, trenches, vehicles, and loads.
- Electrocution. Electrical hazards abound on construction sites. Power lines, exposed wiring, ungrounded power tools, and others pose a risk to construction workers leading to electrocution.
Our lawyers stand ready to pursue your case, regardless of how your accident happened.
Call The Hawk Firm Today for Your Free Case Review
The Hawk Firm is run by a compassionate and dedicated legal team. We place our clients’ best interests above all else. Whether your accident claim leads us to negotiations or a courtroom battle, we are equipped to fight for you.
With more than 35 years of experience as a litigation law firm, we’ve secured millions for injury victims and their families. Call us today at (706) 724-8537 to see how an Augusta construction accident lawyer can manage your case. For more information, reach out to an Augusta personal injury lawyer.
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