Construction Accident Lawyer in Dothan, AL

Our Alabama Construction Site Accident Lawyers Can Help

A construction site can be extremely dangerous, even to the most highly skilled and experienced construction workers. Many Americans are injured on worksites each year, including both visitors and construction workers. When these work injuries occur, it can be very difficult to get justice, as there are often many conflicting arguments and various responsible parties to sift through in order to obtain compensation.

Fortunately, with the skilled assistance of a construction accident attorney, injured workers, and their families may be able to recover just compensation for their injuries. If you need help with a construction accident claim in Alabama, contact the experienced construction accident attorneys in Dothan at the law firm of Gartlan Injury Law for a free consultation about your best options for recovery.

Why Are Alabama Construction Accident Injury Claims So Complex?

Construction site accidents often cause very severe injuries. Heavy machinery, dangerous equipment, high-voltage electrical supplies, falling objects, and large trucks, and excavating vehicles are among just a few of the reasons for the severity of injuries among construction industry workers.

These cases can quickly become very complicated for a variety of other reasons as well. For instance:

• Multiple Defendants. Most construction sites have numerous companies working side-by-side. This means you may have dozens of contracted companies with even more subcontractors present at the same time, working in close proximity. One person’s negligent conduct can create a domino effect, resulting in injuries to people from various companies.
• Deadly Products and Equipment. If a piece of machinery is involved, there may also be a claim against the manufacturer for a defective product. This will serve to complicate the case as well.
• Workers’ Compensation or Civil Liability. If you are an employee of a company, then you will generally have a right to file a claim for workers’ compensation. However, if your injury was caused by someone other than your employer or a coworker, then you may have a separate claim against the third party who caused your injuries. These at times conflicting and simultaneous actions can require a great deal of skill and experience on the part of your construction accident attorney.

How Can an Attorney Help with a Dothan Construction Accident Claim?

By working closely with a compassionate and caring attorney from the beginning of your case, you are in a better position to understand your case and seek maximum compensation for your medical bills and other expenses. At Gartlan Injury Law, we help those in Dothan, AL, and surrounding areas by:

• Reviewing the Facts of Your Case. First, we begin by carefully investigating your case to make sure all potential insurance policies, defendants, and other potential sources of financial compensation are known. Next, we interview witnesses, review medical records, and even discuss your injuries with skilled experts. Our ultimate goal is to make sure all of your injuries are well understood and compensated.
• Engaging in Tough Negotiations. No one should be forced to deal with aggressive insurance adjusters while trying to recuperate from a work injury. If you’ve been hurt on a construction site, you deserve to have an attorney who will handle these negotiations for you.
• Aggressively Litigating Your Case. If negotiations fail, you want to know that your attorney will aggressively fight for you in court. At Gartlan Injury Law, we know that sometimes you have to go to court and take the case to trial to get the justice you deserve. We fight for injured clients every day to make sure that they are compensated for their pain and suffering, medical bills, and more.

What Compensation Is Available for Alabama Construction Injuries?

After a construction accident in Alabama, you can seek compensation for your injuries. This may mean pursuing a settlement with an at-fault third party, or it may mean pursuing a workers’ compensation claim, or both. An experienced Alabama construction accident lawyer can help you understand Alabama workplace injury law.

Depending on the circumstances and the type of claim, you may be able to recover money for:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages and income
• Future lost income and wages
• Medical expenses

• Future anticipated medical costs
• Adaptive devices
• Lost enjoyment of life
• Emotional distress

Wrongful Death Claims. If you lost a close relative in a construction accident, you may have a claim for wrongful death. This is a type of lawsuit where you seek compensation for the loss of your loved one. In these cases, the surviving spouse, children, family member, or other close relatives may be able to seek compensation for:

• Lost financial support
• Lost emotional support

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Final medical expenses

What are Some Common Types of Alabama Construction Accidents?

Among the many types of injury-causing incidents on construction sites, there are some that seem to occur more often than others. Common accidents typically include:

• Falling objects and debris
• Power tool injuries
• Car and truck accidents
• Head and eye traumas
• Traumatic brain injuries/concussions
• Falls from heights
• Slip/trip and fall injuries

• Chemical exposures and burns
• Electrocutions
• Amputations
• Back injuries from lifting or straining
• Puncture wounds or deep lacerations
• Broken bones
• Spinal cord injuries

Deaths are tragically not uncommon in more severe cases. Many times a victim will suffer for days or even weeks after a serious injury, before finally succumbing to their injuries. When this happens, there may be multiple legal options for seeking compensation for the person’s injuries and death.

How Long Do You Have to File a Construction Accident Claim in Alabama?

In general, you have just 2 years to bring a lawsuit against the responsible party for your injuries in an Alabama construction accident. This date runs from the date of your injury. If a person dies from injuries, then the loved ones will typically have 2 years from the date of death to bring a lawsuit. This is known as the Statute of Limitations. There are a few narrow exceptions that can make this time period longer, depending on the circumstances. Consider the following:

• Statute of Limitations Tolling. When the injured person is under 18 or under some form of legal impairment (in a coma, dementia, etc.), then the statute of limitations may not begin running until that legal disability or impairment is lifted. A construction site accident lawyer can help you understand whether this type of situation applies to your case.
• If You Didn’t Know About the Injury Right Away. While a straightforward injury like a fall is clear, there are times when a victim may not actually know about an injury right away. For instance, a worker who is exposed to a hazardous chemical may not realize it until months or even years later when diagnosed by a physician. In these situations, the law says the statute of limitations begins running when you knew or should have reasonably known of the injury.

Local Government Claims. When a local municipality is at fault for injuries, the time limit may be much shorter. In some cases, a city or county government may have caused the injuries. Under Alabama law, you have just 6 months to bring a claim against a local municipality for negligence.

There are many different facts that could drastically change your rights and your time limit. Don’t take chances or assume that you know who will ultimately be held accountable. Call Gartlan Injury Law today to schedule a free consultation. By meeting with an experienced injury lawyer, you can ensure that you don’t miss any important deadlines and figure out who may be responsible for paying your claim.

What Should I Do If the Company Says the Accident Was My Fault?

It is very common for insurance companies and large construction industry companies to argue that a victim is to blame for his or her own injuries. This is known as contributory negligence. Alabama has perhaps the most draconian and harsh rules for dealing with shared liability.

In the vast majority of states, when the plaintiff is partly to blame for the injuries, he or she merely has their recovery reduced by their share of the blame. For instance, if a plaintiff is 10% liable for causing an injury, he or she would still be able to recover in most states, but the recovery would be reduced by 10%. Unfortunately, Alabama applies a strict contributory negligence theory, meaning if the plaintiff shares any responsibility for an injury, then it can bar any recovery. This is why defendants almost always look for a way to blame the victim, even where it’s practically absurd to do so.

Fortunately, there is hope. With the assistance of a skilled trial lawyer, most juries are savvy enough to understand this rule when it is explained to them. Having an experienced construction injury lawyer by your side ensures that the insurance companies will know that if it does not pay you fairly for your injury, a jury may side with you and find the defendant 100% to blame.

It’s also important to remember that fault is not a factor in most workers’ compensation claims.

What Should I Do After a Construction Accident?

After a serious construction injury, there will be a lot of medical bills, and you’ll probably lose time from work. This can put a huge financial strain on any family. Even worse, you can expect aggressive tactics and phone calls from insurance claims adjusters looking for a way out of paying a claim. They will call with intrusive questions about your health, your background, your criminal record, and even your marriage. They do this in an attempt to gather evidence against you and to intimidate you into accepting a settlement early before you even know the extent of your injuries.

Knowing this, here are a few things you should do after a construction accident.

• Get Medical Attention Right Away. Remember that ultimately your health is more important than anything. If you are injured, don’t try to “tough it out.” If you have a spinal cord injury, for example, waiting could make your condition much worse. Go straight to the emergency room and seek medical care. This does two things. First, it makes sure you get the help you need by ensuring proper and timely medical treatment. Second, it establishes that your injury is serious and allows you to receive the proper diagnosis. This will help to reduce the chance of a defense argument regarding whether your injury was related to the accident.
• Hire a Lawyer. Before you ever speak to an insurance representative or risk manager for a construction company, call and hire your own attorney.
• Do Not Speak to Insurance Adjusters. There is no reason for you to receive a phone call from an insurance company once you have an attorney. If they are calling you, rest assured they are up to no good.
• Do Not Sign the Paperwork. Unless your attorney reviews it and advises you to sign, never sign anything for the insurance company or a construction company.
• Stay Off Social Media. Many people have destroyed their own cases by going online and posting images of themselves after an injury or making statements in a public forum. These could be taken out of context and twisted to show that your injuries are not so bad. It’s best to simply stay off of social media altogether while your case is pending.
• Follow Your Doctor’s Recommendations. If your healthcare providers give you specific recommendations, follow them. Do not miss appointments. Finally, make sure that you are keeping your attorney well-informed of your progress and treatments.

Get Help With Your Alabama Construction Accident Case Today

Big construction companies and their commercial insurance companies have deep pockets with many resources. Do not try to take them on alone. For help with your construction accident claim, call the Dothan personal injury lawyers at Gartlan Injury Law today. We know how devastating an injury can be, so we will never ask you to pay for a consultation, and we will never make you pay an attorney fee upfront.

Instead, we advance all the costs of pursuing justice, and we get paid only if we succeed in getting you compensation for your injuries. Call us today to schedule your own free initial case consultation with a construction accident lawyer.

Contact Our Alabama Workplace Injury Law Offices