Construction sites create a working environment with several hazards and risks that can cause accidents. Thus, observing all the necessary safety precautions is necessary to avoid such incidents. You can protect yourself by wearing protective gear your employer provides, such as helmets.  

But, suppose you incur a slip and fall injury at a construction site; it can be serious and affect your capacity to work and, consequently, your ability to earn a living. Thankfully, you can take advantage of several recovery options available. For example, you can claim compensation with the help of a Yates attorney or one from your trusted local firm while focusing on your recovery. 

Having said that, below is a deeper look into slip and fall injuries and rehabilitation options you can leverage.

Causes Of Slip And Fall Injuries

As mentioned, construction sites are hazardous environments and prone to accidents. You can incur a slip and fall injury from several causes, including the following:

• Uneven surfaces: It’s common to have uneven surfaces at a construction site because of uneven terrain, and items are piled on top of one another. For example, when the floorboards are being placed, they can be uneven, and you’ll slip and fall if you’re unaware of your surroundings.
• Wet and slippery surfaces: Rain, snow, water, and spilt liquids can cause the construction site to be wet and slippery, especially if the outside is muddy. 
• Improper footwear: As discussed above, construction sites can be wet and slippery. Wearing shoes or boots that aren’t slip-resistant or whose soles are worn out might cause you to slip and fall. So, ensure your footwear has good treads on the soles to improve your surface grip.
• Ladders and scaffolds: Ascertain ladders and scaffolds are properly secured to prevent loss of balance that can result in fatal falls.

Some of these causes can be eliminated by ensuring a clean working environment and debris removed and dumped properly. Moreover, improving water drainage and immediately drying off spills can reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents.

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Types Of Slip And Fall Injuries

Depending on the impact of your slip and fall accidents, you can incur a minor injury of bruises or a serious one that affects your ability to work and perform ordinary daily activities such as walking.

Some of the injuries from a slip and fall include the following:

• Soft tissue injury: Minor injuries such as sprains and strains from soft tissue injury are common in slip and fall accidents. You’ll experience pain and discomfort during recovery, which may last a few weeks.
• Broken bones: Fractures can occur if you fall from a significant height and land awkwardly on the ground. Depending on the severity of the fracture, it might take several weeks or months to heal. This means you might be unable to work or perform strenuous tasks during the healing process. 
• Traumatic brain injury: Hitting your head during a slip and fall can cause a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion. Such a head injury can have long-term effects on your physical and cognitive abilities, thus affecting your daily life and working capabilities.
• Spinal cord injury: Depending on the accident and how you landed, you can incur damage to your spinal cord. Such an injury can cause paralysis, loss of sensation in certain body parts, such as hands and legs, and other significant health complications.

Seek medical help immediately if you incur any of these injuries. Follow all the recovery guidelines to prevent further complications.

Recovery Options

Several recovery options exist for incurring slip and fall injuries while working on a construction site. These include the following:

• • Compensation: You can file a compensation claim, a form of insurance for work-related injuries and illnesses. Ideally, your employer should have workers’ insurance covering medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs resulting from the injury.

• Personal injury lawsuit: You can also file a lawsuit to claim damages for the injuries you’ve suffered, especially if it’s due to negligence from a third party. For example, you can sue the equipment manufacturer if the slip and fall accident resulted from a faulty machine. Consider hiring a personal injury attorney to help file such a lawsuit because the process can be complex and frustrating.

• Social security disability benefits: Consider applying for social security disability benefits if the injury incurred is severe and prevents you from working for at least a year or is life-threatening. You’d be eligible for these benefits if your employment has social security.

Consider consulting a personal injury lawyer to help you determine the best recovery options depending on the injury you incurred from a slip and fall accident while working at a construction site.

Conclusion

Slip and fall injuries are common for people working at a construction site. Although accidents are inevitable in these environments, you can follow safety protocols and wear protective gear to protect yourself. However, if you become a victim of such incidents, seek medical care and choose from the available recovery options.

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