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Imagine a worker, say a steelworker or electrician, goes to a large construction site for work. He gets into a serious accident, an accident that occurs due to no fault of his own. Maybe he is electrocuted after being exposed to a live wire or maybe he trips and falls over debris and becomes entrapped under massive steel pipes.
Due to the severity of the injuries, the worker cannot return to the same work he loved doing – earning a decent living working with his hands. He can’t lift anything over 20 pounds, which for any construction/union worker, is the kiss of death. He’ll be forced to take a desk job that pays $12.00 an hour. Once his union benefits expire, he’ll be stuck with a mortgage and a bill for college tuition, not to mention car payments, insurance premiums, utility bills, etc.
What is justice for this worker? It certainly is not having to file bankruptcy or trying to obtain Social Security disability benefits. Rather, justice is obtaining fair and financial compensation for the injuries and the losses, including the inability to earn a decent living. That’s the basis of Pennsylvania construction accident law.
So, who is responsible? Many different parties may be liable. From the general or prime contractor to a subcontractor, many parties can be held liable for a construction site accident. This includes construction site owners. Read more about liability in a Pennsylvania construction site accident case.
In Pennsylvania, the owner of a construction site may be liable for a construction site accident. Such liability is not always easy to prove. Owner liability is generally reserved for unique circumstances – when the owner assumes control, responsibility or management of a construction site.
In many situations, owners do not maintain any control over what happens after construction begins. For example, a homeowner who is having major construction done at a house does not usually assume any kind of control over what happens on the worksite. However, for larger projects such as a commercial shopping plaza or high-rise building, it is not uncommon for an owner to assert control and responsibility over site operations.
Owners who assert control and responsibility over worksite operations usually do so to ensure that the project is completed in accordance with design specs and in a timely manner. This often means that worksite safety is ignored. When an accident occurs, Pennsylvania construction accident law allows the owner to be held liable.
Suggested reading:
- How to Find the Best Workplace Fall Accident Lawyer for Your PA or NJ Injury Case
- Three Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make in Your Pennsylvania or New Jersey Construction Accident Case
About Pennsylvania and New Jersey Construction Accident Lawyer -Jeff Laffey
Jeff Laffey is passionate about workers’ rights and accident safety. Learn about his 2012 workplace safety presentation to union members in Philadelphia. Jeff’s law firm proudly represents union and nonunion workers, such as:
- carpenters,
- plumbers,
- electricians,
- steel workers,
- iron workers, and
- laborers.
To submit your case for review by our Pennsylvania and New Jersey workplace fall accident lawyers, call Click To Call. Our lawyers are available for a free, no obligation legal consultation, and can obtain special admission in other states, such as New York or Delaware, on a case by case basis by working with local counsel. Our firm welcomes calls from local counsel to discuss a construction/worksite accident case.
Our accident attorneys serve accident victims in the following areas: Allegheny County, PA; Berks County, PA; Bucks County, PA; Chester County, PA; Delaware County, PA; Lehigh County, PA; Montgomery County, PA; Northampton County, PA: Philadelphia County, PA; Atlantic County, NJ; Burlington County, NJ; Camden County, NJ; Cumberland County, NJ; Gloucester County, NJ; Salem County, NJ; New Castle County, DE; Kent County, DE; Atlantic City, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Newark, NJ; Doylestown, PA; Media, PA; West Chester, PA; Norristown, PA; Camden, NJ; Wilmington, DE; Newark, DE; Georgetown, DE; and New Castle, DE.
**This website does not provide legal advice. Every case is unique and it is crucial to get a qualified, expert legal opinion prior to making any decisions about your case. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
