Liability for a construction site accident depends on who was responsible for maintaining safety and preventing hazards. General contractors and subcontractors are often held accountable if they fail to follow safety regulations or provide proper supervision. Property owners may be liable if they neglect to address dangerous conditions on the site.
Equipment manufacturers can also be responsible if faulty tools or machinery cause an injury. Determining liability requires investigating the incident to identify who failed in their duty to ensure a safe work environment. A construction accident lawyer in Boston will evaluate your claim and identify the liable party.
Possible Liable Parties for a Construction Accident
Correctly identifying the responsible party for your construction accident injuries is difficult without the help of a personal injury lawyer. Multiple parties may be involved, and each has specific duties and responsibilities on a construction site.
General Contractor
A general contractor can be liable in a construction accident if they fail to maintain a safe work environment or do not follow safety regulations. Their responsibility includes ensuring that the site is free of hazards, providing proper training and equipment to workers, and enforcing safety protocols.
If they neglect these duties, they can be held accountable for any injuries that occur. For example, if a worker falls from scaffolding because the general contractor failed to ensure it was properly secured, the contractor may be liable for the accident. Their negligence in maintaining safety standards directly contributes to the risk of injury.
Property Owner
A property owner can be liable for a construction site accident if they fail to ensure that the site is safe for workers and visitors. For example, if a property owner knows there are exposed electrical wires on the site but does nothing to fix the issues, they could be held responsible if someone gets injured as a result.
Equipment Manufacturers
Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their equipment is safe to use. If a defective product causes harm on a construction site, the manufacturer may be held accountable. For example, if a worker is injured because a crane fails due to faulty parts that were not properly tested, the equipment manufacturer could be held responsible for the injury.
Safety Inspectors
Safety inspectors can be responsible for a construction worker’s injury if they miss dangerous conditions that should have been addressed. Inspectors are hired to ensure that the construction site follows safety rules and that workers are protected from accidents.
If an inspector overlooks issues, like unstable scaffolding or unsafe machinery, and a worker gets injured because of it, the inspector could be held accountable for not doing their job correctly.
Another Construction Worker
While construction sites often involve teamwork, each worker is expected to follow safety rules and act responsibly. If another worker’s negligence results in an accident, they may be held accountable for any harm that occurs.
For example, if a worker is careless and fails to follow safety protocols (such as not properly securing equipment or not wearing required protective gear), they could be held responsible if their actions lead to your injury.
Government Entities
Government entities can be liable for construction site accidents, particularly when the accident involves code violations or public property. The government has a duty to ensure public safety and uphold construction standards.
For example, if the government fails to enforce building codes or safety regulations on a construction site, and an accident occurs due to those violations, the government could be held responsible. This can happen if the site has hazardous conditions, like improperly installed infrastructure, that were not addressed by the entity overseeing the project.
Additionally, if the accident happens on public property, such as roads or public buildings, and the government fails to maintain the property or address known hazards, they may also be liable.
Understanding the Issue of Liability Within the Workers’ Compensation System
Workers’ compensation typically covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. However, it also limits your ability to sue your employer directly for additional losses, such as pain and suffering.
While workers’ compensation shields employers from most lawsuits, it does not protect third parties, like equipment manufacturers, subcontractors, or property owners, who may also share liability.
Identifying these third parties is key to pursuing additional compensation outside of the workers’ compensation system. An experienced construction accident lawyer can help you get maximum compensation.
A Personal Injury Lawyer Will Identify the Liable Party for Your Construction Site Accident
Jason Stone Injury Lawyers has been helping those injured rebuild their lives for over 20 years. We understand how difficult it can be to deal with the physical, emotional, and financial impact of an accident, which is why we fight to recover all your losses.
We believe in making legal representation accessible, so we work on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay us anything unless we win your case. Our fees are taken from a portion of your settlement or compensation, so there are no upfront costs or out-of-pocket expenses. This is part of our Stone Cold Guarantee®.
Not Trusting What You’re Being Told?
Better Phone Stone
800-577-5188
START MY NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION
