Construction Site Injuries

Hundreds of workers are killed and thousands are injured in construction site accidents every year. Construction accidents often involve falls, workers struck by objects or caught between objects, equipment failure, and electrocution injuries.



Our Columbia construction injury lawyers have experience in construction site accidents, including injuries and deaths caused from falls from scaffolding and structures, crush and impact injuries, and deaths from equipment, including trucks, hoists, lifts, and cranes, severe burns and disfigurement from electrocutions and arc flashes, and deaths and injuries from trenching & excavation collapses.

OSHA Regulations

Workers are entitled to a safe work environment under OSHA regulations. Unfortunately many injuries still occur because of the failure of individuals and businesses to follow OSHA regulations and applicable state laws.

Workers who are injured may have a case against a variety of other parties other than their employer. These parties may include:

• Employees or supervisors of their employer
• Employees or agents of other contractors or sub-contractors
• Landowners or lessees
• Utility companies
• Governmental employees
• Manufactures of equipment
• Distributors of equipment
• Service providers
• Rental companies

Each of these individuals may have a duty to protect the worker from injury. Employees or supervisors of employees may be held liable, in some circumstances, where their acts increased the risk of injury to the employee. Employees or agents of other contractors or sub-contractors may be liable for the acts resulting in injury to the worker if they were negligent.

Holding Negligent Parties Accountable

Landowners and lessees may be liable to the injured worker under certain circumstances, including undisclosed dangers or an instance in which the owner directs the work or acts as a general contractor. Utility companies may be liable for their negligence related to controlling and supplying electricity at the job site. Governmental employees may be liable for causing injury on the job site if they are within the scope of their agency for the governmental agency and are negligent. Manufacturers of equipment can be liable for dangerous products which cause injury because of a defect in manufacturing, a design defect, or failure to provide a proper warning.

Determining Who Is Liable

Distributors can be held liable as the sellers of defective products and for negligent acts related to the products they sell. Service providers, such as people who maintain equipment owned by a contractor, can be liable for their negligence in failing to properly fix or maintain equipment. Rental companies who rent equipment at the construction site may be liable for renting equipment that is not fit for service, is provided without safety devices, or rented to an untrained or incompetent operator.



Construction sites typically have many different individuals and businesses on site and involved in the project. A thorough investigation of all the parties involved, the circumstances, and specific facts are necessary to determine who might have responsibility in a construction site injury case.