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Peoria Construction Accident Lawyer

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$450+ Million Recovered



Legally Reviewed by:

Jonathan Rosenfeld

J.D

  • Over $450 Million worth of case results

  • Awarded The Best Lawyer in 2024 by U.S. News

  • Nationally Recognized in Legal Community

The Peoria-Bloomington metropolitan construction industry employs over 1,800 construction workers [1], making it one of the largest construction hubs in the state. Construction is one of the most dangerous sectors of the market, and it has only grown more dangerous in recent years: the fatality rate rose from 9.4 fatal accidents per 100,000 workers in 2021 to 9.6 fatalities per 100,000 in 2022 [2]. 

If you’ve been injured during the course of your employment, you need a Peoria construction accident lawyer who can help you recover compensation for your difficult recovery period.

What to Do After a Construction Accident in Peoria

After workplace accidents, it’s critical that you ensure your safety and protect your legal interests. Not only will this prevent you from suffering complications, but it will also help bolster your case should you pursue compensation. Follow these steps after an accident on a construction site. 

Seek Medical Attention

Construction site accidents can cause severe injuries, so it’s important you get medical treatment right away. Take appropriate safety measures to prevent further injury, then call an ambulance and get a full examination. 

Notify Your Employer

After you have received medical care for your construction accident injury, your next call is to your supervisor, who must notify the state whenever a construction accident occurs. 

You must notify your employer within 45 days of a workplace accident in order to ensure you can file a workers’ compensation claim. They will need to file an incident report to notify the workers’ compensation board that an injury happened and describe its particulars. 

Collect Evidence

Understanding exactly how construction accidents happen is crucial to personal injury claims. To that end, take pictures of the construction site, preferably in exactly the same state as when the injury happened. Take note of dangerous equipment, unsecured ledges, and uneven surfaces. 

You should also take pictures of your injury, both right after the accident and during your recovery.

Contact a Peoria Construction Accident Lawyer

When construction injuries occur, the insurance company will do everything they can to diminish your workers’ compensation benefits. If you intend to file a third-party personal injury claim, that insurance company may try to get you to admit fault so they can deny it.

These legal pitfalls mean you need to call a Peoria construction accident attorney before speaking to any third party, as this will give you the best possible chance at compensation. 

Why Choose Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers?

Jonathan Rosenfeld Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer

Having our Peoria construction accident attorneys on your side can mean the difference between fair compensation for your workplace injury and receiving low offers from insurance companies. We have the skills and resources necessary to carefully investigate construction site injuries, relying on occupational safety experts and medical professionals who can support your claims. 

Workers’ compensation claims can be quite complicated, and insurance companies will do everything possible to diminish their responsibility. We’re familiar with the entire process and can guide you every step of the way. Additionally, our law firm will hold insurance and construction companies accountable for paying your medical bills and lost wages. 

Most Common Types of Peoria Construction Accidents

Construction sites are fast-paced, dangerous places that use heavy machinery, making life-threatening injuries common. 

In the industry, there are four types of accidents, called the “Fatal Four” [3]. These are falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution. These four are some of the most common reasons injury victims come to us for experienced legal representation.

  1. Falls – Falls account for over one-third of all construction accidents [4]. This can be as small as slipping on an uneven surface or falling from a scaffold;
  2. Struck-By – These construction accidents result from being hit by falling debris or being hit by a moving vehicle, such as a forklift. They account for about 17% of all fatalities in construction accidents [5];
  3. Caught-in/Between – About 5.8% of all construction workplace fatalities come from workers being caught inside heavy machinery or crushed between a machine and another surface [6]; 
  4. Electrocution – Construction workers are the most frequent victims of occupational electrocution, and 70% of all electricity-related fatalities happen to non-electricians [7]. 48% of these deaths are the result of working on or near energized wires or parts [8].

Potentially Liable Parties for Construction Accident Damages in Peoria, IL

A Peoria construction site accident is a complex matter that can involve multiple liable parties. Under Illinois law, a variety of individuals and parties can be held accountable for construction accident claims, including:

  • Construction Companies – If you are filing a workers comp claim, you will be doing so against your employer. However, you may instead make a personal injury claim if there is proof the company failed to take the proper safety measures;
  • Subcontractors – Contractors or crew members who did not secure a site or created unsafe conditions, such as removing lockdown/tag-out labels, can be held accountable through third-party negligence;
  • Premises Owners – Our personal injury attorneys can hold property owners accountable under premises liability;
  • Manufacturers – Manufacturers who make unsafe equipment, especially ones lacking appropriate safety controls, or faulty parts;
  • Visitors – If unrelated persons enter the construction site and create unsafe conditions that cause an accident, they may be responsible.

Common Construction Accident Injuries

As the construction industry is very diverse, so too are the types of injuries a worker may face. These are some of the most common construction industry injuries our law office sees:

  • Broken bones
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Head and neck injuries
  • Crush injuries
  • Brain injuries
  • Amputations
  • Burns
  • Disfigurement
  • Death

Workers who suffer construction accident injuries can pursue compensation through several different types of claims depending on the circumstances of the accident. These are some of the most common ones our Peoria law office handles. 

Negligence

In personal injury, negligence is defined as injuries caused by another party failing to uphold their duty of care, meaning they did not act as a reasonable individual would to avoid adverse outcomes. This includes things such as failing to secure a job site, overriding safety protocols, creating fall hazards, or not checking for workers before turning on a machine.

Product Liability

This is when a manufacturer does not produce high-quality, safe products for workers. For example, defects in construction equipment may cause it to backfire, injuring a worker.  Another example is when safety equipment like hard hats breaks, leading to head injuries.

Premises Liability

A construction accident caused by unsafe working conditions can be considered premises liability. This includes things like a lack of railings on catwalks, uneven surfaces, unsecured materials, or poor lighting that makes it difficult to gauge distances, leading to a fall.

Wrongful Death Claim

Any of the above may come into play when a construction worker dies as a result of occupational injuries. A Peoria wrongful death attorney can establish that had the worker not passed away, they would have had a claim under negligence, product liability, or premises liability. 

Where Can You Seek Compensation for a Construction Accident?

Our Peoria construction accident lawyers will help you decide what type of compensation you want to pursue. There are two types: workers’ compensation and a personal injury claim. They will typically be brought against different parties, and sometimes it is not possible to pursue both. 

Workers’ Compensation

A workers’ compensation claim is a claim against your employer’s insurance policy, which is meant to pay for lost wages and medical costs. In Illinois, workers’ compensation is no-fault, meaning if you suffer construction accident injuries, you can pursue compensation even if you were fully or partially to blame. 

Personal Injury Lawsuit

If a third party, such as another employee or a visitor, was the cause of your accident, our Peoria personal injury attorneys can seek compensation from them in addition to your workers’ compensation. This lawsuit will not be against your employer but another individual or organization, whether that is a manufacturer or a subcontractor.

You generally cannot bring both a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury claim against an employer. Our attorneys will help you decide which one is best if your company is wholly or mostly responsible for the accident. 

How Much Is Your Peoria Construction Accident Claim Worth?

Construction Worker Wearing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Fall Arrest Gear

There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to construction accident claims, and there is also no settlement limit. Numerous factors determine how much you can receive. If you suffer severe injuries and incur major medical costs, you will receive more than if you had only minor injuries.

Additionally, if there is clear liability, it will be easier to make a claim for a higher amount. You will generally receive more in a personal injury lawsuit than with workers’ compensation.

The average settlement is around $75,000. However, we have earned millions for our clients, such as:

  • $2,050,000 – A worker fell out of a safety device, fracturing his leg and breaking his elbow;
  •  $1,228,594 – While working on a roof during a storm, the scaffold under the worker broke, fracturing his tibia;
  • $5,000,000 – A man lost permanent use of his hand when it was crushed in a crane he was trying to fix;
  • $2,375,394 – A worker handling heavy equipment fell, causing a herniated disc that can lead to permanent disability. 

Damages a Peoria Construction Accident Attorney Can Help You Recover

For construction accident injuries, there are two types of compensation you can receive: economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages help to offset the cost of treatments and loss of employment, such as:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost earnings
  • Loss of future earning potential
  • Future medical needs
  • Burial expenses for wrongful death

Non-economic damages compensate you for the emotional strain resulting from the accident, such as:

  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Disfigurement
  • Disability
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of companionship

Statute of Limitations for a Construction Accident in Peoria, Illinois

The statute of limitations refers to how long you have to pursue compensation through a court case. As with other personal injury lawsuits, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. 

It is slightly different for a workers’ compensation claim: you have three years from the date of the incident, as sometimes an injury is not immediately apparent.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Construction Accident Lawyer?

Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning we deduct our legal fees from your settlement. You owe us nothing upfront, and you will pay nothing unless we win your case. 

Contact Our Peoria Construction Accident Lawyers Today!

Peoria construction workers deserve to complete projects safely. Those who suffer injuries on construction sites need experienced legal representation to guide them through the process, and we’re here to help.

For a free consultation call our Peoria personal injury attorneys at (888) 424-5757 or contact us online to learn how we can help you get justice for construction accident injuries. 

References: [1] Illinois WorkNet, [2] Construction Dive, [3] Occupational Safety and Health Administration, [4] Centers for Disease Control, [5] Center for Construction Research and Training, [6] Center for Construction Research and Training, [7] Electrical Safety Foundation, [8] Electrical Safety Foundation

Client Reviews

Jonathan Rosenfeld was professionally objective, timely, and knowledgeable. Also, his advice was extremely effective regarding my case. In addition, Jonathan was understanding and patient pertaining to any of my questions or concerns. I was very happy with the end result and I highly recommend Jonathan Rosenfeld.

– Michonne Proulx

Extremely impressed with this law firm. They took control of a bad motorcycle crash that left my uncle seriously injured. Without any guarantee of a financial recovery, they went out and hired accident investigators and engineers to help prove how the accident happened. I am grateful that they worked on a contingency fee basis as there was no way we could have paid for these services on our own.

– Ethan Armstrong

Jonathan Rosenfeld was professionally objective, timely, and knowledgeable. Also, his advice was extremely effective regarding my case. In addition, Jonathan was understanding and patient pertaining to any of my questions or concerns. I was very happy with the end result and I highly recommend Jonathan Rosenfeld.

– Giulia

This lawyer really helped me get compensation for my motorcycle accident case. I know there is no way that I could have gotten anywhere near the amount that Mr. Rosenfeld was able to get to settle my case. Thank you.

– Daniel Kaim

Jonathan did a great job helping my family navigate through a lengthy lawsuit involving my grandmother’s death in a nursing home. Through every step of the case, Jonathan kept my family informed of the progression of the case. Although our case eventually settled at a mediation, I really was impressed at how well prepared Jonathan was to take the case to trial.

– Lisa

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Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
225 W Wacker Dr #1660
Chicago, IL 60606

Phone: (847) 835-8895
Toll Free: (888) 424-5757

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