Finding yourself sidelined with an injury obtained during a construction job is not good. Your work depends on your being physically able, and an injury can take you out of commission -- and stop your income. While you do have the option of applying for worker's compensation, if the injury was caused by something that was really a case of severe negligence, a lawsuit might be a good option. However, you shouldn't go it alone when trying to put together a case. Teamwork with a skilled construction injury attorney would be better.
Meeting Deadlines
You want legal help during this time because you're going to face a bunch of deadlines. If you're really in bad shape, you might not have the energy to file all your paperwork related to your claim and your case. What you need to do at this time is to relax and heal. Let an attorney keep track of the deadlines and requirements. You might still have to provide information, but you'll find it's not much compared to what the lawyer can take off your hands.
Who to Sue
Another question is, in this whole mess, who would you sue? You may be prohibited from suing your employer, especially if you are getting worker's compensation. But you may have to sue other people linked to the project, such as an equipment manufacturer if a piece of equipment was faulty and caused your injury.
However, it's not as straightforward as it sounds. Maybe the equipment was faulty, but the manufacturer repeatedly warned the construction company (your employer) to not use it, and to return it instead and get a new model. If your employer did not, then it's not really the equipment manufacturer's fault because they showed that they were trying to stop injuries from happening.
The lawyer can unravel all of the events and see who was the one to really mess up. If you attempt that on your own, you could miss something and end up suing the wrong person, which wouldn't work out well for you.
Settlement Decisions
And, of course, there's always the chance you'd be offered a settlement. It's tempting to answer quickly, either taking what looks like good money or rejecting it because you think you can win in court. Your lawyer can help you decide. Sometimes the case is so tricky that a settlement is best, instead of letting the case drag on for years. Other times the settlement looks good but is actually puny compared to what you really need.
Team up with a lawyer and let the legal side handle the case. You rest up so you can get back to work.
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