When an accident happens on-site during construction, the last thing you want to worry about is who’s at fault, especially if your employees are injured or your workers killed in the accident.
Construction accidents can cause emotional and financial hardship, so it’s important to know where to turn when they occur.
Here’s how to determine who’s responsible after construction accidents or injuries occur on-site so you can ensure that your family and employees get compensated fairly.
Supervisors Can Be Held Liable
A supervisor can be held liable if they know that dangerous conditions exist and do nothing to correct them.
A supervisor can even be held liable if they know about danger but do not tell anyone who then gets hurt due to that danger.
So, managers and supervisors must be mindful of workplace safety and take all the reasonable steps to ensure their workers’ safety. Supervisors who fail to do so can face liability for workers’ injuries and damages stemming from those injuries.
Contractors Can Be Held Liable
It’s important to remember that contractors are responsible for ensuring construction projects are completed safely.
If someone gets hurt, it’s not uncommon for an attorney to pursue contractors and property owners. A property owner can be held liable if they knew or should have known about a dangerous condition on their property and didn’t take steps to correct it.
A contractor could also be on the hook if they created a hazard on someone else’s property, either by failing to fix a previously known problem or by creating one during construction.
For example, say you hire an electrician who knows his extension cords aren’t up to code but uses them anyway at your site. He may be liable if he causes fire damage in your home.
Subcontractors Can Be Held Liable
Subcontractors are independent, third-party contractors hired by general contractors to complete smaller tasks.
For example, a subcontractor may be responsible for painting your home. However, the general contractor is ultimately responsible for completing your project on time and within budget.
If you’re injured or your property is damaged due to a subcontractor’s negligence, you have legal recourse against both parties.
Homeowners Can Be Held Liable
Homeowners should be aware that they can be held liable if someone on their property, such as a visitor or contractor, causes an accident.
For example, if a contractor has an accident on your property during his lunch break, you might still be considered legally responsible.
Conclusion
While most injuries and accidents can be prevented with proper safety training, planning, and following construction site safety regulations, not all incidents can be avoided.
In these instances, it’s crucial to understand who will cover your medical expenses or lost wages.
A good team of experienced construction accident attorneys like Oresky Law will help you understand who can be held responsible for your pain and losses.
