Were you injured in a construction accident in Porterville, California? You may be entitled to workers’ compensation and damages through a third-party personal injury claim. Contact the Porterville construction accident lawyer at Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers for help understanding your legal options. Reach out to us at (559) 500-1000.
Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers has decades of combined experience helping injured workers get the benefits they need when they are hurt and can’t work. We can help you, too. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your case.
Why Choose Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers After a Construction Accident in Porterville?
Construction accident cases can be complicated, given the presence of contractors, subcontractors, and other parties involved in the claim. It can be difficult to know who is liable and to get that party to accept liability when they should. Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you get full compensation from every party that contributed to your injury.
Clients throughout Porterville, CA, trust our firm because:
- Our firm has secured more than $100 million in compensation for injured clients across a wide range of serious injury cases
- We bring more than 25 years of combined experience to complicated premises liability and negligence litigation
- We have earned recognition from organizations such as the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for our case results and advocacy
- Clients trust us for responsive, hands-on representation and consistent communication throughout the legal process
- Our law firm maintains a 5-star Google rating along with an A+ Better Business Bureau rating
- We provide free consultations and handle cases on a contingency fee basis, so there are no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you
Contact us today to schedule a free case review with an experienced Porterville personal injury attorney who can fight for you.
How Construction Accidents Happen in Porterville
Construction work involves constant exposure to dangerous equipment, elevated work areas, electrical hazards, and heavy machinery. Even relatively routine jobsite tasks can become dangerous and put workers at risk of catastrophic injury.
Many construction accidents are preventable and occur because companies fail to maintain safe working conditions or comply with workplace safety regulations.
Common causes of construction accidents include:
- Falls from ladders, roofs, scaffolding, or elevated platforms
- Collapsing trenches or excavation failures
- Falling tools, materials, or construction debris
- Crane accidents and heavy equipment incidents
- Defective machinery or malfunctioning tools
- Electrocution caused by exposed wiring or unsafe electrical systems
- Fires, explosions, or chemical exposure incidents
- Unsafe jobsite supervision
- Inadequate safety training
- OSHA safety violations
Construction projects often involve numerous contractors and subcontractors working simultaneously. In many cases, multiple parties contribute to unsafe conditions that lead to serious injuries. Our Porterville construction accident lawyers can investigate how the accident occurred, identify all responsible parties, and pursue every available source of compensation.
We’ll Recover Compensation for All Your Construction Accident Injuries in Porterville
Construction accidents frequently cause catastrophic injuries, often resulting in disabling and permanent injuries to workers.
We regularly represent construction employees who have suffered harm, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Severe fractures and crush injuries
- Burns from fires, explosions, or electrical accidents
- Amputations
- Internal organ damage
- Back and neck injuries
- Eye injuries and vision loss
- Hearing damage
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
Many construction accidents result in wrongful death due to the heavy machinery and dangerous features involved. In either case — injury or death — workers and their families deserve compensation for the losses they experience.
What Compensation Is Available After a Construction Accident in California?
Construction accident victims in Porterville may have several avenues for financial recovery depending on the circumstances surrounding the injury.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Most California construction workers are covered by workers’ compensation insurance through their employers.
Workers’ compensation benefits may include:
- Medical treatment coverage
- Temporary disability payments
- Partial wage replacement
- Permanent disability benefits
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Death benefits for surviving family members
Workers’ compensation benefits are important, but they often fail to fully compensate injured workers for catastrophic injuries because they generally do not include damages for pain and suffering.
Third-Party Construction Accident Claims
In some construction accident cases, injured workers may also pursue third-party personal injury claims against negligent parties other than their employer.
Potentially liable third parties may include:
- General contractors
- Subcontractors
- Property owners
- Equipment manufacturers
- Outside vendors
- Construction site managers
- Engineers or architects
Third-party construction accident claims may allow victims to recover additional economic and non-economic damages, such as:
- Full lost wages
- Future earning losses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
These claims are often critical in catastrophic injury cases because they may substantially increase the compensation available beyond workers’ compensation benefits alone.
At Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers, we carefully analyze every case to determine whether third-party liability exists and what additional recovery options may be available.
Who May Be Liable for a Construction Accident in Porterville?
Construction sites are complex environments involving many companies and workers performing different tasks simultaneously. Liability for a construction accident may extend beyond the injured worker’s direct employer.
Depending on the facts of the case, responsible parties may include:
- General contractors responsible for overall site safety
- Subcontractors creating dangerous work conditions
- Property owners
- Equipment manufacturers
- Developers or project managers
- Maintenance companies
- Vendors supplying defective materials or machinery
For example, a subcontractor may fail to properly secure materials, causing debris to fall onto nearby workers. In another situation, defective machinery or unsafe scaffolding may contribute to catastrophic injuries.
Our attorneys work closely with accident reconstruction specialists, engineers, and workplace safety experts to identify every party that contributed to the accident and maximize the compensation available to our clients.
What if I’m Being Blamed for My California Construction Accident?
Fault has minimal relevance in workers’ compensation claims. These are no-fault benefits and are generally not impacted by whether you share blame for the incident. However, California follows a pure comparative negligence system for personal injury claims. Under this rule, injured workers may still recover compensation even if they were partially responsible for the accident.
However, the total recovery in a personal injury claim will generally be reduced according to the worker’s percentage of fault. For example, if your damages total $500,000 but you are found 20% responsible for the accident, your recovery may be reduced to $400,000. In many situations, these allegations are simply attempts to reduce payouts.
We work to ensure responsibility is assigned where it actually belongs.
Deadlines for Filing Construction Accident Claims in California
Construction accident claims are subject to strict filing deadlines under California law. Workers’ compensation claims generally require injured employees to report the injury promptly to their employer and complete necessary claim paperwork within required deadlines.
For third-party personal injury lawsuits, California law generally provides two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. However, different deadlines and procedural rules may apply in certain cases.
Failing to act before the applicable deadline can permanently prevent you from recovering compensation.
Steps To Take After a Construction Site Injury in Porterville
The actions you take after a construction accident can significantly affect both your health and your legal claim.
If you are injured on a construction site, you should:
- Seek medical attention immediately: Even injuries that initially appear minor can become serious over time. Prompt medical treatment also helps document the connection between the accident and your injuries.
- Report the accident: Notify your employer, supervisor, or site manager about the accident as soon as possible.
- Document the scene if possible: Photographs and videos can become valuable evidence later.
- Gather witness information: Coworkers and other witnesses may provide important testimony regarding how the accident occurred.
- Avoid speaking with insurance companies alone: Insurance representatives may attempt to obtain statements that could later be used against you.
- Speak with an experienced construction accident attorney: Construction accident claims often involve overlapping workers’ compensation and third-party liability issues, which an attorney can help you navigate.
At Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers, we handle all aspects of the legal process so injured workers can focus on recovery.
How Much Does a Construction Accident Lawyer Cost?
Most construction accident lawyers handle construction accident cases on a contingency fee basis. No upfront attorney’s fees. No hourly legal bills. No out-of-pocket costs to begin your case.
In fact, your attorney only gets paid if they successfully recover compensation for you. If this happens, their fee comes from a percentage of your overall recovery. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney’s fees.
Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers offers free consultations and contingency fees to all prospective clients.
Contact a Porterville Construction Accident Lawyer Today
Construction accidents often make headlines for the wrong reasons — they cause injury and death to workers. If you were injured in a workplace accident, you could be entitled to substantial compensation.
Matadores Accident & Injury Lawyers has decades of experience handling construction accident claims in Porterville, CA. If you or a loved one suffered injuries on a construction site, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced Porterville construction accident attorney.
