Were you injured while working on a construction site in Clearwater, FL? Florida workers’ compensation and personal injury laws may give you the right to seek compensation. An experienced Clearwater construction accident lawyer at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for full compensation.
With over 300 years of collective experience, we’re one of the most respected personal injury law firms in the Tampa Bay area. We’ve helped injured clients like you recover hundreds of millions of dollars over the years.
You may deserve compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, and more. Contact us at (727) 796-8282. to schedule your free consultation today.
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How Can Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Construction Accident in Clearwater?
If you work in construction, you know the risks. You work hard every day–and you expect to be compensated if a workplace injury prevents you from earning a living. Workers’ comp is designed to provide you with financial support.
Unfortunately, injured workers often face challenges. Your employer might claim your injuries weren’t work-related. Your doctor could push you to return to work before you’re ready. Your employer might even unfairly fire you or retaliate after you file a claim.
On top of everything, you might have rights under personal injury laws that you don’t even know about. Our Clearwater personal injury lawyers at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers can help.
Three of our attorneys have been board-certified by the Florida Bar Association, which is a distinction held by less than 2% of all Florida lawyers. We’ve also been recognized by Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, just to name a few of our awards.
Hire us, and we’ll:
- Help you understand all options for recovering compensation
- Assess your case value
- File a workers’ compensation claim and handle all paperwork
- Protect you if your claim is denied or undervalued
- Call in experts who can strengthen your case
- Negotiate with the workers’ compensation insurance companies on your behalf
Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Clearwater personal injury attorneys for legal advice if you were hurt on the job. As always, your consultation is free of charge.
How Common Are Construction Accidents in Florida?
Construction is an extremely dangerous industry. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly half of all fatal workplace accidents happen in the construction and extraction industries.
The construction industry is booming in Florida. Unfortunately, construction sites are no safer for Florida construction workers. In 2021, 315 fatal work accidents were reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics statewide. A total of 69 of those fatalities were in construction. Another 33 were in construction-related industries, including installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.
At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of construction site accident claims, including:
- Scaffolding accidents and falls
- Scaffolding collapse
- Building collapse
- Electric shock
- Electrocution
- Fires and explosions
- Roof and ladder falls
- Slip and fall accidents
- Nail gun accidents
- Trenching accidents
- Excavation accidents
- Accidents involving cranes, forklifts, and other types of industrial machinery
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Accidents where workers are hit by falling objects or caught between objects
If you were injured on the job, do not hesitate to reach out for legal advice. We offer free consultations, so you don’t have to worry about the cost.
How Much Money Is My Clearwater Construction Accident Case Worth?
This is always an important question. Even if you’re receiving workers’ compensation benefits, it can be tough to know if you’re getting the full compensation you deserve.
Many independent variables will impact the value of your case, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- The cost of your medical care
- Your average weekly wages prior to the disability
- How long you’re unable to work
- Whether you can perform any work during recovery
- Whether you can file a personal injury lawsuit or are limited to workers’ comp
Workers’ compensation provides important benefits. Those benefits are limited by state law (injured workers who are totally disabled will receive about ⅔ of their average weekly wages prior to the disability). In 2023, however, the maximum amount you’ll receive for lost income is $1,197.43 per week. The statewide cap changes each year.
Our lawyers will also determine whether you’re eligible to file a personal injury claim, which tends to increase your case value. In a personal injury claim, you can recover full economic and non-economic damages.
How Do I Recover Compensation After a Construction Accident in Clearwater, FL?
Construction accident claims are more complicated than typical personal injury cases. Nearly all injured construction workers are entitled to workers’ comp benefits. However, only some are entitled to file a lawsuit for additional damages.
What Benefits Are Available Under Florida Workers’ Compensation Law?
When you file a workers’ compensation claim, the following types of benefits are available:
- Medical benefits
- Disability benefits
- Death benefits in fatal accident cases
As long as you follow the rules, you’ll be entitled to compensation for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses.
The types of disability benefits you receive depend on the nature of your injury, including:
- Temporary Total Disability benefits if you can’t work during recovery
- Temporary Partial Disability if you can complete “light” duties
- Impairment Income benefits if you’re restricted from certain duties after reaching maximum medical improvement
- Permanent Total Disability benefits if you can never work again
Your disability benefits become available once you’ve been off the job for at least seven days. After 21 days of disability, you’re also entitled to compensation for the first seven days.
When Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
You can only sue for damages if your injury was caused by someone other than your employer or co-workers (with limited exceptions). Workers’ compensation insurance protects employers from lawsuits. Third parties don’t receive that protection.
You could have a valid lawsuit against a:
- Negligent driver in a car accident
- Property owner who didn’t maintain their property
- General contractor or subcontractor who wasn’t your employer
- Manufacturer of defective work tools or equipment
When you file a personal injury lawsuit, you can recover compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- 100% of your lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Non-economic damages, such as pain, suffering, emotional distress, and PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
You can count on our attorneys in Clearwater to work hard to make sure you’re getting the fair compensation you deserve.
Can Contributory Fault Impact the Value of My Clearwater Construction Accident Case?
If you’re partly to blame, that won’t impact your workers’ compensation benefits.
However, your personal injury settlement or verdict will be reduced in proportion to your share of fault. If you’re more than 50% responsible, you’ll lose your right to compensation entirely under Florida’s modified comparative negligence law. An experienced attorney can protect you from allegations of blame.
Our Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Construction Accident Injuries
At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent construction injury victims who have suffered:
- Broken bones
- Eye and facial injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Nerve injuries
- Neck injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Don’t hesitate to call our Clearwater construction accident attorneys for help today if you’ve been injured in an accident.
What Are the Leading Causes of Construction Accidents in Clearwater, Florida?
Because workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, you can receive benefits regardless of what caused the accident. You won’t have to worry about proving someone was negligent.
However, it’s still important to understand the cause of your accident. You could have additional rights under Florida personal injury laws. If you do, it can increase the amount of money you take home.
Some of the most common causes of construction accidents include:
- Failure to provide proper safety equipment, including eye and face protection
- Lack of fall protection
- Failure to provide fall protection training
- Negligent supervision of employees
- Communication failures and failure to effectively communicate about hazards
- Dangerous property conditions
- Exposure to live electricity
- Failure to properly maintain work equipment and tools
- Defective scaffolding, work equipment, or tools
- Missing machine guards
- Construction companies who ignore state and OSHA federal safety regulations
Wondering who caused your accident and who is responsible for your damages? Our lawyers will help you find out. Contact us today to schedule your free case evaluation.
How Long Do I Have To File a Claim for Compensation After a Construction Accident in Florida?
After a construction accident, you have 30 days to notify your employer about the accident to get workers’ comp benefits. Your employer then has seven days from the date they receive notice to report the accident to the workers’ compensation insurance company.
If you have the right to file a third-party claim, the statute of limitations in personal injury cases is two years. You have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. There is also a two-year statute of limitations that applies to ultimately filing a workers’ comp claim, in addition to the deadlines mentioned above.
Contact a Trusted Clearwater Construction Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today
If you were injured on a construction site in Clearwater, contact us at (727) 796-8282 to learn more about legal representation. An experienced Clearwater construction accident lawyer can explain your legal options in a free consultation.
