Our Abilene Construction Accident Lawyers Fight For You
Construction sites are dangerous places, so it’s not surprising that construction workers can wind up with serious and even fatal injuries from accidents in the workplace. While construction firms, site owners, contractors, and other companies operating on construction sites have a duty to follow federal and Texas safety rules to prevent injury to workers, this does not always happen, and workers suffer the consequences.
If you or a loved one has been injured or someone has died in a construction site accident, you may be entitled to receive compensation through workers’ compensation or a lawsuit. For workers who are company employees and whose employer carries workers’ compensation, that insurance should pay benefits for lost income and medical costs. However, workers’ comp does not cover losses such as pain and suffering and is often not enough to meet all expenses. In addition, Texas law does not generally not force employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance, so you may not be covered at all. In cases where your employer is a non-subscriber, or coverage is insufficient, or a third party’s negligence caused your injury, you may be able to file a lawsuit in order to receive the compensation you deserve.
Our knowledgeable Abilene construction accident lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm understand the financial, physical and emotional devastation that follows a serious injury accident. Texas law is complicated, but we will employ our experience in these cases and our in-depth understanding of Texas law to fight for the money you need to pay your medical bills and rebuild your life. While you focus on recovery, we’ll focus on getting results.
OUR CONSTRUCTION INJURY LAWYERS UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO
If you work in construction, you put your life on the line every single day to help West Texas grow. You are at risk of truck crashes, accidents with heavy equipment, falls from high places, building and scaffolding collapses, fires and many other dangers. Sadly, too many companies care more about making money than protecting their employees. When they do cut corners, it can lead to injury or even death.
If you’ve been hurt in a construction accident, you need an attorney experienced with these types of cases to research your claim and hold any negligent parties responsible. The construction accident lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm have been fighting — and winning — for construction accident victims for decades. Call us at (432) 220-2649 to schedule a free consultation.
HOW OUR CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT LAWYERS IN ABILENE CAN HELP
Our Construction Accident Attorneys Work for You
If you’ve been injured in a construction accident, it is a good idea to hire a lawyer. You should do so immediately after the accident.
When you have Hanna Law on your side, we listen to your story about how the accident happened, determine the best way to proceed, and get to work fighting for compensation for you right away. We will make sure your rights are protected every step of the way.
- We will advise you not to speak to a representative of the construction firm or their insurance company. They may try to convince you to accept a settlement on their terms. While such offers are tempting when you are out of work and under financial pressure, they are almost always lower than what you need.
- We understand all of the state and federal laws that apply to construction and workplace injuries and will use them to hold negligent parties accountable.
- We will calculate the full cost of your losses, including future losses. We will negotiate on your behalf for what you need.
- If we are unable to reach a settlement that meets your needs, we will help you file a lawsuit and fight for your interests in the courtroom.
- We will handle every detail of your claim so you can focus on the important task of healing.
DAMAGES OUR ABILENE CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT LAWYERS CAN HELP RECOVER
Damages is a legal term that refers to the money you may be paid to compensate you for your injuries and other losses. When you’ve been hurt in a construction site accident, there is a good chance you will have to stop working for a period of time. If your injuries are serious enough, you may never be able to return to work. Yet you still have to pay your regular household bills, support your family, and pay the medical bills from your injuries. Damages are designed to ease the financial burden you are facing as a direct result of your accident. Your West Texas construction accident lawyer will fight to win you compensation for all your losses, including:
- All medical bills. This includes hospital bills, medicine, therapy, rehab, medical devices, and more.
- Future medical bills.
- Lost wages.
- Loss of earning capacity, if your injuries are so bad you will be out of work for the long term.
- Household help (like cleaning) that you need because of your injuries.
- Physical, emotional, and mental pain and suffering.
- Loss of consortium.
- Loss of quality of life.
There is a separate category of damages, called punitive damages, that are awarded only in cases of extreme negligence. They are meant to punish the careless party. We will look into your case and seek punitive damages if appropriate.
Every construction accident is different. In order to figure out a dollar value of your claim, we will have to add up the total value of your economic losses and non-economic losses. How much money you receive will depend on many factors. These include what your salary was before the accident, how long you will be out of work, the seriousness of your injuries, and more. Call an Abilene construction accident lawyer at the Hanna Law Firm to talk about your case.
ABILENE CONSTRUCTION SITE LAWYER DETERMINES WHETHER YOU HAVE A CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT CLAIM
Our Construction Attorneys Look for Negligence
Construction accident claims are based on the concept of negligence. In order to have a claim, we must prove a few things.
- We have to prove that a party had a duty to exercise reasonable care to protect the victim.
- We have to prove that the party failed in their duty to exercise reasonable care.
- We have to prove that the failure caused the victim’s injuries.
- We have to prove that the victim suffered real losses.
You may wonder what this means when applied to construction accidents. Who may be liable for your injuries, and how do they fail in their duty to exercise reasonable care?
Construction sites are not typical workplaces. There may be many different companies working side by side. These include building site owners, construction firms, contractors and subcontractors, and others. One or more of these parties may be responsible for your injuries. This is just one reason it is so important to have a dedicated construction accident attorney in Abilene working for you. We will conduct a thorough investigation of your accident and track down every negligent party.
It is not uncommon for construction companies to drop the ball when it comes to worker safety. Here are just a few ways that they fail in their duty to exercise reasonable care in protecting employees.
- They may fail to provide proper training, or hire people who are not qualified for the job.
- They may fail to properly inspect and maintain equipment, tools, and machinery.
- They may fail to enforce safety standards.
- They may fail to provide personal protective equipment, like hard hats and safety glasses.
- They may fail to provide a clean, clutter-free work environment — or fail to provide signs warning workers of hazards.
SHOULD I HIRE A LAWYER IF MY LOVED ONE WAS KILLED IN A CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT?
If your close relative died in a construction accident, the lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit. As with personal injury construction accident claims, we must be able to prove that the accident was due to negligence in order for you to receive damages. Not every relative can file a wrongful death lawsuit. You must be a spouse, child, or parent of the victim. Siblings are not eligible. Wrongful death suits carry a two-year statute of limitations. Here are some of the damages we will seek on your behalf:
- Medical expenses the victim incurred due to the injuries
- Funeral costs
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of inheritance (what survivors would have inherited had the victim lived a full life)
- Loss of support, guidance, and counsel
- Mental anguish and suffering
- Loss of love and companionship.
When a family suddenly loses a loved one, survivors are not only emotionally gutted, they may find themselves without a needed income and facing an uncertain financial future. A wrongful death lawsuit will not bring a loved one back or ease the pain of grief. What it will do is help the family financially as they begin to heal.
Call Hanna Law at (432) 220-2649 today. We have offices in Abilene, Midland, and Odessa.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Should I accept workers' compensation?
If you are injured in a construction accident and your employer carries workers’ comp, it may be your only option for compensation. However, you should speak with our Abilene construction accident attorney to see if you have the option to sue, as the money you receive from workers’ comp is probably far less than what you can potentially get through a lawsuit. A successful lawsuit can provide payment for all your losses, including pain and suffering, and may also provide punitive damages. You can sue your employer if they are not a workers’ comp subscriber or if we can prove your injury was caused by extreme negligence or intentional harm on their part, and you can sue a third party who was negligent. Be aware that if you accept workers’ comp, you can still file a lawsuit against a third party, but you will not be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer and recover all of the money you need to cover your losses.
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Are there deadlines for filing a lawsuit?
Yes, Texas has time limits, called a statute of limitations, for filing a lawsuit. This can be found in Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code section 16.003. For construction accident cases, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file your claim. If the injuries resulted in a wrongful death, you generally have two years from the day of the death to file a wrongful death claim. If you fail to get your lawsuit filed on time, the Texas civil court system will most probably refuse to hear your case. Our attorneys will ensure everything is filed correctly in a timely manner, so contact us as soon as possible. In addition to the statute of limitations, we need time to investigate and build the strongest possible case while evidence is fresh and witnesses can be found.
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What if I can't go back to work?
If your injuries are so devastating you will not be able to return to work at all, we can seek damages for loss of earning capacity — the money you likely would have earned over your career had the accident not happened. You just can’t trust insurance companies to account for this money when offering you an initial settlement. The lawyers at the Hanna Law Firm are committed to recovering the full value of your losses.
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What if someone died in the accident?
If you are a victim’s spouse, child, or parent, or the executor of the estate, you may file a lawsuit for wrongful death. According to Texas law (Texas Statutes section 71.001), an action for wrongful death may be brought if the “wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness, or default” of one party causes the death of another. Our attorneys will seek a damage award to cover financial losses and emotional suffering, plus we can file a survivor action, which is like a personal injury lawsuit allowed after a death. The damages you may receive for wrongful death include compensation for: Medical expenses leading up to death Funeral expenses Lost earning capacity and loss of an inheritance, including what the deceased person would have reasonably been expected to earn and give as gifts had they lived The emotional pain and mental anguish suffered by survivors The loss of companionship, society, comfort, household services, and love.
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Should I talk to the insurance company?
No, the less you say to them the better. Insurance companies are out for profit and want to pay out as little as possible. They have a team of high-powered lawyers on their side, and they will use anything you say against you to lessen or deny payments. Tell the insurance companies to speak to your attorney, and let Hanna Law handle all dealings and negotiations with insurers.
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What if I was partially at fault for the accident?
According to Texas law (Civil Practices and Remedies Code, TITLE 2, SUBTITLE C, CHAPTER 33, SUBCHAPTER A, Sec. 33.001), as long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault, you can still collect the percentage of the damage award that the other party was at fault. However, the award you receive will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if it is determined that you were 10 percent at fault and the settlement was for $100,000, our construction accident attorneys could still help you collect $90,000.
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What does it cost to hire a construction accident attorney?
You don’t have to pay anything up front to hire our Abilene construction accident injury lawyers. The initial consultation is free, and we work on a contingency basis. This means we take on all costs and expenses of your case, and you pay nothing unless and until we win, and then payment will be taken out of the settlement award.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER A CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT?
After your construction accident, it’s important to follow certain steps or you risk hurting your claim.
- Get medical attention. It is important to take care of your health and have documentation of your injuries. If the company has you examined by a doctor of their choice, be sure to see your personal doctor (or any independent physician) as well.
- Report your injury to your employer. If you are unsure about how to fill out an accident report or don’t understand their paperwork, have an attorney help you.
- Document the accident as well as you can. Take pictures of your injuries and the scene. Write down the names and contact information of witnesses.
- Hire a lawyer. They will be able to advise you and make sure you don’t do anything to harm your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve.
Call An Abilene Construction Site Injury Lawyer at the Hanna Law Firm
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a construction accident, our construction accident lawyers in West Texas are here to help. Our lawyers have extensive experience fighting for those who have suffered from work injury accidents and slip and falls, and we have gotten help for serious injuries such as back injuries and brain injuries.
We understand the trauma you are going through at this time and offer compassionate and effective representation. Don’t accept a payout from an insurance company before consulting us. We will thoroughly research your case and fight to get you the maximum amount of money your claim warrants.
Call us to schedule an appointment at the West Texas location that’s most convenient for you — your first consultation will be free.
What Sets Us Apart?
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Committed & Passionate Advocacy
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Personalized Attention & Carefully Curated Legal Plans
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We Are Always Accessible & Reachable To Our Clients
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Hundreds of Millions Recovered For Our Clients
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150+ Years of Collective Legal Experience
