Construction work is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. Construction workers are more likely to be injured on the job than workers in any other industry, according to the federal government.

What will it mean when you are injured on the job?

If you are injured, you will face medical bills that may be difficult to pay, a painful recovery period, lengthy rehabilitation, and lost income because you can't work.

If you have been injured in a construction accident, contact the construction accident attorneys at Rosen & Rosen. We are experienced in investigating the causes of South Florida construction accidents and getting fair compensation for our injured clients in Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Aventura, Hallandale, North Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Cooper City, and Dania Beach. Call us at (954) 981-1852, or contact our injury lawyers online for a free consultation.

The tools, ladders, scaffolding and heavy machinery used at construction sites put workers at great risk for accidents.  The leading causes of construction site accidents are:

• Scaffolding accidents
• Crane and hoist accidents
• Roof and ladder falls
• Falling debris or equipment
• Electrical hazards or chemical leaks, causing shocks, fires or explosions that can result in serious burns
• Accidents involving fork-lifts, bulldozers or backhoes
• Lift equipment failure

These hazards have contributed to some frightening construction accident statistics in Florida:

• In FL, nearly 1 in every 20 construction workers suffered a workplace injury, and 1.7 of every 100 full time equivalent workers lost time from work as a result of an injury in 2007.
• Framing contractors have a particularly dangerous trade in Florida: 2.6 of every 100 full-time equivalent workers lost time from work as a result of an injury at work.

If you're injured on a construction site, while in the "course or scope of employment" and your employer or the contractor(s) who contracted with your employer carry workers' compensation insurance, then workers' compensation will pay for a percentage of your lost wages and all of your related medical bills. Unfortunately, workers' compensation rarely provides enough money to pay for all of your damages. Things like pain and suffering and aggravation just aren't an "element" of damages under Florida workers' compensation law. Routinely, claims are denied or only partly covered, which creates an additional burden on an employee already suffering from a workplace accident.

While Florida workers' compensation law bars you from suing your employer for negligence, there are exceptions. For example, if your employer did not carry workers' compensation insurance, you could then have an "election of remedies" and proceed in either the civil or workers' compensation system. Also, if your injuries were caused by someone other than your employer or a co-employee, such as the property owner, possibly even another subcontractor or an independent third-party, you may be able to file a civil law suit against that person or company, while still maintaining a workers' compensation case against your employer. A civil law suit, unlike workers' compensation, could provide additional money over and above what workers' compensation will pay, including money for pain and suffering, lost wages, and lost health care benefits.

How should you proceed after a construction site accident to best protect your rights?

To get the compensation you deserve, you need an experienced construction accident lawyer on your side. At Rosen & Rosen, we have decades of experience in investigating South Florida workplace accidents, establishing a record of disability, and fighting for injured construction workers. Call the construction injury lawyers of Rosen & Rosen today at (954) 981-1852, or contact our Hollywood personal injury attorneys online for a free consultation. We help injured clients in Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Aventura, Hallandale, North Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Cooper City, and Dania Beach and throughout South Florida.