Construction Accident Lawyer in West Tampa

Construction work involves many dangers. Workers use heavy equipment and power tools, often while standing on unstable platforms. Even with the best safety procedures, people can easily get hurt. And when safety procedures are lax, someone is almost certain to get hurt. Common injuries on construction sites occur when workers

• Fall from scaffolding or roofs
• Are struck by debris
• Trip over loose equipment or supplies
• Are cut or gored by power equipment
• Are run over or struck by a vehicle
• Inhale a toxic substance
• Get sprayed by a caustic substance

There is basically no such thing as being mildly cut by a bandsaw or only slightly burned by a blowtorch. Usually, an accident with power equipment results in a major injury that requires immediate treatment. A delay of even hours could result in permanent disability, so it is important to go to the emergency room the moment you are injured.

If you are worried about whether you can pay for the treatment, that is where the West Tampa, FL, construction accident lawyers at Morgan and Morgan will step in. 

We focus on construction accident cases and know how to quickly get you the money you need to pay for your recovery. Let us worry about dealing with the insurance company. All you need to do is follow the instructions of your doctors and heal as quickly as possible.

One of the few advantages of a construction site accident is that it is easy to determine who should pay for an injury. In almost every case, the insurance company for the construction company is liable for paying for medical treatment. This removes one of the hurdles with any injury case.

Similarly, you aren’t likely to have your claim denied, assuming you were following workplace safety procedures. It is almost always obvious that a person was injured on the job when they receive a construction accident injury.

The big fight is usually over how much compensation you will receive. Insurance companies will often try to pay much less on a claim than the person needs to recover. And there are several ways that an insurance company can undervalue your claim, such as:

• Estimating the cost of treatment rather than compensating for the actual cost
• Denying specific procedures, even if your doctor believes they are necessary
• Paying for the initial treatment but not for the required follow-up treatment
• Refusing to pay for treatment from specific doctors or hospitals

Attorneys from Morgan & Morgan are familiar with these tactics and know how to challenge them, both in and out of court. We will always fight to get you as much money as possible, as quickly as possible. The insurance company may not want to pay, but it would rather negotiate a fair settlement than go to trial.

It is one thing to be injured on the job when all safety procedures are being followed. It is quite another to be injured on the job because your workplace was ignoring state or federal safety regulations. 

In the first case, you should be compensated for the injury but not much more. In the second case, though, you should be compensated for your injury and also receive punitive damages.

When reckless policies directly result in your injuries, the court will often award much higher damages if you win a lawsuit. Morgan & Morgan attorneys will collect evidence of that malfeasance and use it to win you a big award or negotiate a large settlement. 

This money won’t end your pain or suffering, but it can help you recover more quickly and create a better life for you after you recover.

Most construction accidents involve only workers, but not all of them. Sometimes careless or reckless behavior at a construction site will result in harm to individuals who don’t work at the site. For example, poorly secured scaffolding can fall and harm you while you are passing by a construction site.

If this happens, the construction site is responsible for your injuries, just as it would be if you were a worker injured on the job. You can receive compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, and possibly other expenses, depending on the severity of your injuries.

As soon as you hire an accident lawyer, your attorney will immediately take over all communications with the insurance company. 

Insurance companies will use any excuse to pay you as little as possible, and anything you say can be used against you. Even a seemingly innocent conversation can be used as evidence that you aren’t as injured as you are claiming or that you deserve less money than you do. 

If your lawyer is involved in all communications with the insurance company, you will be protected from accidentally making a statement that will hurt your case.

Your attorney will also begin an independent investigation of the accident. Insurance company investigators are likely to ignore evidence that supports your case. An attorney working for your best interests will uncover that evidence and present it to the insurance company. That evidence becomes the basis of negotiations.

Once evidence is collected, negotiations are usually reasonably quick. Your attorney will negotiate for the highest possible amount of compensation you can get, taking into account all costs and expenses resulting from your injury. These calculations also include estimated future costs and expenses, based on data from other people who have suffered similar injuries.

In almost all cases, insurance companies will agree to a fair settlement offer after being presented with compelling evidence. The amount of money you get might not be what you hope for, but your attorney will never recommend you take the settlement offer unless it is fair and unlikely to increase.

If the insurance company refuses to agree to a fair settlement or you refuse to accept the settlement, your West Tampa accident attorney will take the case to trial. 

A trial could take years to complete, but if it turns out in your favor, you could end up getting a significant award. This is a risky proposition — especially in Florida, which has business-friendly laws—but sometimes it is the best option.

Since you were injured on the job, you should be eligible for workers’ compensation. This will replace your wages while you are out of work due to injury. However, if you accept workers’ compensation, you are surrendering your right to sue.

You should speak to West Tampa, FL, construction accident lawyers from Morgan and Morgan before accepting workers’ compensation. If you have a good case, it might be better to file a lawsuit than to accept payment.

The first thing you should do is speak to an attorney. If your injury involved recklessness or negligence, a construction accident attorney might be able to get you a large settlement or trial award that will support you for the rest of your life.

Additionally, Morgan & Morgan attorneys can also help you file for disability insurance. Filing for disability insurance is surprisingly complicated. A lawyer will ease you through the red tape and can speed up the process.

Yes. Even if you were not injured, if your property was damaged in a construction accident, you are eligible for compensation. Road construction, in particular, can cause accidents or damage to your vehicle. Take lots of pictures of your car and the construction site and then call a construction accident attorney immediately.

This is a complicated question. If you are injured in another state and the company you work for is based in Florida, you probably need lawyers who practice in that state and lawyers who practice in West Tampa. 

Conveniently, Morgan and Morgan has law offices in every state in the country. When our attorneys evaluate your case, we will determine which states your lawyers need to practice in and assign appropriate attorneys to your case.

At Morgan & Morgan, we know how devastating a construction accident can be. We’ve seen construction workers who have lost limbs or been struck blind due to accidents. And while we can’t restore their physical health, we can get them the money they need to live the best life possible after a life-altering accident. 

If you’ve been seriously injured in a West Tampa construction accident, contact us today to get a free case evaluation from lawyers who care.