If you work in the construction industry, a lot of people will give you the advice to have a construction accident lawyer on hold in case you need one. But practically no one tells you how to find one and which situations require their assistance. If you are in a similar boat and want to learn the how and when of a construction accident lawyer, then this article is for you.
How can you find the right construction accident lawyer?
Finding the perfect lawyer is difficult, as you want to have the contact information of a New York Construction Accident Lawyer before you get into an accident. But you don’t know about the type of issues you are going to face until you get into an accident. So, a general rule of thumb is to hire someone who has experience dealing with cases that you can find yourself in. For example, if you work in the materials department of a construction site, you need to hire someone who has experience dealing with accidents caused by construction materials. If you work a lot on scaffolding and harnesses, then a lawyer experienced in falling accidents is your best option.
When do you need to hire a construction accident lawyer?
There are many scenarios that demand the presence of someone who can handle the legal side of an accident.
When you get injured in an accident:
This is the most obvious one. If you get injured during an accident, you want someone to present your compensation case in court. You need a construction accident lawyer so that they can gather the necessary evidence and file a claim on your behalf. Another reason is dealing with insurance. Negotiating with the insurance on your own is a guaranteed way of getting ripped off by them. In contrast, the lawyer will know how to ensure that you get the maximum possible insurance payment.
When some equipment gets damaged:
Whether you were injured during the accident or not, if some equipment got damaged, you can be sure that the construction business will be sending lawyers and claims against you. They don’t care if the accident was your fault or not. You could just be standing near the equipment when it broke down, not even interacting with it. They will still try to get money out of you.
A construction accident lawyer will be helpful in this situation to provide you legal cover and shield you from any unfair claim filed against you.
Safety protocols are being violated:
Hiring a construction accident lawyer does not require an accident to happen; you can also hire them to report health code and safety protocol violations. This will not only save the lives of you and your fellow workers from a terrible accident, but you can also get compensated if the violation had a direct effect on you. Getting back to the previous example, if you have to work in harnesses a lot, and the ones provided by the contractor are not up to standard, you can file a report.