Chicago Construction Accident Attorney

If you perform an internet search for the world’s cities with the most skyscrapers, you’ll find Chicago near the top of the list. It would be safe to assume that during the construction of every one of those buildings, there was at least some sort of injury that befell someone. Those injuries might have been minor or severe. Hopefully, with each injury, the workers were able to get proper medical care and were compensated for any losses they had.

What happens if you were injured on a construction site and faced resistance to payments for medical care or lost wages compensation? That is when you need to contact an experienced Chicago construction accident lawyer. Our extensive legal experience in all matters related to workers’ compensation and construction site negligence makes Thomas Law Offices the premier law firm in our region, providing support and guidance for complex work accident cases like these.

Types of Injury Incidents That Occur on Chicago Construction Sites

Construction workers regularly face dangers no other employees ever have to think about. The most dangerous occupations are found in the construction industry. The following are the most common causes of fatal Illinois construction accidents:

Construction Work Zone Transportation Accidents

Road construction workers are at an especially high risk of suffering serious injury or fatalities in auto accidents. Often, those accidents are not caused by the actual work but by careless drivers who don’t obey work zone traffic warnings. All motorists to follow Illinois law by:

• Refraining from any cell phone use—even hands-free use—while in a work zone
• Turning on headlights
• Driving at or under the posted work zone speed limit
• Proceeding with caution as though your own family member was a construction worker at the site

Slips and Falls

Construction site falls are a leading cause of death on work sites. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that 38.4% of the deaths that occurred on construction sites in 2022 were related to falls, slips and trips.

Workers can encounter the following hazards that may lead to these types of accidents:

• Poorly constructed scaffolding
• Unsecured ladders
• Unmarked skylights near a roofing project
• Lack of fall protection when working at a height of 6 feet or higher
• Loose tools, objects, or wiring left in walking paths
• Unsafe flooring or roofing with the potential to collapse under weight
• Spilled oils, chemicals, and other slippery substances
• Lack of safety harnesses

Caught-In or -Between Incidents

These types of construction accidents often occur when a worker’s body or body part becomes trapped inside machinery, such as equipment with rotating or moving parts.

These are just a few examples a caught-in or -between construction injuries:

• An unsecured machine tips over and crushes a worker
• Equipment is not de-energized during maintenance or repair, and a worker’s arm is pulled inside
• Unguarded moving parts on a machine that can catch worker limbs or clothing
• A worker is crushed when working between an immovable object (like a wall) and movable materials, structures, vehicles, or equipment

Struck-By Incidents

Construction site accidents like these are often caused by an object or piece of equipment colliding with a worker. Most struck-by hazards take the form of a:

• Falling object
• Flying object
• Swinging object
• Rolling object

There are many examples of job site hazards that can cause struck-by injuries.

Falling tools or materials dropped from heights, vehicles sideswiping work zone employees, free-swinging heavy materials lifted by cranes, and other hazards can cause serious physical trauma. When these types of construction accidents occur, they often cause severe blunt-force head trauma, spinal cord injuries, and other potentially fatal or catastrophic injuries.

Electrocution

Finally, electrocution in the construction industry results when a worker is exposed to high amounts of electrical energy.

The BE SAFE acronym is used to help those working on construction sites identify and remember electrical hazards:

• Burns, from direct electrical or thermal contact
• Electrocution, the fatal outcome of contact with a lethal dose of electricity
• Shock, is when an electrical current passes through the body
• Arc flashes or arc blasts, when electrical energy is released suddenly through the air
• Fire, which often results from faulty electrical wiring
• Explosions, occur when electricity ignites explosive materials in the air

You were doing everything right. But you still got hurt. The Chicago construction accident lawyers on our team have your back. Call or email us for a 100% free case consultation to understand what rights Illinois law affords you when you’re hurt on the job on a Chicago building site.

What To Do After a Chicago Construction Accident

According to additional BLS data, private industry employers across the country reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022.

It’s likely that many of those construction site accidents left victims with physical injuries and huge financial burdens. Some of the harm the affected workers suffered might have also manifested as emotional trauma that also generated financial losses. The workers might have also had lost wages and potential diminished future earnings to contend with as well.

As the victim of a construction accident, it is important to take proactive steps to ensure you get the care and compensation you are due. Our Chicago construction accident attorneys recommend taking the following steps immediately after a construction accident:

1. Report the accident to your supervisor
2. Seek medical care
3. Write out your own report of exactly when, where, and how the accident occurred
4. Get evidence of the accident, including photos and names of eyewitnesses
5. Contact an experienced construction accident lawyer

Steps To Take To Protect Your Rights After a Construction Site Injury

In addition to the most important basic steps listed above, we’ve compiled a list of ways you can help protect your rights.

When you’re being investigated by an insurance company, any small misstep on your part can seriously jeopardize your right to compensation. Insurance companies are known for twisting any information they can get to cast you in a bad light.

Remember these tips for protecting yourself after a building job site accident:

• Be careful if an insurance adjuster calls you—only provide the most basic information
• Never agree to give a recorded statement, even if the adjuster says it’s standard procedure
• Don’t discuss your injuries with the insurance adjuster who reaches out to you, but just instead, tell them that you are seeking treatment
• Try to stay away from social media altogether—even an unrelated post can be used to call your story or the severity of injuries into question
• Know the value of your case before agreeing to a settlement

A Chicago construction accident attorney like ours can help you determine the worth of your case. We can assess the details of your accident to help you find the best way to recover maximum compensation for your losses.

Our law firm represents injured construction workers filing workers’ comp claims and personal injury claims in Chicago and throughout Illinois. We want to help you, too, if you’re hurt or have lost a family member on a building site. Consultations with our legal team are free.

Can I Go to a Free Consultation if I’m Not Sure I Need To Hire a Chicago Construction Accident Lawyer?

Can you have a free case consultation with an attorney even if you’re not sure you want to hire one? Absolutely. This is exactly what a free consultation is for. It’s not a contract or a commitment to hire a law firm. It’s a way for you to be empowered by knowledge.

We would never agree to take your case without meeting you first. And we hope you would never hire us without getting to know who we are and how we can help you.

A free case consultation at Thomas Law Offices is a confidential, no-commitment meeting that we provide to injured survivors exploring legal options.

You simply need to set up a time that works for you online or over the phone with one of our construction injury attorneys. What you choose to do after our first meeting is completely up to you. We hope you’ll bring all the questions you have about your case so we can give you the information that is most helpful for you at this stage of your research.

What Legal Options Do Individuals Hurt on Illinois Building Sites Have?

Many construction accident victims know they are legally entitled to recover compensation for serious injuries suffered on the job. Compensation can help make up for the costs of medical bills and lost wages due to missed work. But fewer people know the legal process for obtaining this much-needed compensation.

One of our Chicago construction accident lawyers can guide you in filing a claim or lawsuit.

There are a few different legal pathways to compensation after you suffer an injury, including the following:

Workers’ Compensation Claims

Almost all employers in the construction industry must carry workers’ compensation insurance, per the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Our state’s laws also require injured Chicago workers to report their construction site injuries within 45 days of them occurring. Construction companies have an obligation to provide certain workers’ compensation benefits as needed.

Those injured on construction sites will often file a workers’ comp claim to get the benefits they need first, such as:

• Necessary and reasonable medical expenses
• A portion of average weekly wages
• The right to choose one’s own physician
• Survivor benefits for family members of construction workers killed on the job

Workers’ comp insurance laws are meant to protect both employers and employees. This means that you can’t file a lawsuit or personal injury claim against your employer for most construction accident injuries.

If, however, your Chicago construction accident attorney identifies a third party whose negligence caused or contributed to your injuries, we may be entitled to additional compensation through a personal injury claim.

Third-Party Injury Claims in Construction Accidents

Most construction projects involve a number of different agencies working together to reach a common goal. But maybe not all of these companies and individuals take as much care to practice worksite safety as you do.

If a party that is not your employer acted in a way to cause your injury, you may be entitled to file a third-party personal injury claim against them. Your construction injury lawyer can analyze evidence to determine if you have a valid claim against a non-employer, such as:

• Contractors and subcontractors
• Other construction companies
• Property or site owners
• Equipment or tool manufacturing companies
• Vehicle manufacturers
• Cleaning companies
• Transportation companies and drivers
• Government or public entities
• Security companies

If you are eligible, a construction accident lawsuit can help you recover losses that workers’ compensation benefits don’t cover, like pain and suffering or mental anguish.

Our construction accident lawyers in Chicago can evaluate your case to identify if the involvement of third-party negligence gives you legal grounds for filing a claim with the at-fault entity and their insurance company.

Compensation for Injured Parties Who Are Not Workers

What happens if you’re hurt at or near a construction site as a passerby? Are non-workers entitled to compensation for a construction site injury?

Job site negligence can harm not just the workers, but also those walking, driving, or biking in the vicinity. Construction work is inherently dangerous, and site managers and overseers have a duty to make sure hazards of the job don’t injure others in the surrounding area.

If you suffered injuries while passing a Chicago construction site, you may be eligible to take legal action. However, your construction accident case will only be successful if you can prove that negligence, recklessness, or willful wrongdoing was the cause of your injuries.

Please contact Thomas Law Offices to discuss whether you might be qualified to recover compensation for medical costs and other damages associated with your incident.

Help for Family Members Who Lost a Loved One in a Fatal Construction Site Accident

Losing a loved one in a construction accident causes unthinkable pain to those left behind. If your family member was a construction worker who lost their life in a preventable tragedy, we have the resources to support you.

The construction accident attorneys at our law firm have experience helping families achieve justice and financial balance through workers’ compensation benefits, wrongful death claims, and personal injury lawsuits.

Our Chicago Construction Accident Attorneys Will Fight for Full Compensation for You

We believe in you. The insurance company may see you as a case number, but we see you as a person. And we know how severely your life has been impacted by an injury that never should have happened.

In this world, getting back on track requires financial resources. That’s why the goal of a workers’ comp or injury claim is a monetary settlement. This financial support can help you afford quality medical care, pay your bills while you can’t work, and make sure you’re set up for a future of security—not put into debt because you were hurt doing your job.

Securing a Settlement for Injuries That Happen on a Cook County Building Site

When you work with a construction accident lawyer, you know you have an advocate who will do what it takes to get you every penny you deserve.

Whether your case entitles you to file a workers’ comp claim, seek compensation through a third-party claim or lawsuit, or file a wrongful death claim on behalf of a lost loved one, we’ll settle for nothing less than full and fair compensation on your behalf.

Depending on the type of legal claim you file, you may be eligible to obtain compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Full or partial lost wages
• Cost of future medical care and rehabilitative therapy
• Pain and suffering damages
• Permanent disability
• Mental anguish
• Wrongful death benefits like funeral costs, medical expenses, and lost income

What Is the Value of Your Construction Accident Case?

To determine how much your construction injury case is worth, we need to consider many factors, including:

• The amount you’ve already paid in medical bills, including prescriptions, tests, medical supplies, transportation, etc.

• Your treatment plan for any necessary ongoing treatment
• How long you’ve suffered from pain and how debilitating it has been
• If you have a permanent disability
• Lost wages during recovery
• Future earning potential if you aren’t able to return to the job
• Whether you’re experiencing a diminished quality of life
• If you have ongoing mental health issues

All this and more goes into calculating the value of your injury case here at Thomas Law Offices. We don’t just assign your case a generic value based on how much your doctor’s bills are. We go much further to get our clients justice.

This is one of the reasons why a free consultation is so important to what we do.

How Long Do You Have To File an Illinois Construction Accident Case?

The amount of time you have to take legal action after a Chicago construction accident varies.

Under Illinois law, you have:

• 45 days to report an injury to your employer
• Three years to file a claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission
• Two years to file a personal injury lawsuit
• Two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit

There are exceptions to all of these deadlines that may give you more or less time to file than the standard statutory deadlines.

We cannot stress enough that it is critical to meet with a lawyer as soon as you can after your accident. Cases take time to investigate and build. Even if a deadline seems far out in the future, it is much closer than you realize in the legal timeline.

When you deserve compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more, you don’t want a missed deadline to block you from your law-given right to file a claim or civil lawsuit. You may be in debt for the rest of your life, simply because you missed the time window to stake a claim to a financial recovery.

Thomas Law Offices Is an Unstoppable Advocate for Injured Workers in Chicago

We are proud of the work that our firm has performed on behalf of the people of Chicago, Illinois. Our hearts and our legal practice are here in the biggest city in the Midwest, where we know workers experience both the opportunities and the challenges of working in a city of nearly 3 million residents.

Chicago was built by people like you, and it’s our unquestionable honor to advocate for those harmed by dangerous work conditions.

Our Past Results Show We Have What It Takes To Win Your Case

We aren’t just talk. Our past case results demonstrate our commitment to putting in whatever hard work is needed to change our clients’ lives for the better.

We’ve won countless settlements and verdicts for injured workers, including an $18 million settlement for two laborers on a clean-up crew tasked with managing a train derailment site and a confidential settlement for two employees of a contractor who were exposed to large doses of toxic lead particulates while working at a lead battery plant.

These and other victories have given us the experience to handle complex construction accident cases involving a range of serious injuries, such as:

• Severe burns and chemical burns
• Toxic material exposure
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Loss of vision, hearing, or other vital functions
• Amputation and loss of limb
• Other catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death

As an injured worker, you don’t want a lawyer who doesn’t care about you. You need someone who is committed, compassionate, skilled, tenacious, and experienced.

You can schedule a free case consultation to learn why an attorney from Thomas Law Offices may be the best fit for your case.

Do You Need a Construction Accident Lawyer?

If you’re asking yourself: “Do I need a construction accident lawyer?” the answer may be yes.

It’s always a good idea to at least meet with a lawyer to discuss your case—even if you think you may not end up hiring one.

At Thomas Law Offices, we’d be happy to tell you if you don’t need our legal services. But we also want to make sure we equip you with the information to make the right choice. The decision is ultimately yours, and we encourage you to only make that decision once you have all the information about your case.

Too many people choose to forge ahead with their own workers’ comp or injury claim, only to realize too late that they’ve been taken advantage of by an insurance agency.

We won’t let that happen to you.

While every case is different, it’s probable that you need a lawyer if any of these factors apply to your case:

• You suffered serious or catastrophic injuries.
• You suffered a permanent disability.
• You lost a loved one.
• You’re not sure if you should file a workers’ comp claim or a personal injury claim.
• You’re being blamed for your accident.
• You think you might lose your job because of the accident.
• You can’t work anymore because of your injuries.
• You have to look for a new job.
• You’ve been offered a settlement amount much lower than what you think you deserve.

How We’ll Fight for You After Your Chicago Construction Site Injury

Chicago construction accident victims don’t deserve the added stress of managing a claim or lawsuit on their own. We take care of the legal questions so you can focus on the things that are important to you.

As your legal counsel, we will:

• Evaluate your case and determine your legal options
• Understand state and federal laws that govern your case
• Make sure you file a claim within the statute of limitations for your case
• Investigate and gather evidence to build the strongest claim possible
• Work with medical professionals and expert witnesses who can support your case
• Negotiate with the insurance company to recover a full settlement
• Protect you from dishonest insurance company tactics
• Represent you in court if necessary
• Be your staunch supporter, putting your best interests first in all matters

A Meeting With Our Injury Lawyers Doesn’t Cost You a Penny

We focus a part of our practice on fighting for the rights of workers hurt in construction accidents. Our experience has prepared us for your case. Are you ready to move forward?

Contact us via our online form or phone. There is no cost, no obligation, and no pressure when you meet with a Chicago construction accident lawyer in our office. We look forward to meeting you.