If you or a loved one has recently been injured in a construction site accident, you may be feeling confused about what your next step should be. Even if you are certain that your employer is responsible, you may be wondering how you can prove fault, and what it will take to get compensated for your injuries.
Unfortunately, the fact is that construction site accidents are all too common, as construction workers labor under dangerous conditions, and employers and managers often do not take sufficient precautions to ensure worker safety.
After being injured in a construction site accident, it is then critical that you consult an attorney as soon as possible in order to ensure that you have someone to help you during this difficult time who can help walk you through the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim. If you are uncertain whether consulting an attorney is the right option for you, here are just a few reasons you should consider hiring an attorney if you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident.
An Attorney Knows The Law
Perhaps the most important reason to consult an attorney is that they are well versed in workers’ compensation law, and they can help to answer many of the questions that you might have. The fact is that workers’ compensation law is quite complex, and the processes of filing a claim can vary greatly from state to state. An attorney can help you to determine whether you have a legitimate case, and they can walk you through the steps of filing a claim to help you recover compensation for your losses.
Get Help With Complex Paperwork
An attorney can also play a critical role by ensuring that all paperwork is filled out properly and turned in on time, as there are specific procedures that must be followed when filing a workers compensation claim. The fact is that this process can be quite confusing without legal advice, as you may quickly find yourself drowning in complex legal documents that you do not fully understand, and missing a deadline, or filling something out improperly, could derail your entire case. However, an attorney will ensure that everything is taken care of for you so that you can focus on healing.
They Are Impartial
While a construction site accident attorney will ultimately have your best interests in mind, they can also help to provide objectivity and an impartial perspective during an emotional time. The fact is that your emotional state may begin to cloud your objectivity, as your feelings and opinions will begin to alter your perspective on the situation. However, as a third-party observer, an attorney can view the facts objectively. They will look at the facts surrounding your case logically and will help you to determine who is to blame for your injuries, what your case is realistically worth, and what your next steps should be as you begin to seek compensation for your injuries. This perspective can be critical in helping to keep you grounded during this difficult and emotional time.
They Have Experience Analyzing Accidents
Hiring an experienced attorney can also be critical as they will have experience analyzing the details surrounding construction site accidents to determine exactly what happened. An attorney can analyze the scene of the accident, look at records, talk to witnesses, and follow up with every entity involved to determine exactly what happened. Not only will this help to give you a definitive answer regarding who is at fault (as it may turn out that a third party is to blame), but the evidence they gather during their analysis can also end up being critical in helping you to prove your case and secure compensation for your losses. Without an attorney, you may struggle to provide sufficient evidence to refute claims made by your employer (or another party) that they were not at fault.
Have Someone on Your Side
The fact is that your employer will most likely not have your back after you are injured at a construction site, as they will be looking out for their best interest, which would be protecting the company. This makes hiring an attorney critical as this will ensure that you have someone by your side to look out for your needs, and support you, during this difficult time. An attorney will be able to make sure that you are receiving the proper medical care that you need, that you are not being intimidated by your employer, and that steps are being taken to ensure your case is handled properly.
Get Help Valuing Your Claim
Since your employer will likely be looking out for their best interest, they are going to try to give you as small of a settlement as possible. Without an attorney on your side, you may then be leaving yourself open to being taken advantage of as you may not know the full extent of what your claim is worth. Fortunately, an attorney will have experience valuing similar claims, and they will take a variety of factors into account when determining what kind of compensation you should receive after taking things like medical bills, time off of work, and pain and suffering into account. This can help to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve and are not taken advantage of.
Peace-of-Mind
Perhaps most importantly, working with a construction accident attorney will help to provide you with a peace-of-mind. As we have mentioned before, the process of seeking compensation for your injuries after a construction accident can be complex, stressful, and time-consuming, which can make it difficult to focus on recovering. Working with an experienced attorney can help you to feel at ease knowing that someone is working to ensure that your best interests are looked out for, which can give you the time you need to focus on getting better.
Contact us to learn more about the reasons why you should consult a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after you or a loved one has been injured in a construction site accident.