Personal Injury Lawsuits & Construction Accidents

Whether you are a worker or a pedestrian, construction sites are filled with many hazards. If you or someone you love were injured in a construction accident, you may have the right to seek compensation for your damages by filing a personal injury lawsuit.

At Drake Law Firm, our award-winning Stockton attorneys represent victims in civil lawsuits involving all types of construction accidents. From falls and falling objects to slips, trips, and falls, we can explore your options for compensation after being hurt on a construction site and explain how we can help.

Why Work with Drake Law Firm?

• Our team has over 100 years of combined personal injury experience.
• We have won more than $150 million in compensation for clients.
• Our attorneys have been recognized for their skill and client satisfaction.
• We do not charge up-front fees, and only collect a fee if we win.

Discuss your potential injury claim with a construction accident attorney from our Stockton office. Consultations are FREE and confidential.

Injury Risks on Construction Sites

Statistics from OSHA show construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. Annually, the construction industry accounts for over 20% of all worker fatalities in the private sector. That means 1 in 5 of all private industry workers injured on the job in the U.S. are in construction.

The numbers show construction sites are home to many potential hazards, including:

• Elevated work surfaces: Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries on construction sites, according to OSHA. Work performed from heights also poses risks of falling objects and electrocution from overhead power lines.
• Multiple employers / workers: Construction sites can be busy places, which means mistakes made by anyone on a site can have devastating consequences. This includes negligent workers who create slip and fall hazards, fail to safely use or tag-out machinery, and more.
• Occupational exposure: Occupational exposure may involve worksite hazards like loud noise, debris, and sun exposure, as well as harmful substances such as asbestos or lead. 
• Dangerous machinery: Construction projects require the use of major machinery, tools, and vehicles. When defectively made or negligently used, machinery can pose extreme safety risks. 

Construction Accident Cases We Handle

Drake Law Firm leverages more than 100 years of collective experience to advocate for construction accident victims across California. Cases we handle include:

• Falls from heights and ladder falls
• Falling objects / struck-by objects
• Construction site truck accidents
• Defective products / tool and equipment injuries
• Fires and explosions
• Electrical shock / electrocution
• Trench, tunnel, and excavation accidents
• Demolition accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Toxic exposure
• Fatal accidents

Can Workers File a Personal Injury Claim After a Construction Accident?

If a person is injured on the job in California, their exclusive legal remedy is workers’ compensation. This means workers must go through their employer’s workers’ comp insurance to obtain needed medical care, rehabilitation, supplemental wages, and other benefits. 

There are exceptions to the exclusive remedy rule. In some cases, injured construction workers may have grounds to file a civil personal injury claim after being hurt in a construction accident.

• Personal injury lawsuits are claims handled in the civil justice system. When victims bring injury lawsuits, they must prove the defendant was negligent in causing their injuries. Although they require plaintiffs to prove negligence and / or liability, personal injury suits can provide more expansive compensation to injured workers, including damages that are insufficient or unavailable through workers’ comp (i.e., all past and future wages, pain and suffering, etc.).
• Workers’ compensation is no-fault insurance carried by employers that pays out certain benefits to workers who suffer job-related injuries. Claimants do not need to prove fault or liability when they obtain workers’ comp. However, the benefits provided through workers’ compensation are not always sufficient.

Drake Law Firm represents injured parties in civil personal injury lawsuits arising from construction accidents.

Because personal injury suits can provide more compensation, it is important for injured workers to evaluate their options for pursuing a civil claim outside of workers’ comp. 

Generally, you may have a claim if a third party – meaning a person or an entity that is NOT your employer – is at fault for causing your injuries. This could be:

• A subcontractor or their employees who cause injury on a construction site.
• A property owner that failed to repair, replace, or warn about property hazards.
• Companies responsible for defective products, including faulty tools or equipment.
• A negligent driver who causes a car accident or truck accident.

During a consultation, our attorneys can review what happened in your case and explore the possibility for bringing a civil claim against third parties. Call our Stockton construction accident attorneys to request a free case evaluation.