Construction Liability
Injury to either workers or visitors while on construction sites occurs throughout the United States, and often they are due to the unsafe nature of the worksites. Power tools, partially built structures, scaffolding, ladders, lifts, heavy machinery and rotating crews of tradesmen account for some of the hazards on construction sites. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency that regulates safety measures on construction sites.
If the injured party’s employer is the cause of the injury and unsafe condition, the victim can turn to worker’s compensation while recuperating from the injury. Many incidents, though, are complicated and involve numerous parties who were involved in the negligence on the jobsite. Such cases require separate construction liability suits to compensate the victim and his or her family for injury or death for the negligence. Several tort theories of liability, including negligence and strict liability, may be pursued by lawyers representing those who bring a lawsuit against all possible defendants responsible for the tragic incident. Considering the circumstances, general contractors, subcontractors, site owners and manufacturers of the tool or machine being used may be held liable for the injuries.
The complexity of construction liability cases often requires an experienced attorney pursuing a construction liability lawsuit on their behalf.
Clifford Law Offices has represented many accident victims involving various types of construction work including scaffolding accidents. For example, the scaffold accident law firm received a $75 million settlement for the injured victims and the families of those who were killed and injured when a scaffold fell from Chicago's John Hancock Center. On the eve of trial, the defendants settled in a global settlement after nearly four years of preparation for trial. A large section of the scaffold crashed on the car of four women, killing two friends in the front seat and severely injuring their mothers in the back seat. The mothers spent more than 30 minutes while the Chicago Fire Department extricated them from the tragic accident. Several defendants shared the blame for this tragic scaffold accident including the owners and managers of the building, the architects of the window improvement project for the building and the engineers of the project.
Robert Clifford also received a $1.1 million settlement on behalf of a 47-year-old ironworker who was injured and unable to continue his trade when the scissors lift he was driving fell into an excavation hole covered by snow at a warehouse construction site. Clifford and partner Richard F. Burke also received a $13 million settlement on the eve of trial for a man who fell 30 feet from a manlift platform that collapsed due to a critical connection that was necessary to maintain the platform in a level position. The 44-year-old man suffered permanent injuries to his back as well as crushing injuries to his ankles and heels. The firm also received a significant settlement for a flight attendant who suffered a career-ending injuring when an elevator car malfunctioned at O’Hare Airport.
Clifford Law Offices represents many workers who have been injured while on the job. They can be found on the firm’s website under its Record of Justice. These cases are complicated and involve much work. The lawyers at the firm are committed to working hard for its clients in their attempt to obtain what is just and fair for their clients.
Read more about the various types of construction accidents which Clifford Law Offices has worked on:
Building Collapses
Construction Zones