What Happens if I Was Injured by Debris From a Construction Site When Walking?

When you are out walking on public sidewalks, you don’t expect anything to happen to you. You may see people enjoying the day with their dogs, people driving on the roadways, and many others going about their day-to-day lifestyles. Then, all of a sudden, you take the public sidewalk past a construction zone. You notice that they are hard at work on the day’s duties and paying attention to the building they are working on. Then, all of a sudden, a piece of debris falls down and cracks you over the head, sending you to the ground. You sustain very serious injuries as a result. Who may be held liable for these injuries?

The truth is, if you were walking on a public sidewalk and a construction zone was not upholding their duty of care, causing you to be injured as a result, you may have a claim against them. Construction companies have a duty to take reasonable steps to keep public sidewalks near their zones free of bricks and other debris that may fall and injure somebody. These falls can result in very serious injury and even death in some circumstances, and as such they should be taken very seriously!

If a construction zone fails to remove obstructions from a sidewalk and somebody trips and falls, they may also be held liable for this. Public sidewalks are for all of the public to use and need to be kept neat and orderly to avoid any incidents from occurring. Construction companies must also inform or include signs in their work zone that warn pedestrians that they may become injured if they stray from the sidewalk. These signs include warning lamps, barriers, and more. If they fail to do so and you fall, trip, or get hit, then they are responsible for your injuries.

So, what happens when you are injured? Does the workplace get off Scot-free or will they suffer penalties? One action you can take as an injured pedestrian is making the supervisor aware that you were injured so they know exactly what steps should be taken. This will also make them aware of the dangers of the construction zone so they can work to correct it. If you are unsuccessful in contacting a supervisor, you can always alert those at the nearest OSHA office. They are looking out for your safety and will investigate exactly what has happened to you.

Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Claim?

You must think of all those who could be involved in a construction project, first of all. What party will be held liable? Will it be the general contractor or the property owner? Perhaps the subcontractors, architect, engineer, or material suppliers will be held liable? The entity that exercises decision-making power will usually be the one to provide worker safety. Therefore, they cannot take any action that is unreasonably dangerous and will injure those who are walking by on a sidewalk. If an injury or accident was foreseeable, then they will he held liable. Cities are sometimes even responsible for what happens on a sidewalk. Perhaps they have allowed construction to take place there for any amount of time. Knowing exactly what happened, why it happened, and a bit about liability will help you in your case.

However, in any instance that you need guidance throughout the process, you can contact an attorney that you trust. Call Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi today to find out more information on what you can do with your claim.