Did you or a family member sustain injuries on a construction site in Carlisle, PA? You may be entitled to compensation for lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages in addition to your workers’ compensation benefits. An experienced Carlisle construction accident lawyer at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help fight for the maximum total compensation possible.
Collectively, our lawyers have over 120 years of experience in personal injury and workers’ compensation law. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of accident victims.
Get the legal advice you deserve by calling our law offices in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at (717) 995-8732, or contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Table of Contents
How Marzzacco Niven & Associates Can Help After a Construction Accident in Carlisle
It’s no secret that construction is dangerous work. You put your safety at risk every day. Still, that doesn’t mean you should be left to struggle with financial problems if you’re hurt on the job.
Many construction workers believe they’re limited to workers’ comp benefits. While these are valuable benefits, you may have a right to additional compensation. Either way, the insurance companies won’t make it easy to get the full amount you deserve. An experienced Carlisle personal injury lawyer at Marzzacco Niven & Associates can help you fight for what’s fair.
Our team includes a certified workers’ compensation specialist who’s helped countless clients maximize their benefits under workers’ comp and Social Security disability laws. We’ve also been recognized as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
Hire us, and you’ll have a team to:
- Determine whether you’re eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit
- Assess your case value
- File your workers’ compensation paperwork
- Hire experts and specialists to work on your behalf
- Protect you if your workers’ comp claim is denied or delayed
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for the maximum compensation you deserve
You probably have many different questions about your options if you’re seeking legal guidance. You don’t have to rely on a lawyer directory for assistance. Call our personal injury lawyers in Carlisle to schedule a free case review for the answers you deserve.
How Common Are Construction Accidents in Carlisle?
Over the course of a 45-year career, a construction worker has a 75% chance of sustaining a disability. Of course, construction workers also risk their lives when they go to work each day. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), one in five workplace deaths was in the construction industry in 2019.
In 2020, the private construction industry had the highest number of workplace fatalities in the state of Pennsylvania. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 30 construction workers were killed on the job that year.
What Is My Carlisle Construction Accident Case Worth?
The value of your personal injury case depends on a few different factors. The most influential, of course, is the severity of your injuries.
Additional factors to consider include:
- The cost of your medical treatment and other out-of-pocket expenses
- Whether you’ll suffer a permanent disability
- The amount of income you lose during recovery
- How the injury impacts your future earnings
- The length of your recovery
- The identity of the person responsible for your injuries
Injured construction workers are not permitted to sue their employers for damages. They’re limited to the compensation provided under Pennsylvania workers’ compensation laws. Workers’ comp covers about ⅔ of your average weekly wages prior to the accident. Regardless of other factors, your weekly benefit check will be capped at $1,205 in 2022 under state law.
Still, it may be possible to recover additional compensation if someone other than your employer caused your accident. You can file a lawsuit against a negligent third party despite the no-fault workers’ comp system. These lawsuits are called “third-party claims”.
For example, depending on the facts, you may have a third-party claim against:
- The at-fault driver in a car accident
- A negligent property owner
- Manufacturers of defective tools or work equipment
- Any other third party who caused your accident, including contractors and subcontractors
If you can file a personal injury lawsuit, additional factors become relevant in assessing your case value, including:
- Your personal pain and suffering
- Any ongoing mental health issues you experience
- The impact of the injury on your quality of life
- Whether you contributed to the accident in any way
Our lawyers serving Carlisle would be happy to sit down and discuss your case in detail. Call our law firm in Carlisle or Harrisburg, PA, to schedule your free case review today.
What Types of Damages Are Available To Construction Accident Victims?
In Pennsylvania, workers’ comp benefits include:
- All reasonable and necessary medical costs related to your injury
- Temporary disability benefits (total or partial)
- Permanent disability benefits (total or partial)
- Loss of use of a specific body part or function
- Benefits for permanent disfigurement
- Death benefits for surviving family members
If you file a personal injury lawsuit, you’re also entitled to seek compensation for non-economic damages, in addition to your financial losses.
Common types of damages available under Pennsylvania personal injury laws include:
- Medical expenses that are not covered by workers’ compensation
- 100% of your lost wages
- Rehabilitation costs
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Loss of consortium
Our Carlisle workers’ compensation lawyers will help you fight for every dollar available.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Construction Accident in Pennsylvania?
You can typically receive workers’ comp benefits regardless of how the accident happened. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. As long as the accident happened while performing employment-related duties, you should qualify even if the accident was your fault.
In a personal injury case, your compensation will be limited if you share blame for the accident. If you were 51% or more responsible, you’ll lose your right to seek compensation entirely under Pennsylvania comparative negligence laws. If you were less than 51% liable, your compensation is reduced in proportion to your share of fault.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Construction Accident Injuries
Our lawyers are ready to handle any type of construction injury claim–regardless of the severity of your injuries.
Call our legal team today if you have sustained:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Concussions
- Facial injuries
- Eye injuries
- Hearing damage
- Lung damage
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue damage
- Head and neck injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
To get started, all you have to do is reach out to our team to schedule a free initial consultation today.
What Causes Most Construction Accidents in Carlisle, Pennsylvania?
According to OSHA, most construction site accidents involve:
- Fall accidents
- Accidents where workers are caught between two objects
- Electrocutions
- Accidents where workers are struck by an object
Still, construction accidents can happen for many different reasons. Some of the most common causes of construction accidents include:
- Lack of proper safety equipment
- Lack of fall protection
- Improperly installed scaffolding
- Violation of state and federal safety regulations
- Communication failures
- Unqualified workers
- Failure to properly train and supervise employees
- Dangerous or defective work equipment
Our Carlisle construction accident attorneys handle all types of accident and injury cases, including those involving:
- Scaffolding accidents and collapses
- Building collapse
- Falls from roofs or ladders
- Electrocution and electric shock
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Accidents involving heavy machinery
- Welding accidents
- Trenching accidents
- Excavation accidents
- Fires and explosions
- Slip and fall accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Workplace violence and negligent security
Don’t let the insurance company downplay the severity of your accident. Call our team today to learn more about your legal rights and how we can help protect them.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Construction Accident in Pennsylvania?
Not all construction accident victims are required to prove negligence. Negligence is only relevant if you’re entitled to pursue compensation via a third-party claim.
To prove negligence, you must establish:
- The responsible party’s legal duty of care
- A breach of duty
- The breach of duty directly caused your accident
- You sustained damages
Our lawyers will investigate to locate the evidence you need to support each element of your negligence claim. That way, you can focus on rest and recovery.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Construction Accident in Pennsylvania?
To file a personal injury lawsuit, you must take legal action within two years of the accident under Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations. After two years are up, you lose your right to sue for damages.
However, you are also required to notify your employer about your accident within 120 days. If you wait any longer, you could lose your right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
Contact a Carlisle Construction Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Injuries sustained in a construction accident can haunt you for years to come. A Carlisle construction accident lawyer can help you fight for the compensation you deserve to protect your future. Call Marzzacco Niven & Associates today to learn more about how our experienced lawyers can help.