Who bears liability for a construction site accident? (Part 2)

On Behalf of | May 7, 2015 | Construction Workers' Accidents

Let’s pick right up where we left off last week with a look at the different parties on a construction site who might bear third-party liability when workers are injured in a construction accident. These kinds of details could mean that a construction worker has a chance to obtain compensation through a personal injury claim, even above and beyond any workers’ compensation benefits to which he or she is entitled.

The owner of the construction site is a natural first place to look to place blame, but there are some legal technicalities at play here. One is that the owner may not even be considered to legally possess the land during construction, depending on how much control has been afforded to an independent contractor. The other is the landowner’s degree of control over the premises, not just the work. Depending on those circumstances, however, a construction site owner may be liable if a worker is injured by a hazardous condition on the site that the owner should have known about.

General contractors, sub-contractors and prime contractors on a construction site are required to provide employees with reasonably safe working conditions. They must warn of any known hazards, whether as part of the site or part of the work being done, and they must ensure that applicable safety regulations are followed. Even engineers and architects may bear liability if their work has fallen short of professional standards and lead to an accident and injury. Manufacturers of faulty equipment may likewise be held accountable for injuries resulting from their negligence.

With all of the potential sources of liability on a construction site, it’s no wonder many injured victims turn to a legal professional for insight as to their options.

Source: Findlaw.com, “Construction Injury Overview,” accessed on May 1, 2015

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