Van Nuys Legal Blog

Construction workers face many dangers when laboring on work sites, such as electrocution, being caught in-between pieces of equipment and being struck by an object. There is a danger, however, that tops the list when discussing fatal construction injuries. More construction workers die in accidents involving falls than any other type of accident. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, one in five workplace deaths in 2016 were in the construction industry. This equates to 991 lives that were lost on worksites throughout the United States. Of these deaths, falls were responsible for more than 38 percent of the total amount.

Workers can fall from a number of places while working on site. According to OSHA data, most deadly falls, approximately one-third, were from roofs, while others were from scaffolding, ladders, structural steel, floor openings and aerial lifts. Whether workers were not taking the proper precautions to be safe at the jobsite, or the employer did not implement the required safety features, falls can cause long-term injuries and death to workers.

You probably woke up the morning of your accident thinking that day would be the same as every other. You got to work and began your day. Then, depending on what industry you work in and your duties, you ended up suffering some sort of work-related injury to your head.

Depending on the severity of your injury, you may have gone to see a doctor on your own or in an ambulance. In any case, you underwent an examination to determine how bad your traumatic brain injury was. Whether it turned out to be mild, moderate or severe, it will take a toll on your life, even if only temporarily. You could recover 100 percent, suffer lifelong mild effects or suffer lifelong serious effects.

Some people find themselves working in traffic on a daily basis, from road construction workers to those who drive large trucks. People in these fields may face a number of risks while performing their job duties, including the possibility of being hurt in a traffic crash. Moreover, people in other industries may be injured in a work-related traffic injury as well. For example, someone may be asked to run an errand for their employer, which could require them to operate a vehicle or even cross busy streets. The consequences of work-related traffic crashes can be staggering and injured workers need to know which options they have.

Some work-related injuries are not a complete surprise, such as those which result from repetitive strain. However, traffic crashes are completely unexpected and can turn a worker's life upside down with no warning. Workplace traffic accidents can lead to broken bones, unbearable pains and other hardships that make daily life very hard and keep someone from working. Aside from the physical consequences of an accident, which can be terrible, the financial and psychological impact of an accident can be overwhelming too. For example, someone involved in a serious traffic accident at work may never feel comfortable performing their job duties due to trauma.

An injury could change the way you are able to work — maybe permanently. California law has terms that could provide some protection for you, even if your original job were to prove impossible for you to perform. Regardless of what your level of disability might be, you could still potentially have the right to work at your current company.

Regardless of whether your injury resulted in permanent or temporary disability, your rehabilitation period could include some time when you were able to work in a reduced capacity. Unfortunately, decisions as to the timetable for your return and the exact duties you would perform could be out of your hands.