New Orleans Construction Accident Lawyer
Construction is one of the most dangerous industries. Injuries range from the catastrophic, such as spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries, to long term overuse injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow. Regardless of your specific case, it is advisable to seek out the guidance of an experienced New Orleans construction accident lawyer. The attorneys at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC can help you seek workers’ compensation, and potentially other sources of compensation depending on third-party liability and employer recklessness.
Workers’ Compensation Claim
A workers’ compensation claim is the fastest, most assured route of compensation following a construction work accident. Workers’ compensation is no-fault insurance that all Louisiana employers are legally obligated to carry. This means that you can seek damages in a workers’ comp claim even if the accident was your own fault, or no one’s fault in particular. Benefits include wage compensation of up to two-thirds of your average weekly wages (either short-term if your injury is temporary, or long term if you have a permanent disability), full medical coverage, and vocational training if you cannot return to the same type of work you did prior to the injury.
Third Party Liability Claim
Because there are often so many potentially liable parties on construction sites (motor vehicle drivers, property or business owners, other construction firms and contractors, tool or vehicle manufacturers) there is a chance that one of these parties was responsible for your injury. If so, you have the right to file a personal injury claim with that party, in addition to filing a workers’ comp claim.
Personal Injury Claim Against a Reckless Employer
In rare instances, it may be possible to file a personal injury claim with your employer. Employers are generally protected against personal injury claims/lawsuits, unless it can be proven that they acted recklessly or egregiously in some manner that led to your accident. For example, using unsafe scaffolding that led to a fall would constitute a reckless act for which you could sue. A personal injury claim (either filed against a third party or your employer), allows you to seek significantly more financial compensation than a workers’ compensation claim. Compensation from a personal injury claim may include damages for:
- Full wage replacement
- Lost earning capacity
- Loss of joy of life
- Pain and suffering
- Past and future medical expenses by a doctor or facility of your choosing
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium (wrongful death claim)
- Loss of lifetime earnings (wrongful death claim)
- Funeral and burial expenses (wrongful death claim)
- And more.
Call a New Orleans Construction Worker Injury Lawyer Today
No two construction accidents are the same. A broken ankle for one worker might heal fully in five months, while an identical ankle injury may never be the same for another worker. Only time will tell how compromised—physically and financially—your workplace accident will be. As such, it is in your best interest to seek out an experienced New Orleans construction accident lawyer as soon as possible. Call Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC at 601-488-3975 to schedule a free consultation today.
