Slip and Fall

Chicago Construction Accident Attorneys for Slip and Falls

Slip and falls are a common occurrence on construction sites. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that slip and falls are the deadliest kind of construction site accident. If you were injured in a slip and fall at a construction site, you should call the trustworthy Chicago construction accident lawyers of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca. Our firm has more than 60 years of experience representing clients who have been injured that we can put to work for you in a personal injury lawsuit or SSDI or workers’ compensation claim.

Slip and Falls

Often debris and other material are left around an active construction site. Surfaces may be uneven or slippery or unstable. These conditions can be particularly dangerous when the unstable surface is on a higher story or level of the project. Falls from scaffolding, rooftops, or ladders as a result of uneven surfaces can result in catastrophic or even fatal injuries. In some cases, slip and falls result in falls from great heights that could have been prevented with adequate training and safety equipment.

You may be able to bring a third-party personal injury lawsuit against a party other than your employer who was responsible for your slip and fall, such as an owner, contractor, supplier, or equipment manufacturer. For example, you may be able to hold another contractor responsible for serious injuries if they left out machinery on which you tripped such that you suffered fractures. A property owner may be responsible in a premises liability lawsuit if you fall as a result of a slippery substance left in a home where you are working. For another example, if you fall on a defective ladder, a supplier or manufacturer may be held responsible.

In order to establish negligence in a third party lawsuit, our Chicago lawyers will need to establish: (1) the defendant owed you a duty of reasonable care, (2) the defendant departed from that duty, (3) the departure caused your injuries, and (4) actual damages.

Damages

When our lawyers are able to establish a defendant’s liability in a third-party lawsuit, we may be able to recover compensatory damages that make up for your losses. The damages you can recover after a slip and fall depend on the nature and severity of your injuries. From a slip and fall, you could suffer broken bones, burns, head trauma, traumatic brain injuries, electrocution, loss of vision, back and neck injuries, and crushing injuries. Damages can include medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, disfigurement, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, mental distress, and replacement services.

Visitors

Sometimes visitors or other pedestrians at a construction site suffer injuries in a slip and fall. It is important for property owners to make sure that warnings are posted for hazardous conditions on a property that is under construction. If you were a visitor injured in a slip and fall while at a construction site, you may have a claim against a number of different parties, including a property owner, contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or other party.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

In Illinois, you are usually not permitted to sue your employer for damages even if you suffer injuries in a slip and fall on the job. However, you may be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. These are no-fault benefits, meaning you do not need to prove fault to recover them. These include a portion of your wages and your reasonable and necessary medical expenses. In most cases, workers’ compensation doesn’t cover the full range of the harm you suffer in a slip and fall, but unlike with a personal injury lawsuit, to get these benefits you do not need to prove another party’s fault, only establish that your accident was job-related. You can obtain these benefits even if you are partially or fully to blame for the slip and fall.

Consult a Chicago Construction Accident Lawyer About Your Fall

If you were injured as a result of a slip and fall at a construction site, you need skillful legal representation. Call the experienced Chicago construction accident attorneys of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca to handle your personal injury lawsuit, workers’ compensation claim, and SSDI claim. Call us at 312-724-5846 or fill out our online form.