Chicago Construction Accident Lawyer | Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys

A construction accident can cause devastating injuries that leave you partially or permanently disabled. This can lead to expensive medical bills, lost income, and chronic pain.

If you’re an injured construction worker in Chicago, Illinois, you may be entitled to compensation for your accident-related losses. Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys can help you determine your options, whether you’re eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim, third-party lawsuit, or both.

Our Chicago construction accident lawyers have decades of combined legal experience fighting for injured workers and victims. We can help you navigate the legal process and secure the compensation you need after your construction site accident.

Our law firm handles all types of personal injury cases, including pedestrian accidents, nursing home abuse cases, L-Train mass transit accidents, Chicago premises liability cases, Chicago slip and fall accidents, workplace accidents, and more.

We’re available 24/7, so contact our law office in Chicago by calling (312) 726-1616. You can schedule a free consultation with a top-rated Chicago personal injury lawyer to discuss your construction accident case.

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How Can an Attorney Help Me After a Construction Accident in Chicago, IL?

Most Illinois employers must purchase workers’ compensation insurance to cover injured employees. However, the process of receiving benefits isn’t always straightforward. You must adhere to specific rules, forms, and deadlines. Additionally, the insurance company may unreasonably deny your benefits or delay your payments.

When you're struggling with painful injuries, it’s difficult to deal with a new, complex administrative system. Our construction accident lawyers in Chicago routinely handle workers’ compensation cases. We can guide you every step of the way, allowing you to focus on your physical healing.

If you hire Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys for assistance with your construction injury claim, we’ll:

Investigate the circumstances of your construction accident to identify all options for compensation
Collect the necessary evidence to prove your case
Communicate with the construction company and their insurer on your behalf
Protect your right to full and fair benefits and damages
Monitor all deadlines and submit all filings and documentation in a timely manner
Represent you in all administrative hearings and court proceedings

Contact our Chicago personal injury attorneys to discuss your construction accident and legal options. Your initial consultation is free, and there’s no obligation to hire us.

How Common Are Construction Site Accidents in Illinois?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 4,300 construction-related accidents caused injuries or illnesses in Illinois in 2021. That’s nearly 12 construction injuries per day. Sadly, those accidents resulted in 19 fatalities.

Specialty trade contractors accounted for 84% of the Illinois construction industry’s fatal accidents.

What Causes Construction Accidents in Chicago, IL?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported the following as the most frequently cited safety violations in the construction industry in 2021:

Failure to provide adequate fall protection
Unsafe ladder and scaffolding usage, such as failure to follow safety requirements
An employer’s failure to provide fall prevention training
Failure to provide necessary eye and face protection

OSHA’s “fatal four” – or the construction hazards that cause the most fatalities – include:

Falls from heights, such as ladders
Electrocution
Struck-by objects, such as falling building materials on a job site
Caught-in/between objects

Other common types of construction accidents include:

Trip and fall accidents
Slip and fall accidents
Motor vehicle collisions
Defective equipment and machinery
Explosions
Forklift accidents
Excavation accidents
Exposure to harmful chemicals
Workplace violence

Our personal injury lawyers in Chicago will investigate the cause of your construction accident to determine the potential avenues for recovery.

How Do I Recover Compensation After a Construction Accident in Chicago, IL?

Illinois law requires nearly all employers to provide workers’ compensation coverage, with very few exceptions.

This gives injured construction workers the right to obtain compensation for their work-related injuries and illnesses. You should be eligible for benefits if you were injured in whole or part due to your construction work. You’re covered from the moment your employment begins.

However, as we explain below, workers’ comp benefits are limited.

In some cases, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim against a third party, such as a negligent:

Driver
Contractor
Manufacturer of defective equipment
Property owner
Government entity
Engineer

This will give you more options for financial recovery for your construction site injury.

What Is Covered By Workers’ Compensation in Illinois?

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act provides the following benefits to people who are injured in the course of their employment:

All reasonable medical benefits, including emergency care, hospital treatment, doctor visits, surgery, medication, physical therapy, and more
Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits covering ⅔ of your average weekly wage until you’re able to return to work
Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits if you’re working light duty due to an injury
Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits if you lost a body part or the use of a body part
Permanent total disability (PTD) benefits if you permanently lost your hands, feet, legs, arms, eyes or suffered a complete disability and cannot work
Vocational rehabilitation benefits for job searches, training, and education
Death benefits for surviving family members of a deceased worker

Check if your employer has a Preferred Provider Program (PPP). If they do, you may need to select a medical provider from their network, or you’ll be responsible for your expenses.

Note that there are statewide caps on the disability benefits you can receive.

What Damages Can I Recover in an Illinois Personal Injury Case?

In a Chicago personal injury case, you can recover economic and non-economic damages for the full extent of your losses, including:

All medical bills
Future medical expenses for ongoing care
All lost wages and job benefits
Diminished earning potential
Pain and suffering
Out-of-pocket expenses
Inconvenience
Mental anguish
Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Reduced enjoyment of life
Loss of companionship

Our personal injury attorneys in Chicago will evaluate the facts of your construction accident to see if you qualify to file a third-party claim.

How Much Money Can I Receive in a Chicago Construction Accident Case?

The value of your Chicago construction accident claim will depend on various factors.

For example, in an Illinois workers’ comp case, the following will dictate your benefits:

Your pre-injury weekly wages
The severity of your injuries
The level of disability
Your recovery time
The cost of your medical treatment

If you have a third-party claim, other factors may come into play in addition to the ones above, such as:

All the ways your construction injuries affect you, including your quality of life
Whether you share fault for the incident
The total value of your past lost wages and future reduced earning capacity
The physical pain and emotional trauma you’ve endured

Our Chicago construction accident attorneys will help you determine what your case is worth and fight for maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.

Can I Sue My Employer If I Got Hurt on a Chicago Construction Site?

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. Employees do not have to prove fault or negligence, and they can receive benefits even if they’re partially responsible for their accident.

In exchange, workers forfeit their right to sue their employer for damages. So, if you receive workers’ comp benefits, you’re barred from suing your employer.

However, there are rare exceptions. For example, if your employer doesn’t have the requisite coverage or they intentionally injure you, you may reserve the right to file suit against them.

Common Injuries Sustained By Construction Workers on Job Sites

Construction sites are dangerous places to work, and accidents can result in various injuries.

At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, we can help no matter what type of construction accident injury you or a family member has sustained, including but not limited to:

Back injury
Broken bones and fractures
Traumatic brain injury
Spinal cord damage
Repetitive stress injury
Crushing injury
Amputation and loss of limbs
Chest injury
Burns
Neck injury
Internal organ damage
Blindness or eye injury
Hearing loss
Paralysis
Soft tissue injury
Occupational disease
Illness from exposure to toxic chemicals or substances
Wrongful death

Our construction accident attorneys in Chicago understand that you may struggle with bills after an on-the-job injury. We’ll take on your legal battle, allowing you to rest and heal.

How Long Do I Have To File a Construction Accident Claim in Illinois?

If you were injured on a construction site in Illinois, you should notify your employer as soon as possible, but not later than 45 days from the accident. You may have an extended notice period in some instances, such as if you were exposed to radiation.

Failure to provide proper notice could result in a denial of workers’ compensation benefits. You should also follow your employer’s guidelines, such as submitting a written Report of Injury.

You must file a claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission within three years from the date of injury. Different deadlines may apply for certain occupational diseases or employee death.

If you’re filing a third-party personal injury case, you have two years from the construction accident date under the Illinois statute of limitations.

You'll lose your right to compensation if you fail to file your workers’ comp claim or personal injury lawsuit within the applicable deadline.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Chicago Construction Injury Attorneys

Are you a construction accident victim in Chicago, IL? If so, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses by filing a lawsuit or workers' comp claim. The legal team at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys will be your strongest advocate in fighting for the recovery you deserve.

Contact our Chicago construction injury lawyers today for a free case assessment to learn more about your options and legal rights.