Construction has transformed Florida in the past 100 years, but along with growth comes accidents and injuries affecting construction workers, pedestrians, and site visitors. Construction workers and site visitors risk slipping on scattered debris and spilled chemicals. Workers high on unstable scaffolding risk death if they fall from several stories. Pedestrians passing a site also risk falling if struck in the head by debris.
If you or a loved one are hurt in a Pace construction site slip and fall accident, the dedicated construction injury attorneys at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon are ready to assist you.
With few exceptions, Pace employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance that pays benefits, such as medical care and a portion of lost wages, to employees injured in work-related accidents such as slip and falls at construction sites. Florida Statutes § 440.09 makes this the remedy for workers, no matter who was at fault for the accident. After accepting workers’ compensation benefits, workers are precluded from suing employers for negligence. However, third parties may be responsible for a construction site slip and fall, and a negligence lawsuit is a remedy. Third parties who could be liable include:
Workers who are not employees, pedestrians, and visitors who slip and fall because of a construction site accident due to someone else’s carelessness can seek compensation from negligent parties through a personal injury lawsuit. If you are injured in a construction site slip and fall accident, the attorneys at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon can review your case and offer the best strategy for your situation.
Whether your slip and fall accident is covered under Florida’s workers’ compensation rules or negligence statutes, the first thing you should do is get medical attention. Your lawyer will use your medical evaluation as part of the evidence to build a case for compensation. If your injury occurs on the job, a medical provider will have to certify your injuries are work-related and report how debilitating your injuries are.
If your attorney determines that a personal injury lawsuit is the best avenue to recoup your losses, proving negligence will include showing:
According to Florida Statutes § 95.11, you have two years to file a lawsuit after the accident that results in your injury. This ensures evidence and witnesses are more likely to be available, but it reinforces the urgency of contacting a lawyer in Pace as soon as possible after slipping and falling on a construction site.
You should not have to pay for medical care and dip far into your savings if you are a construction worker who slipped on spilled chemicals or fell from unstable scaffolding, or if you are a passerby who fell after being hit in the head by falling construction debris.
As an employee, we can help you file a workers’ compensation claim. If you are an independent worker or passerby, we can file a personal injury claim on your behalf. Our attorneys at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon will represent your best interests after a Pace construction site slip and fall accident. Call now.