Construction site accidents are complex cases. Numerous individuals and companies are involved in any given construction project, which means there is a wide spectrum of potentially responsible persons when someone is injured.
The more complex and sophisticated the construction project, the more possible defendants there are. Some of the individuals who may be held responsible if you are injured in a construction site accident include:
General contractors and subcontractors: Contractors have a duty to provide their workers with a reasonably safe work environment. They also have a duty to warn their workers of any hazards or defects at the site, as well as any inherent hazards in the work to be performed. General contractors and subcontractors are responsible for ensuring that the construction work is being performed safely, ensuring safety regulations are being complied with and hiring reasonably competent employees.
Prime contractors: A prime contractor is responsible for a limited, specific aspect of the construction work being performed, while a general contractor is responsible for the project as a whole. Prime contractors are also responsible for the work done by any subcontractors they hire.
Property owner: The owner of the property where the construction is taking place may be liable for your injuries under certain circumstances. Landowners have a duty to ensure that their property is reasonably safe. If the landowner knew or should have known of a dangerous condition on their property, and if someone is injured because of that dangerous condition, then the property owner may be held liable. Whether or not the landowner is liable in a construction site accident depends on the amount of control the property owner exercised over the property during the construction.
Equipment and machinery manufacturers: Manufacturers have a legal duty to ensure that the products they make are reasonably safe for their foreseeable and intended use. The maker of a piece of construction equipment or machinery can be held liable if the product they manufactured is defective and if that defect causes an injury. These are known as product liability cases, and the manufacturers are held strictly liable, which means that the injured plaintiff does not need to prove negligence.
Engineers and architects: The amount of responsibility assigned to a design professional such as an engineer or an architect depends primarily on their contract with the site’s owner. For example, an engineer or architect may be responsible for inspecting the construction site to ensure that code regulations are being complied with or to ensure compliance with the specifications of the blueprints. In general terms, design professionals such as architects and engineers are held to certain standards of their profession. An engineer or architect may be held liable if their failure to meet one or more of these standards results in an injury to a construction site worker.
If you were injured at a construction site, talk to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. To receive free legal advice from a Texas work accident attorney, contact Fears | Nachawati today. You can email us or phone us toll free at 1.866.322.6898.
