Biloxi Construction Accident Lawyer

“From border to border, Biloxi is bustling with development. Right now, in Biloxi, there are more than 90 million dollars of construction projects underway.” That was the news from a recent report broadcast by WLOX. Since then, there have been even more projects underway both in the private sector and with municipal contracts. That’s good news for the economy and the hundreds of construction workers who are gainfully employed.

Although those projects are good for Biloxi, they are not without risks. Across the country, the construction industry has the most fatal injuries, with 1 in 5 deaths reported from construction site accidents, according to information collected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They also report that construction injuries cost around $11.5 billion annually, and around 130,000 construction workers missed at least one day of work because of injuries.

If you’ve been injured on the job, you are entitled to seek compensation for your injuries. Whether that is from a workers’ compensation claim or an insurance claim, you could benefit from speaking with a Biloxi construction accident lawyer like the attorneys at Owen, Owen & Smith, PLLC. We have been successful in helping dozens of clients receive compensation for medical expenses and lost wages.

We can help fortify your initial claims and provide options for proceeding if you are denied. Your initial consultation with us can teach you a lot.

Any construction project is a marvel of engineering. No matter the project, there will be various crews with specific skill sets who will all be working with power tools and other machinery. With so much happening, there will always be a risk of injury. The following are the most common types of construction accidents:

• Struck by an object
• Malfunctioning tools and equipment.
• Slip and falling
• Electrocution
• Being caught between objects
• Accident involving forklifts, cranes and other heavy machinery
• Insufficient protective gear
• Trench collapses
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals
• Lack of proper training
• Subcontractor negligence
• OSHA violations

In every one of those instances, the issue of liability will need to be investigated. Was the accident caused by the worker’s negligence or unsafe conditions perpetuated by the managers of the site or by third-party contractors? One of the benefits of working with an experienced Biloxi construction accident lawyer is their ability to conduct a thorough investigation and assign blame to those responsible.

How Were You Injured?

An injury at a construction site can result in a quick bandage and your back on the job to major surgery and weeks of recovery. Which of the following common construction site injuries are you challenged with?

• Laceration requiring stitches
• Broken or sprain
• Facial disfigurement
• Loss of teeth
• Loss of limb
• Electrocution burns
• Traumatic brain injury
• Internal organ damage

Those injuries are immediate. However, there are also injuries that can happen over a period of time because of prolonged exposure to dangerous elements. These types of injuries include hearing loss, cancer, or respiratory disease.

All of those injuries also come with a range of costs. If the expenses exceed what your personal health insurance will pay for, you will be going “out-of-pocket,” which are the amounts you should seek in your compensation claim.

There will be complexities with filing a claim for a construction accident. It is not as simple as filling out an online form and waiting for a check. If you have an experienced Biloxi construction accident lawyer as your advocate, you’ll be presented with all the options for the best way to seek your remedy.

What are the challenges to achieving a successful outcome? Consider the following:

Identifying the Liable Parties

When negligence on the part of the construction site manager/owner is a factor in the accident, your attorney needs to identify the liable parties. This involves investigating the chain of ownership that is responsible for the project. There could also be issues involving subcontractors and other third-party vendors.

For instance, an independent contractor might be hired to erect the scaffolding on a project. If that scaffolding collapses and injures workers, the independent contractor should be held responsible for the accident.

Processing Workers’ Compensation

In Mississippi, a company with five or more employees is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. The program is regulated by the Workers’ Compensation Commission and intended to provide benefits for any worker who is injured on the job. However, there are limitations to this insurance.

For instance, it might only pay for a partial recovery of your lost wages. There could also be a denial of the claim if the insurance carrier suspects your injury was not work-related. In those instances, a skilled attorney can step in and help with the appeal process and seek the maximum allowable benefits.

Understanding Regulatory Requirements

There are hundreds of state and federal regulations that govern any type of construction project. These are the standards that OSHA has put in place. When a company does not comply with OSHA regulations, it can be fined, and the project could be shut down. An understanding of these regulations is important for your claim because it speaks to those who might be held accountable.

If a construction project is cited for an OSHA violation and the conditions aren’t corrected, the project owner can face serious consequences.

When you’ve been injured on a construction project, you’ll have a lot of questions for your doctor about the course of treatment and what your recovery will look like. You’ll also have questions about how to cover your medical bills and compensate you for your lost wages. Those questions can be answered by the attorneys working at Owen, Owen & Smith, PLLC

We have been helping Biloxi residents since 1982. In that time, we’ve built a solid reputation for providing the kind of counsel that will help you make an informed decision about your claim. Whether you need to file for workers’ compensation or with an independent insurance carrier, we can explain the options. Call to set up a consultation today. We want to hear what happened.