Experienced Boca Raton Construction Accident Attorneys
Construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces in Florida, and Boca Raton's ongoing development means thousands of workers face serious hazards every day. Falls from scaffolding, crane collapses, electrocutions, and heavy equipment failures can cause devastating, life-altering injuries in an instant. At Roselli & McNelis, our trial attorneys have spent decades representing construction workers and their families after jobsite accidents.
We understand the complex web of liability that exists on construction sites, where multiple contractors, subcontractors, property owners, and equipment manufacturers may share responsibility for unsafe conditions. Our attorneys conduct thorough investigations to identify every liable party and pursue maximum compensation on your behalf, whether through negotiation or aggressive trial advocacy.
Common Construction Site Accidents
Construction work involves inherent risks, but many jobsite injuries are caused by negligence, OSHA violations, or inadequate safety measures. Our attorneys handle all types of construction accidents, including:
- Falls From Heights: Falls from scaffolding, ladders, roofs, and elevated platforms are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Inadequate fall protection and defective equipment are often to blame.
- Struck-By Accidents: Workers struck by falling objects, swinging cranes, moving vehicles, or heavy materials suffer severe head injuries, broken bones, and spinal cord damage.
- Electrocution Injuries: Contact with live power lines, faulty wiring, and improperly grounded equipment causes electrocution injuries that can result in severe burns, cardiac arrest, or death.
- Caught-In/Between Accidents: Workers can be caught in or between heavy machinery, collapsing structures, or trench cave-ins, leading to crush injuries and amputations.
- Crane and Heavy Equipment Accidents: Improperly maintained cranes, forklifts, and excavators pose serious risks to operators and nearby workers when equipment malfunctions or operators lack proper training.
- Scaffolding Collapses: Poorly erected, overloaded, or defective scaffolding can collapse without warning, injuring workers at multiple levels of a construction site.
- Trench and Excavation Cave-Ins: Failure to properly shore or slope trenches results in deadly cave-ins that can bury workers under thousands of pounds of soil.
Who Is Liable for a Construction Site Accident?
Unlike most workplace injuries that are limited to workers' compensation claims, construction site accidents often involve third-party liability that allows injured workers to file personal injury lawsuits for full compensation. Potentially liable parties include:
- General Contractors: General contractors have a duty to maintain a safe worksite and ensure all subcontractors follow proper safety protocols and OSHA regulations.
- Property Owners: Property owners who retain control over safety conditions at a construction site may be held liable for hazardous conditions they knew about or should have corrected.
- Subcontractors: When a subcontractor's negligence creates unsafe conditions that injure workers from another trade, they can be held responsible for those injuries.
- Equipment Manufacturers: Companies that design, manufacture, or sell defective construction tools, machinery, or safety equipment may be liable under product liability law.
- Engineers and Architects: Design professionals whose negligent plans or specifications contribute to structural failures or unsafe conditions may bear liability.
Construction Accident Injuries and Damages
Construction site accidents frequently produce catastrophic injuries that require extensive medical treatment and long-term care. If you've been injured on a construction site due to someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Medical Expenses: Emergency care, surgeries, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and all future medical costs related to your injuries.
- Lost Wages and Earning Capacity: Income lost during recovery and diminished future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to construction work.
- Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental anguish caused by your injuries and their long-term effects.
- Permanent Disability: Compensation for amputations, paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, and other permanent conditions that fundamentally change your life.
- Wrongful Death: If a loved one was killed in a construction accident, surviving family members may recover damages for funeral expenses, lost financial support, and loss of companionship.
OSHA Violations and Your Legal Rights
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets strict safety standards for construction sites, including requirements for fall protection, scaffolding safety, electrical safety, and trench protection. When employers or contractors violate these standards, they put workers at serious risk.
OSHA violations can serve as powerful evidence of negligence in a construction accident lawsuit. Our attorneys know how to obtain OSHA inspection reports, identify regulatory violations, and use this evidence to strengthen your claim. Common OSHA violations on Florida construction sites include failure to provide fall protection, inadequate scaffolding, lack of proper training, and missing safety equipment.
Why Choose Roselli & McNelis for Your Construction Accident Case?
Construction accident cases are among the most complex personal injury claims, requiring specialized knowledge of construction practices, OSHA regulations, and multi-party liability. Here's why injured workers trust our firm:
- Civil Trial Lawyers: Our attorneys hold the highest certification from the Florida Bar, demonstrating elite expertise in trial advocacy.
- Construction Accident Experience: We understand the unique dynamics of construction site liability and know how to build compelling cases against negligent parties.
- Thorough Investigation: We work with safety experts, engineers, and accident reconstruction specialists to document exactly how and why your accident occurred.
- No Fee Unless We Win: We handle construction accident cases on a contingency basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases, workers' compensation is the exclusive remedy against your direct employer. However, construction sites typically involve multiple parties beyond your employer, including general contractors, property owners, subcontractors, and equipment manufacturers. If any of these third parties contributed to your injury through negligence, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against them for full compensation, including pain and suffering, which is not available through workers' comp. Our attorneys will identify all potentially liable parties to maximize your recovery.
First, seek immediate medical attention, even if your injuries seem minor. Report the accident to your supervisor and ensure it is documented in writing. Take photographs of the accident scene, any hazardous conditions, and your injuries if possible. Collect the names and contact information of any witnesses. Do not give recorded statements to insurance companies before consulting an attorney. Contact Roselli & McNelis as soon as possible so we can begin investigating the accident and preserving critical evidence before it is altered or destroyed.
Florida's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally four years from the date of the accident. However, certain circumstances can shorten this deadline, and evidence from construction sites can be lost or destroyed quickly as work continues. It's critical to contact an attorney promptly after a construction accident. Early investigation allows us to preserve evidence, obtain OSHA reports, interview witnesses, and document site conditions before they change.