Construction workers face daily hazards that can cause devastating injuries. If you suffer injuries in a construction accident caused by another person’s negligence, you may have a personal injury claim as well as a workers’ compensation claim. An accomplished construction accident attorney at Robinson & Kole can help you recover compensation for a personal injury claim, as well as assist with your L&I claim. From our Bellingham office, we help clients throughout the State of Washington. For our Spanish-speaking clients, our bilingual team members make it easy to work with us.

Since 1979, Robinson & Kole has been genuinely invested in helping clients recover compensation for all manner of accidents and workplace injuries. All five of our attorneys have extensive courtroom experience and the knowledge and skills to help you navigate through the entire construction accident claim process. Our attorneys collaborate on case strategy and problem solving, so you benefit from the collective experience of our legal team that represents more than 100 years handling these types of claims.

Legal Responsibility for Construction Accident Injuries

Construction sites are often complex situations involving a general contractor and numerous subcontractors. When a work-related accident occurs, the injured construction worker usually receives workers’ compensation from their employer. In addition, if someone other than a co-employee caused the accident, the injured worker may have a separate personal injury claim against the person whose negligence caused the injury.

The two types of claims that may arise in a construction accident are processed through completely separate legal systems and must be pursued as separate claims. A personal injury claim from a construction accident is also referred to as a third-party claim.

If the injured worker is covered by workers’ compensation (L&I), the worker cannot bring a personal injury accident against their employer for the injuries. However, if a person or company other than the worker’s employer was also working on the construction site and caused the accident, the worker may have a personal injury claim against the person, employee, or employer who caused the accident.

There also are situations where faulty equipment on a construction site causes construction accident injuries, in that case, the worker may have a product liability claim against the equipment manufacturer. Product liability is a type of personal injury claim.

Construction Accident Causes and Injuries

A construction accident can occur for many different reasons. The most common types of construction accidents are falling, being struck by an object, getting caught between equipment and objects, or being crushed or struck by equipment, material, or a collapsing structure.

The severity of injuries from a construction accident is often life-altering. Permanent injuries to bones and muscles, traumatic brain damage, loss of sight or hearing, and other substantial physical and emotional trauma are common. The significance of the injuries and the impact on your future make it essential to recover as much compensation as the law provides. In some situations, that requires pursuing both a workers’ compensation and a personal injury claim.

If you’re injured in a construction accident, talking with an attorney is advisable, even if you are not certain about the cause of the accident. Construction accidents are often complex events that require investigation and analysis before a cause can be identified. Our Robinson & Kole attorneys have the necessary experience to determine the cause of your accident and assist you with recovering the full compensation that the law provides for both personal injury and workers’ compensation claims.

Compensation for Construction Accident Injuries

The laws in Washington State provide personal injury compensation for both financial and non-financial losses. Financial losses include medical and hospital expenses (past and future), lost income, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Non-financial losses include pain and suffering, inconvenience, emotional distress, and loss of future earnings. In addition to proving the cause of a construction accident, your lawyer must collect evidence to document and prove all the losses for which you claim compensation.

Our Robinson & Kole construction accident lawyer team has a detailed understanding of the elements that go into calculating the full compensation you deserve, so you don’t get short-changed on your financial recovery. Your lawyer will advocate for your rights and is not deterred by insurance company tactics.

Free Consultation with an Experienced Washington Construction Accident Attorney

From our office in Bellingham, our Robinson & Kole construction accident attorney team helps clients throughout the State of Washington. If you suffered injuries in a construction accident, we welcome you to contact us for a free consultation by calling 800.640.5616 or using our online contact form. Se habla Español.