If you or a loved one suffered injuries or a loved one passed away in a construction accident, you may be entitled to compensation. The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can connect you with an Orlando construction accident lawyer who can handle your claim or lawsuit.
If you were hurt on the job, we can help file a workers’ compensation claim. If you were injured due to a third-party contractor or an equipment manufacturer, we can file a lawsuit to seek fair compensation. Either way, we can handle your case from beginning to end.
Orlando Construction Workers Can Pursue Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Benefits available to construction workers under workers’ compensation in Florida include:
- Medical care costs and medically-related expenses, such as medications, diagnostic tests, and physical rehabilitation
- A portion of your lost income for missed work or reduced earning ability
- Funeral costs and financial support for dependents in the event the construction accident results in death
An Orlando construction accident attorney can help ensure that you collect all the benefits you are entitled to under workers’ compensation.
Are Orlando Injured Workers Only Entitled To Workers’ Compensation?
Your options for seeking compensation in an Orlando construction accident depend largely on who caused the accident and what factors contributed. You may be entitled to more than workers’ compensation, but the circumstances of each case vary.
To assess your options for compensation, an Orlando construction accident attorney at our firm will consider these questions:
- Who is responsible for the construction accident?
- Did the firm that hired the construction company play a role in the accident through negligence or intentional misconduct?
- Did any party contribute to your accident?
- Does your employer carry workers’ compensation coverage?
- Did any parts, equipment, or machinery cause your accident?
A different avenue of compensation may come with each of these factors. That is why our construction accident lawyers serving Orlando spend time investigating your accident to determine a course of action.
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Can I Sue My Employer After A Construction Accident In Orlando, FL?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system. It covers workers and employers regardless of who is responsible for an accident. In exchange for that coverage, workers are not generally able to sue their employers for workplace injuries. However, there are some exceptions, per Florida Statutes § 440.11, that could allow you to file a lawsuit against your employer, including:
- They don’t have workers’ compensation coverage: The benefits of workers’ compensation are only available to those who are covered by the insurance. If the employer does not maintain workers’ compensation insurance, they are not protected by it. Therefore, an injured construction worker can sue their employer for damages.
- The employer caused intentional harm: Acts of negligence are covered under workers’ compensation insurance, but intentional misconduct is not. If your employer harmed you on purpose, they are liable for the damages you suffer as a result.
- The employer knew you could get hurt: If your employer behaved in a way or advised you to perform a duty that put you at risk, they can be held financially responsible for your damages through a lawsuit.
- Your employer purposefully jeopardized your workers’ compensation claim: Employers that knowingly interfere with an employee’s workers’ compensation claim, causing it to be denied, can face a civil suit.
You Have Options Outside Of Workers’ Compensation In Orlando
Under some circumstances, victims can file an Orlando personal injury lawsuit against a third party responsible for their construction accident. A civil suit may allow a victim to recover additional damages that a workers’ compensation claim would not, such as pain and suffering.
Other losses you can seek through a lawsuit include:
- Lost wages, which include lost tips, bonuses, salary, and more
- Immediate medical expenses, such as surgeries and emergency care
- Ongoing medical costs, such as rehabilitation, therapy, medication, and home modifications
- Reduced earning capacity, if your injuries prevent you from working or performing the same duties
- Loss of quality of life, if you struggle to live independently or can no longer take care of yourself or your dependents without help
- Disability, including temporary injuries (like broken bones), permanent injuries (like a damaged organ), and mental injuries (like a severe psychiatric illness)
You Can Seek Damages Through A Wrongful Death Claim
If you lost a loved one in a construction accident in Orlando, our attorneys can file a wrongful death lawsuit for you. You could recover:
- Your loved one’s medical bills
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of companionship
The representative of the deceased may receive a court-awarded sum that they can then distribute among surviving family members. As a spouse, child, or parent of the deceased, you may be able to serve as their representative.
While you and your family grieve in peace, we can handle the legal process.
We Can Calculate Your Losses And Fight For Fair Compensation
Our attorneys understand the severity of construction accidents. Not only can workers suffer from serious injuries, but families could also feel the financial impact. If the construction worker is the main provider in the household, their family may struggle throughout their recovery.
When we take on your case, our lawyers will calculate your economic and non-economic damages accurately. We can communicate with your doctors and discuss how your injuries will affect your future, so we account for your anticipated losses, as well. Our aim is fair compensation, and we can gather the evidence to prove your case’s worth.
Our Construction Accident Lawyers Can Go To Work For You
The team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is equipped to handle all aspects of your case. We can handle everything while you focus on your recovery. With us on your side, you have a willing partner to:
- Negotiate with the insurance companies: We make sure they offer you a fair amount of compensation for the injuries and losses you sustained. We can even prepare the settlement agreement once we make a deal.
- Go to court on your behalf: In some cases, reaching a settlement agreement is not possible. We can then consider taking your case to trial and fighting for a jury award on your behalf.
- Fill out and file paperwork: Even something as small as an error on your case’s paperwork could put your claim at risk. By entrusting us with all forms, you ensure your case keeps running smoothly.
- Quantify all injuries: Not sure how much to ask for or how to express your physical and emotional suffering in monetary terms? Our team can run the calculations for you and make sure you ask for a fair and just amount.
In addition to helping with these types of legal tasks, the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is committed to looking out for your interests. We do this by:
- Charging you no attorney’s fees unless and until you receive compensation
- Helping you make appointments with a doctor or another specialist, if you have not already done so
- Providing honest, empathetic advice about what your options are and how you can pursue the damages you need
- Granting you total access to your lawyer, even giving you their phone number
- Encouraging you to come to us with any questions, concerns, or changes that you feel might affect your case
Hiring a construction accident lawyer is a good way to protect your rights while saving yourself a lot of unnecessary trouble and effort. We want to make sure you have every opportunity to focus on your recovery. Our legal team would be happy to take care of the rest.
A Construction Accident Lawyer Serving Orlando Will Prove Negligence
Even though construction work is dangerous in general, employers and third parties have a responsibility to implement safety procedures to reduce the risk of injury. When a company or contractor fails to do this, their actions may prove negligent and warrant compensation for your losses.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicates that some construction accidents arise due to:
- Improper operation of a crane, forklift, truck, and another vehicle
- Failure to follow correct lockout procedures and getting caught or compressed by construction machinery
- Failure to use proper supports, which result in trench collapse construction accidents
- Failure to secure ladders, roofs, or scaffoldings
- Fires or explosions
- Failure to prevent hazardous chemical exposure
- Failure to secure building material, debris, equipment, tools, and other objects
Potentially Liable Parties
If you are filing a workers’ compensation claim, you do not have to prove that your employer or a manager was negligent to seek compensation.
If your injuries resulted from a negligent third party, such as a manufacturer or a defective piece of equipment, you have the option to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you are suing a third party, our lawyers can gather evidence of their negligence to hold them liable for your damages.
Those who could be held liable for a construction accident include:
- Construction companies
- Engineers or architects
- Equipment or tool manufacturers
- Negligent individuals, including co-workers or subcontractors
- Site supervisors or foremen
Our Orlando Accident Law Firm Can Help If You’ve Suffered Harm
Injuries resulting from construction accidents can be severe and even life-threatening. Construction equipment is dangerous and heavy, and construction sites are rife with hazards. Workers risk being crushed by equipment, falling from high structures, and inhaling toxic fumes.
Some of the injuries that could result from an accident on a construction site in Orlando include:
- Sprains or strains resulting from repetitive stress or traumatic events
- Broken hips, limbs, or ribs from falls
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Loss of limbs
- Internal bleeding
- Burns
- Organ damage
- Fractures
If you suffered an injury, you may face mounting medical bills as you attempt to reach your maximum recovery. Severe injuries can also lead to medical complications, or they could exacerbate a pre-existing condition.
You or a loved one may be facing a long road to recovery, and you should not have to worry about how you are going to afford it. Our lawyers want to see what they can do to help you.
We Know Construction Laws In Florida
Florida follows federal regulations and rules for the operation of construction sites. These guidelines help ensure that construction companies prioritize the health and safety of their workers. Our lawyers handling Orlando construction accidents can investigate your accident to determine if your employer or a third party followed these requirements.
Starting in 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) expanded its partnership with the SAFETY Alliance to educate workers on safety procedures and risk management, as well as their rights to file workers’ compensation claims.
You Have A Limited Time To Seek Compensation
Whether you are filing a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury lawsuit, deadlines will apply. Consider the following:
- You have 30 days to report the on-the-job accident to your employer.
- You also have two years to file the workers’ compensation claim itself, per Florida Statutes § 440.19.
- You generally have four years to file an injury lawsuit, per Florida Statutes § 95.11.
- You typically have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit, under the same statute.
A construction accident lawyer serving Orlando can assess your case and determine how long you have to take action. Generally, the sooner you begin your case, the better.
For example, if you have to sue a third party and you wait past the statute of limitations, you risk having the court dismiss your suit. This may be your last chance to seek compensation from a liable party, so it is best to act quickly.
It’s Crucial To Gather Time-Sensitive Evidence
Another good reason to get started right away is the state of available evidence. If we can start building your case relatively soon after the accident, we may have access to evidence that is:
- More abundant
- More readily available
- Higher quality than it will be at a later date
For example, the witnesses we speak to may recall more about the incident a few weeks after the accident versus months or years down the line. In addition, important documents may be easier to find and less likely to have been destroyed or lost. It may be easier for us to build a persuasive case for you if you give us the maximum possible amount of time to do so.
Work With An Orlando Construction Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one suffered an injury resulting from a construction accident, the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is here to help.
Let us protect your rights by handling your case and pursuing the compensation you deserve. Contact our team today, so we can evaluate your case for free.
