Construction accidents can cause severe and fatal injuries to workers and bystanders. Victims may endure financial losses and suffer significant physical, mental, and emotional consequences, all because of another party’s negligent actions.
If someone else’s careless, reckless, or wrongful behavior hurt you or your loved one at a construction site, a Dearborn personal injury lawyer with Christensen Law will help you get back on your feet. We will protect you and your future by fighting to ensure a liable party pays for your damages – not you or your family. Call us today or complete our online request form to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Our Construction Accident Attorneys Will Seek Maximum Compensation
Construction sites and work zones are dangerous places. Inherent hazards include heavy machinery, scaffolding, toxic materials, electricity, and large trucks, any one of which could hurt a construction worker or bystander.
When injuries occur, those responsible should pay for the resulting damages. If you or your loved one’s construction accident happened because of negligence or wrongdoing, our law firm will fight to recover full and fair compensation for your losses.
Financial awards may include the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Current and future medical treatment, including ambulance transportation, emergency services, hospital and doctor fees, medications, mobility aids and medical equipment, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and long-term nursing
- Pain and suffering, including mental anguish, chronic and physical pain, severe injury and disability, disfigurement and scarring, emotional distress, diminished quality of life, and loss of enjoyment
- Lost income, including wages, employment benefits, and lost future earning capacity if you cannot return to work
- Miscellaneous expenses, including household services, medically necessary home and vehicle modifications, and medical travel costs
If your loved one passed away due to their construction accident injury, our wrongful death lawyers will pursue compensation for their estate and survivors. Damages may include funeral and burial expenses, medical bills from the accident, loss of your loved one’s income and future income, and loss of your family member’s services and companionship.
We Aggressively Pursue Financial Justice
Christensen Law spares no resources when it comes to getting justice for our clients. We value recovering compensation that satisfies all of your needs, and we will not hesitate to take legal action to get the money you need. We prepare every case as though it is headed for trial.
Our aggressive approach and 30-plus years of legal experience have led our firm to achieve record-setting awards, including Michigan’s largest-ever personal injury verdict. Our case results include the following:
- $17.8 million for a woman who suffered brain and spinal injuries in a rear-end collision involving a cement truck
- $4.55 million for the family of a cable technician who suffered a fatal electrocution injury
- $2.25 million for a man injured by falling concrete from an overpass
- $1.6 million for a man who suffered a back injury during a collision with a gravel truck
We Focus Our Services on Your Needs
We know that injury victims don’t just need compensation. They need support and a listening ear. We want to hear your story so we understand what you are going through and how we can help you and your family. Our commitment to service shines through in our many positive client testimonials, like the following:
“If you require excellent, courteous, and professional legal services, this is the firm you want!!! Without a doubt.” – J. Hawkins
“Christensen Law…is an awesome law firm. They were knowledgeable about my situation, responsive, and supportive. The staff worked together and were available to answer questions. Most importantly, I felt they were ethical and responsible.” – Wendy Henn
Learn more about how we will advocate for you during a free consultation. Call Christensen Law or submit an online request to connect with our Dearborn construction accident lawyers today.
Common Construction Injury Causes
According to a report from the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity and other government agencies, 3,500 nonfatal construction accident injuries and 100 construction-related occupation illnesses occurred in the state in 2022. Common causes of injury include the following:
- Slips and falls
- Falls from heights
- Struck-by/against accidents
- Caught-in/between accidents
- Construction truck accidents
- Excavation accidents
- Electrocutions
- Fires and explosions
- Dangerous scaffolding
- Failure to implement or follow safety regulations
- Exposure to toxic substances, hazardous materials, and loud noises
We handle claims involving catastrophic injuries. We know how to recover financial resources for victims suffering from the following:
- Brain injuries and head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck, back, and shoulder injuries
- Broken bones
- Loss of a limb
- Loss of mobility or paralysis
- Loss of hearing, sight, or speech
- Burn injuries
- Organ damage
If you have multiple injuries or injuries not listed above, we can still help you prove negligence and fight for what you are owed.
We Handle Work Zone Collision Claims
Roadside construction can confuse and distract drivers, resulting in car accidents that harm workers and vehicle occupants. The Michigan Department of Transportation reports that more than 7,400 work zone crashes happened in 2022, resulting in nearly 2,000 injuries and 23 deaths.
If your construction accident involved a motor vehicle collision, we will help you with a No-Fault insurance claim or seek compensation through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MACP) if applicable. Once we exhaust the available personal injury protection (PIP) benefits, our Dearborn construction accident lawyers will explore your options for seeking damages from a liable party.
Proving Construction Accident Liability
Liability for your injury and damages will depend on the cause of your construction accident. Potentially liable parties may include the following:
- A general contractor
- A subcontractor
- A job-site manager or supervisor
- An architect or project designer
- A construction truck driver
- A heavy machinery operator
- A property owner
- A government entity
To prove liability, you must show that the at-fault party’s careless, reckless, or wrongful actions caused your accident. Our legal team will do this by establishing the following four elements of negligence:
- Duty of care. We will show that the liable party had a legal obligation to act in a manner that protects your safety and prevents causing harm. For example, general contractors have a duty to ensure that subcontractors they hire have proper training and licenses. Construction site managers have a duty to ensure the workplace is safe.
- Breach of duty. A breach of duty occurs when the liable party fails to act with reasonable care. A breach may include any violation of the law or a failure to uphold construction industry standards.
- Causation. Caution links the at-fault party’s actions to your injury. We will use evidence, such as eyewitness testimony, surveillance footage, and accident reports, to prove that the liable party’s behavior was the direct or proximate cause of your accident.
- Damages. Damages are the proof that the at-fault party’s actions led to financial losses and physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering.
Understanding Michigan’s Comparative Fault Laws
Michigan’s comparative fault laws will affect construction accident liability. According to Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.2959, if the court assigns you fault for your injury, your economic damages will get reduced by that percentage. Therefore, if you win $100,000 but are 20 percent liable, your awards will drop to $80,000.
If you are more than 50 percent at fault, you may still be able to recover economic losses, but you cannot pursue non-economic compensation. Insurance companies know the law, so these rules will also influence your claims.
Because blaming you will reduce their clients’ financial responsibility, insurance companies and opposing counsel will often look to pin your accident on you. Our legal team will defend you from these types of allegations and prove you deserve full compensation.
What is the Construction Accident Statute of Limitations?
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.5805 allows three years to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. If your construction accident involved a vehicle collision and you must sue for PIP benefits, you have one year, according to Michigan Compiled Laws § 500.3145.
If the statute of limitations for your legal issue expires, the court will likely throw out your case, even if you have solid proof of negligence. Deadlines will also affect your insurance claims because if you cannot take legal action, the insurance company has no incentive to offer you a fair settlement.
Can You Sue Your Employer for a Construction Injury?
Most employers in Michigan must carry workers’ compensation insurance. This coverage provides medical, wage, and death benefits for work accidents. If your employer has workers’ comp, you usually cannot sue them for a personal injury. However, you may still have a claim or lawsuit against a negligent third party. Our Dearborn construction accident attorneys will review your case and tell you more about your legal options.
Call Christensen Law About Your Injury Claim
You can enlist the help of an experienced full-service law firm today. Call Christensen Law or complete our online request form to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
Our construction accident attorneys serving Dearborn, MI, take cases on contingency, meaning you owe nothing upfront or out-of-pocket for our services. We are so confident in our ability to get justice that we assume the financial risk. You pay us only if and when we obtain compensation for your personal injury.
