Being a construction worker means constantly being exposed to risks and hazardous situations, ranging from large vehicles to falling objects and more. If you have been injured as a construction worker, you may be facing high medical bills, lost wages, and temporary or permanent disability. As you think about whether to file a personal injury claim, a workers’ compensation claim, or both, it’s important to also consider the value of hiring a personal injury lawyer in Schaumburg, IL.
At the law office of Claim Your Justice, our experienced construction accident attorney can help you to understand your rights, your best options for recovering compensation, and will advocate for you throughout the entire process. Reach our law firm today online or by phone to learn more about your options and how we can help.
Types of Construction Accident Injuries
Our law firm can provide representation for workers injured in a wide array of construction accident types, including:
- Falling object accidents. Falling objects are a common cause of construction accident worker traumatic brain injury.
- Slip and falls. When workplaces are not maintained in a safe condition, are wet due to weather events, or when workers are not wearing proper footwear, the risk of a slip and fall increases.
- Falls from heights. A fall from a height may be the result of a safety breach, such as failing to properly construct scaffolding, failure to wear a safety harness, a slip and fall, etc.
- Trench collapses. Trench collapses can happen for a variety of reasons, many of which may be unexpected. These include things such as soil that is especially dry, vibrations from nearby construction equipment, and wet weather.
- Scaffolding accidents. Scaffolding accidents are a leading cause of injury in the construction industry. Improper scaffolding construction, poor maintenance, and inadequate worker training or access to safety equipment can all lead to a scaffolding accident.
- Motor vehicle accidents. Motor vehicle accidents on a construction site may involve a vehicle involved in the construction project or a third-party vehicle. Speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving, and improper signage all contribute to these accident types.
- Heavy machinery accidents. Crush injuries from caught-in/between injuries are one of the construction industry’s ‘fatal four’ causes of worker death.
- Explosions and fires. A worksite explosion or fire can have devastating effects, and workers may suffer disfiguring or fatal burn injuries.
- Electrocution accidents. Like accidents involving machinery, electrocution accidents are a leading cause of injury and death amongst construction workers.
- More. If you have been involved in an accident type and have suffered an injury that isn’t listed above, please call us directly. We can review your case free of charge and provide you with the representation you deserve.
What a Construction Accident Injury Attorney Does
Before you decide whether or not you should hire a construction accident/personal injury accident attorney in Schaumburg, it’s helpful to understand what exactly such an attorney does. Here’s an overview of the services that our law firm can provide when you have been seriously injured in an on-the-job accident.
- Free case review. When you call our law firm, the first thing that we will do is invite you to schedule a free case consultation. During this time, we can learn more about your case and whether or not our law firm is a good fit; you can learn about our lawyer and decide if you want to work with us. Case consultations are offered free of charge and with no obligation to hire our law firm moving forward.
- Accident investigation. After we have concluded reviewing your case and we have made the decision to work together, the next stage in the process is conducting an investigation into your workplace injury. Our investigation seeks to determine exactly what happened, the precise cause of your accident, and who should be held liable. Even if you are filing a workers’ compensation claim where you do not need to prove fault in order to recover benefits, being able to prove that your accident occurred on the job is still essential.
- The hiring of experts. To help us investigate your case and prove causation and fault, we may choose to hire experts. For example, an accident reconstruction expert can reconstruct the accident to gain clues as to how it occurred.
- Building your case/reviewing your options. After we have fully investigated your case, we will make a recommendation about how you should proceed. Depending on the circumstances, this might include filing a workers’ compensation claim or filing a third-party liability lawsuit, or both. We can help you to understand the differences of each and prepare your case appropriately.
- Filing your claim. We will handle 100 percent of the details associated with filing your claim, including organizing all documents and paperwork, representing you when talking to claims adjusters, and more. We handle your claim so you can focus on your recovery.
- Reviewing and negotiating your settlement. After you have filed your case, you will likely receive a settlement offer. This is true regardless of whether you are filing a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party liability claim, or both. It is important to have an attorney review your settlement offer as the insurance adjuster often low-balls the first offer. We will review your offer and, if it does not fairly compensate you, we will enter into the negotiations process on your behalf. We will aggressively advocate for your rights to a fair settlement.
- Filing a lawsuit. While most claims are filed out of court through negotiations, sometimes, a settlement agreement cannot be reached. When this is the case, filing a lawsuit and litigating the case in court may be the best path forward. We will discuss the option of filing a lawsuit with you and can represent you throughout the process if you decide to pursue this opinion. Our law firm has trial experience.
What Happens If I Don’t Work with a Personal Injury Attorney After an On-the-Job Injury?
There is no legal requirement to hire an attorney after being involved in an on-the-job accident and suffering a related injury. However, while you may not be legally required to hire an attorney, working with a lawyer is one way to improve the chances of your case being successful. If you do not hire an attorney, you may face various hurdles and roadblocks, including:
- A claim adjuster denying your claim
- A claim adjuster refuting that your injury occurred on the job
- The insurance company disputing the severity of or the cause of your injuries
- Your employer threatening to take retaliatory action against you for filing a claim
- Uncertainty over which type of claim to file or what you have to prove
- An insurance company low-balling your settlement
- Missed deadlines, including missing the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit or missing the deadline to appeal a denied claim
- Intimidation and threats, including an insurance adjuster threatening to offer you nothing if you don’t accept what’s being offered now
- More
While many of the above actions are illegal or unethical, they do happen. Working with a construction accident lawyer after suffering a personal injury at work is one of the easiest ways to protect your rights and your best interests.
Paying for a Construction Accident Attorney
One objection many initially have with hiring an attorney is the fear that working with an attorney will be unaffordable. Whether you are hiring a personal injury attorney, a workers’ compensation attorney, or someone who works on both case types, it’s important to choose a lawyer who offers free consultations and who always works on a contingency fee basis.
Working on a contingency fee basis means that the attorney won’t ever charge you out-of-pocket or hourly fees; instead, the attorney’s payment is based on a percentage of your winnings. If your case is not successful and the attorney is unable to recover a compensation award on your behalf, you won’t owe the attorney a cent; if the attorney is successful, then you will pay the attorney a portion of your settlement. This way, you’re never having to pay for legal fees out of pocket and are never on the hook for legal fees if you don’t get paid yourself.
Call the Experienced Schaumburg, IL Construction Accident Attorneys at Claim Your Justice Today
Being involved in a construction accident could change your life. In the blink of an eye, you may suffer an injury that’s not only expensive to treat, but also that leaves you unable to work and earn an income to provide for yourself in the future. This is a shocking and devastating experience for an injured worker and their family.
When you call the experienced Schaumburg, IL construction accident attorneys at Claim Your Justice, we can start working on your case immediately. We’ll treat your case with the level of attention and dedication that it deserves, and always make sure you are a priority. We’ll remain accessible and available throughout every step of the process.
To schedule your free consultation, call our law firm directly today at 847-434-3555 or send us a message here. We are here for you.
