Building Site Accident Claim
There are a number of circumstances that can lead to building site accident claims but there is one aspect that unites all potential cases. All instances must take place within the defined space of the building site itself.
Claims can be sustained as an employee or as a visitor. As long as the building site is the source of the incident and there is negligence involved, there is the option to pursue building site accident compensation.
What are the Most Common Types of Building Site Accident Claims?
Accidents on a building site can take many forms although some are far more common than others. Even when the issue of building site safety is taken very seriously, mistakes can happen which subsequently lead to injuries.
Among the more common types of building site accident claims are:
Ladder accident claims
Accidents involving on-site vehicles
Trips and falls
Claimant hit by a falling object
Repetitive injuries
Accidents due to faulty machinery and other equipment
That is a comprehensive list of potential circumstances but it’s not an exhaustive one. If you are considering claiming for an accident on a building site then get in touch with a personal injury solicitor, irrespective of whether your claim fits in with that list.
What are the most Common Building Site Accident Injuries?
Injuries sustained as a direct result of building site hazards can take many forms. At the very lowest end of the scale, there could be soft tissue injuries which are painful and uncomfortable but will only take a few days or a couple of weeks to heal.
Moving through the pain levels, spinal and back injuries are far more serious and many cases will see the injured party incapacitated for a significant period of time. Head and brain injury cases can also arise so there is a very comprehensive set of parameters for building site accident claims.
We’ve even seen instances where a building site accident results in manslaughter charges. That’s a very extreme and thankfully rare example but it underlines just how wide the list of building society compensation cases can be.
What to do After an Accident on a Building Site?
If you have suffered an injury following an Irish building site accident, the first thing to do is seek medical assistance if it is required. When possible, please collate all of the relevant information. Detailed circumstances of the incident will be required including a written report.
If you are able to take photographs which could assist the claim then you should do so. Any eye witness reports will also aid the process. These can confirm details of the claim and also any building site hazards that may have been evident.
It’s then recommended that you get in touch with an experienced building site accident claims solicitor.
How to make a Claim for Accidents on Building Sites?
A personal injury solicitor can compile a professional case and submit it to the third party who is deemed responsible for the accident. In some cases, that blame will be accepted instantly and an offer of building site accident compensation will be made.
If, however, the circumstances are disputed or the offer is not acceptable to the claimant, there will be a need to seek a legal judgement on the matter. Taking a case to court is a complex affair and that’s why it’s always advisable to seek assistance from an experienced lawyer.
How long After a Building Site Accident can you Claim?
There are rulings relating to all accident claims with specific time limits in place. Irish law states that, following a building site accident, there is a limit of two years in which to submit a claim.
The important point to note here is that the time starts from the ‘Date of Knowledge’. This is a point when symptoms manifested themselves and they were known to be significant. Clearly, there will be many instances where the Date of Knowledge and the date of the building site accident are the same.
This won’t however, always be the case and this is a point to keep in mind. In all cases, the quicker a claim is submitted the better: The circumstances are fresher for all parties involved and there is less chance of other potential issues such as responsible building firms going out of business.
What is the Average Payout for a Building Site Accident Claim?
It is possible to identify and list average payouts but the exact sums will naturally vary depending on a number of factors. All Irish building site accident claims are treated entirely on their merits.
Among the criteria that can affect the level of building site accident compensation are the following:
Nature of the claim and severity of the injuries
Initial medical bills
Potential medical bills moving forward if long term treatment is required
Those soft tissue injuries are at the lower end of the settlement scale and, with little or no medical outlay, they can be met at sums of just a few hundred Euros. Breaks and fractures will tend to extend into four figures while spinal and head injuries will be significantly higher.
If your own accident claim is successful, the exact amount that you may receive will be very much dependent on the factors listed above. Once all the information has been collated, including documents relating to actual and projected costs, a personal injury solicitor can advise on potential sums.