Maryland Personal Injury Lawyers
On this page we will look at personal injury lawsuits involving construction site fall accidents and the potential settlement value of these cases. Construction slip and fall accidents cause some of the most serious injuries in the workplace. Construction often involves extreme heights which puts workers at risk with the utmost care. Extreme care is required by not only the worker himself but to those in and around a job site.
Cause of Construction Falls
Apart from worker error, there are many reasons for accident contruction falls. Defective ladders, scaffolds, and forklifts, falling equipment, and co-worker error can also cause falls that lead to serious injuries on a job site.
Scaffold Falls
Scaffolds, which can range from simple platforms on blocks to complex geometric structures, are widely used across various industries. Approximately 2.3 million construction workers, along with window washers and others, rely on scaffolds daily to complete their jobs. Homeowners also rent scaffolds for occasional maintenance, and pedestrians frequently walk beneath scaffolding in areas where buildings are being repaired.
However, scaffolds present serious risks if not properly maintained or constructed. Each year, around 4,500 scaffold-related injuries are reported, with outcomes ranging from minor scrapes and broken bones to severe injuries like electric shocks, paralysis, or fatalities. These risks can stem from structural defects, improper assembly, or lack of adequate safety measures.
The importance of scaffold safety cannot be overstated. Proper design, regular inspection, and maintenance are essential to prevent many of these accidents. When scaffolding accidents do occur, they often lead to legal claims by injured parties seeking compensation. These claims usually focus on issues like defective equipment, poor maintenance, or inadequate safety training and equipment.
Employee or Employer Error Causing Falls
Employers are to blame for many construction accidents in Maryland. Sometimes, the employee himself (or herself) causes the injury. The claims brought in these construction slip and fall cases are brought under the Maryland Workers Compensation statute. But, often, there a non-employer also responsible for an employee’s on the job injuries. On the job accident claims can be both workers’ compensation claims and also third party claims against a negligent defendant.
Proving Fault in Construction Site Fall Cases
To bring a successful negligent lawsuit in a construction site fall injury case, the plaintiff will need to prove that the fall was the result of some type of negligence on the part of the defendant. The plaintiff always has the burden of proving negligence in injury cases. In construction site fall cases, negligence can come in a variety of forms, but it usually involves a negligent failure to provide some type of safety device or mechanism. For example, if a fall could have reasonably been prevented by a safety net, guardrail, or harness, then failing to provide these measure would be negligence.
Below are some of the most common types of negligence in construction site fall cases:
- Failing to install proper safety mechanisms (guard rails, etc.) on scaffolds or working platforms.
- Using substandard or inappropriate platform equipment or other worksite equipment.
- Failing to provide workers with proper safety gear such as harnesses and restraints.
- Failing to correct a hazardous condition at worksite (e.g., loose platform flooring).
What Impacts the Settlement Value of Construction Fall Injury Case?
Each construction accident case is unique, with potential compensation based on several key factors. Below are the factors that tend to have the biggest impact on the potential value of a construction fall injury case.
Extent of Injuries and Medical Expenses: The severity of your injuries, along with the costs of current and future medical treatment, will heavily influence compensation. Catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, or loss of limbs may entitle you to additional damages.
Impact on Daily Life: If your injuries significantly disrupt your daily activities and require lifestyle adjustments, such as installing wheelchair ramps or making other home modifications, you may qualify for further compensation.
Employment and Earning Capacity: Whether you can return to work or have lost your ability to earn income is another important factor. Some workers may be unable to resume their previous roles due to their injuries, while others may no longer be able to work at all.
Construction Fall Accident Settlements and Verdicts
Below are summaries of recent settlements and verdicts in cases involving construction site fall accidents.
$68,500,000 Verdict (Pennsylvania 2024): The decedent was standing on scaffolding installing siding on a new luxury townhouse in Philadelphia when he lost his footing and fell through a guardrail. He fell 50 feet and died from his injuries. The wrongful death lawsuit alleged that the contractor was negligent in failing to properly install the safety guardrails on the scaffolding.
$10,250,000 Verdict (New York 2024): A 29-year-old construction worked fell on the job site and suffered disc herniations, disc bulges, and meniscus tears in both knees, requiring multiple surgeries. He sued the general contractor alleging that it was negligent in failing to install any safety rails on the platform he was working on and in failing to provide him with safety equipment such as a harness with ropes.
$2,590,000 Verdict (Connecticut 2023): The plaintiff, a construction worker, fell off a tall ladder and fractured his tibia. He subsequently developed compartment syndrome from the injury which resulted in nerve damage and partial permanent paralysis of the arm.The lawsuit alleged that the ladder was not equipped with proper safety mechanisms.
$26,000,000 Verdict (Massachusetts 2022): The plaintiff fell through an unmarked opening in the platform of the scaffolding he was working on at a construction site. As a result of the fall the plaintiff suffered herniated disc injuries in his cervical and lumbar spine. He underwent numerous spinal fusion surgeries and the injuries left him with permanent complications including trouble with bowel movements and erectile dysfunction. The lawsuit was brought against the general contractor for negligently installing and maintaining the platform.
$450,000 Settlement (Illinois 2021): The plaintiff, a bricklayer, was working at a construction site as a subcontractor. While working on a ladder that was setup by the general contractor, the plaintiff fell and shattered his heel bone. The lawsuit alleged that the general contractor was negligent in failing to setup the ladders in a safe manner.
$254,000 Verdict (Florida 2021): The plaintiff, a male ironworker, suffered multiple fractures after he fell 37 feet at the defendant’s construction site he was working at. The lawsuit alleged that the defendant was negligent in failing to provide workers with appropriate safety gear and failing to install safety nets.
Contact Our Law Firm If You Believe You Have a Construction Fall Claim
If you or someone you love has suffered a catastrophic injury or death during a construction accident, call our construction accident lawyers at 800-553-8082 or click here for a free consultation.
Construction Accident Claims
- Construction Accident Lawsuits (an overview)
- Statute of Limitations to Bring a Workers’ Claim in Maryland
Sample Pleadings in Construction Accident Cases
- Sample Complaint (sample fork lift accident wrongful death lawsuit)
- Sample Answer (sample answer from defendant in a forklift accident lawsuit)
- Sample Opening Statement from burn accident wrongful death)