Did you know that there are more than 130 million workers at more than 8 million worksites around the United States? About 20% of the worker fatalities were in construction, with falls being the most common reason.
Even though workplaces and construction sites are much safer than they were even 20 years back, there’s still a long way to go in terms of ensuring worker safety. If you have been involved in a construction work accident recently and are dealing with a workplace injury, then you shouldn’t go at it alone.
Hire a construction accident lawyer to help you fight your case against your negligent employer. Read on to learn more about how to choose the best construction accident attorney for your specific needs.
Figure Out What Exactly Is Your Legal Issue
Every construction accident is going to be unique and have its own set of associated problems and issues. No two case is going to be treated the same by the courts.
That’s why you will need to do some work to figure out what your legal issue is. This is necessary because every construction accident attorney out there will specialize in a different set of workplace injuries or work accidents.
Some questions you can ask yourself are:
- Was your accident due to a defective product?
- Or was it due to assault on a construction site?
- Or due to negligence from an employer to give you proper protective gear?
- How severe is your workplace injury?
- Are you being denied workers’ compensation?
The answers to these questions will give you more of an idea of what kind of construction accident attorney to search for.
Research Online and Find a Shortlist of Construction Accident Attorneys
Now you are ready to do some research online. There are thousands of attorneys in the United States and sometimes it can feel like you are searching for a needle in a haystack when you try to find one that fits your needs.
But with the questions you asked above, you have a clearer idea of what kind of accident lawyer you are searching for.
Some accident lawyers specialize in medical injuries, others specialize in defective product lawsuits, and yet others specialize in construction site injuries. That’s why you will need to do some Googling to find construction accident attorneys that have expertise in what you specifically need.
You can also get referrals for accident lawyers from friends, family members, colleagues, or other people around you. If you have a local state bar association, you can call them and ask them for referrals to an accident lawyer.
Once you have a shortlist of accident lawyers (5-10 max), you are ready to book your initial consultations. Don’t only trust your mind when it comes to making this decision, but also your gut. It will lead you right.
You must do all this due diligence because you are working to build a relationship with this accident lawyer. You are going to work with them for a few months or years to come. Accident lawsuits are not resolved in a matter of days or weeks.
You will want to find someone that you find trustworthy and reliable and someone with whom you can be open and honest. Your accident lawyer will need to know all the details of your accident exactly.
No fibbing or fudging with them – that won’t help your case at all. Even if there are embarrassing details that you are afraid to share with them, avoid lying to them or withholding information from them at all costs. It will only adversely affect you and your case in the long run and it could even result in a failed lawsuit if the opposing party uses that information against you.
Ask Them About Their Previous Experiences and Investigate Them Further
In the initial consultations, you will want to ask your shortlisted lawyers for more information on their particular experiences. Inquire if they have dealt with construction accident cases like yours. Inform them of what your injury is all about and how you wish to get compensation (and what kind of compensation you desire).
Also, ask them what kind of compensation were they able to get for similar cases like yours previously. You can also request them for some customer reviews or testimonials from previous clients, so you can feel more reassured about their skills.
Let them explain to you what measures they will take to ensure that your case is successful and what action plan they will set up to fight for you.
Find Your Construction Accident Lawyer and Work with Them
After all this work, you should have a good idea of the construction accident attorney that you want to work with. At this point, you should have built up a good working relationship with them and they will have insight into your story and situation in exact measures.
Remember that your attorney is always going to be on your side – they are rooting for you and fighting your battle for you. They are also under an oath of confidentiality with you so they will not reveal anything you say to them, no matter what.
Let your accident lawyer become that friend, confidant, and the person that fights in your corner, by giving them all the information that they might need.
Don’t Delay When You Have a Work Accident
When you first get a workplace injury, time is of the essence. If possible, do not delay for even a single day. Start moving through the steps listed above as soon as you can, and start your search for the best construction accident lawyer for you.
If you are still searching for a construction accident attorney who can help you and you are located in the Brooklyn area of New York, contact Ozeri Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyers for strong representation that’s ready to fight for you and your rights. We offer a free case-worth evaluation so you have nothing to lose.
