Were you injured on a construction site in Sandusky, OH? Call Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers for legal assistance today. An experienced Sandusky construction accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and more.
Between us, our lawyers have over 181 years of legal experience. We’ve helped injury victims like you recover over $100 million in compensation awards.
Contact our law firm in Sandusky, Ohio, at (419) 625-7770 today to schedule a completely free consultation.
Why Call Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers for Legal Help After a Construction Accident in Sandusky, OH?
Just because you have a right to compensation doesn’t mean that getting compensation will be easy. Insurance companies know exactly how to challenge your claim. You need to level the playing field.
An experienced Sandusky personal injury attorney can help. Among other awards, Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers has been recognized by Super Lawyers and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
When you hire our legal team, we’ll:
- Investigate and gather evidence
- Determine the value of your workers’ compensation claim
- Find out who was responsible for your accident
- Evaluate your rights under Ohio personal injury laws
- Fight to recover a full disability benefits package
- Defend against allegations that the injuries weren’t serious or work-related
- Handle all workers’ compensation insurance paperwork
- Hire experts who can strengthen your claim
- Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf
- Represent you at all hearings and appeals
Work-related injuries can change your life unexpectedly. You may not know when you’ll be able to return to work. You shouldn’t have to fight with the insurance company over money. Instead, contact our Sandusky personal injury lawyers today for help.
We Handle All Types of Construction Accident Claims in Ohio
Ohio employers reported about 88,600 non-fatal workplace injuries to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022. Around 3,800 of those injuries involved construction industry workers. 1,800 construction workers in Ohio suffered injuries that were serious enough to require time away from work or job transfers and restrictions.
Obviously, construction can be extremely dangerous work. There are many different ways to get hurt when everything doesn’t go according to plan.
Our lawyers in Sandusky handle all types of construction accident injury cases, including those involving:
- Scaffolding accidents
- Falls from ladders, roofs, and other heights
- Transportation accidents
- Trenching accidents
- Excavation accidents
- Building collapse
- Drilling accidents
- Electrocutions
- Welding accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Fires and explosions
- Accidents where workers were crushed by objects
- Accidents where workers were caught in between two objects
- Heavy machinery accidents
- Nail gun accidents
- Workplace violence
If you were injured working in construction, contact us today to learn more about your options for compensation.
What Is My Sandusky Construction Accident Case Worth?
Your claim for compensation will be based on several different factors, including:
- Your average wages prior to disability
- How long it takes to recover
- Whether you can earn some money performing light-duty work
- Whether your injuries are permanent
- The nature of the injury itself
- Who was responsible for your injuries
It can be tough to know whether you’re receiving the full amount you deserve. Insurance adjusters aren’t always honest with you. Our lawyers can assess your case and determine whether you have the right to additional compensation.
How Do I Recover Compensation After a Construction Accident in Sandusky?
Construction workers have two primary options for recovering compensation:
- File a workers’ compensation claim for benefits
- Sue a negligent third party for damages
To maximize your compensation award, it’s critical to understand your rights under both sets of laws.
Workers’ Compensation Rights in Ohio
Under Ohio law, nearly every employer carries workers’ compensation. Filing a claim will be your first step toward recovering compensation. Because you generally can’t sue your employer for damages, your workers’ compensation benefits will be extremely important if your employer or a co-worker was somehow responsible.
You can receive workers’ comp benefits if:
- You were an employee
- You were injured while doing something work-related
- You didn’t intentionally hurt yourself
While that may seem cut and dry, employers often try to misclassify employees as independent contractors to avoid liability. If you’re facing challenges with your benefits, contact our lawyers in Sandusky today. We’ll do everything possible to help you get the fair benefits you deserve.
Ohio Personal Injury Laws
While you typically can’t sue your employer after a workplace accident in Ohio, you may still have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit. Your rights depend on who is responsible for causing your injuries.
For example, you could have a valid personal injury claim if:
- A negligent driver caused a car accident while you were moving a construction vehicle
- A manufacturer sold your employer a defective piece of work equipment
- The property owner failed to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition
These cases are highly fact-sensitive. It’s always best to have an experienced Sandusky construction accident attorney review the details.
What Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits Are Available To Construction Accident Victims in Ohio?
Workers’ compensation benefits are designed to help with your financial losses.
Your benefits could include:
- All reasonable medical expenses and treatment costs
- Temporary disability benefits
- Permanent disability benefits
- Lump-sum compensation awards
- Awards for facial disfigurement
- Living maintenance benefits if you’re in a rehabilitation program
- Death benefits for survivors of fatal accident victims
The type of disability benefits you receive depends on the nature of your disability. If you’re totally unable to work, your benefits will cover about 72% of your wages prior to the accident. After 12 weeks, the calculation is based on your average wages for the 52 weeks prior to the disability. You’ll get about 66 ⅔% of your wages.
If you’re able to perform light-duty work and earn some money during recovery, you can still receive wage replacement benefits to make up a portion of the difference.
For disability benefits to kick in, however, you must be unable to work for at least seven days. After 14 days of missed work, you can also be paid for the first seven days.
Damages Under Personal Injury Laws
In personal injury cases, you can seek compensation for non-economic damages in addition to your financial costs.
Available damages may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- 100% of your lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
Punitive damages may also be available if the defendant’s acts were especially shocking.
How Much Does it Cost To Hire a Construction Accident Lawyer in Ohio?
Your attorney’s fees depend on the amount we recover in your case. Under this contingency fee agreement, you pay your attorneys a percentage of your compensation award. We don’t require any upfront payment when you hire us.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for a Construction Accident in Ohio?
You can recover your full workers’ comp benefits regardless of fault. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system.
In personal injury cases, you could lose your right to compensation under Ohio law if you were mostly responsible (at least 51%). If you share some fault but less than 51%, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault.
Construction Accident Injuries Can Be Severe and Life-Changing
Our team at Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers handles all types of construction injury cases, including those involving:
- Broken bones
- Nerve injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Amputations
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Neck injuries and fractures
- Concussions
- Back injuries and herniated discs
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Shoulder injuries
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If you’re injured and can’t work, let our lawyers in Sandusky handle the fight for compensation. If you have any questions about your right to compensation, call us today. Your initial case review is always completely free.
How Long Do I Have To File a Claim for Compensation After a Construction Accident in Ohio?
You must report your injury to your employer as quickly as possible. That starts the process of recovering workers’ compensation benefits. After you report the injury, your employer has 24 hours to tell the insurance company.
You must file your formal workers’ comp claim within one year. After one year, you risk losing your right to benefits.
For personal injury cases, the deadline for filing a lawsuit is two years (with some exceptions). You lose your right to damages if you wait longer than two years to sue.
Call a lawyer today if you were hurt on the job. Your lawyer can explain the deadlines in your case. We can also make sure you don’t miss out on important compensation.
Contact a Sandusky Construction Accident Lawyer To Arrange a Free Case Evaluation
If you were hurt on the job, reach out to a Sandusky construction accident lawyer who can help. Many injured workers find it difficult to recover fair compensation. Our team at Wisehart Wright Trial Lawyers is here to fight for you. It’s never too early to learn about your legal options, so call today.