When someone is injured at a construction site, several different parties may hold liability for the injury. Especially when the construction project is a large one, many people may be involved in it, including the site owner, contractors, engineers and suppliers, among others.
When determining the potentially liable parties, key factors include the amount of control the person has over the site as well as the degree of control they have over the work that was being performed by the injured person. The construction site owner may hold liability if the person was injured due to a dangerous condition that existed on the land about which the owner knew or should have known about.
General and sub-contractors owe a duty of care to workers to provide them with a reasonably safe working environment. This duty extends to making certain the workers are completing work in a safe manner and that they have received proper training. Engineers and architects involved in the project may be liable if a worker is injured due to their failure to meet professional standards while equipment manufacturers may be liable if the machinery being used was defective, causing injury to the worker. The extent of insurance coverage is an important part of determining the legal responsibility for the injury for each party.
Construction workers’ accidents occur frequently, as such job sites involve hazardous work. In the event that a worker is injured while working on a construction project, they may benefit by seeking the advice of a workers’ compensation attorney. An attorney may be able to evaluate the work site to determine the parties that should be named as defendants. They may also be able to identify different bases of law under which liability may stand. Finally, they may help their clients with filing their claim and then work to secure the maximum recovery amount.