Marshfield, MA Construction Accident Lawyer
Construction accidents are often more serious than not, leaving victims with considerable damages that require compensation in Marshfield.
When preparing your case following a construction accident, our lawyers can interview eyewitnesses immediately to preserve their statements. We can also obtain and review incident reports from the police or the construction company. If you photographed the accident’s aftermath, give those pictures to our lawyers, as they might contain important details. Because photographic evidence can be so useful, our lawyers may also obtain any surveillance footage from onsite security cameras. As we do this, you can focus on building medical evidence for us to use in your case, whether you pursue a Workers’ Compensation claim or file a third-party work injury lawsuit in Marshfield.
To discuss your case for free with our Marshfield, MA construction accident lawyers, call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan now at (617) 925-6407.
Evidence to Collect After a Marshfield, MA Construction Accident
There are some pieces of evidence victims can preserve and collect right after a construction accident, like photographs. In contrast, other evidence, like witness statements or surveillance footage, will be the focus of our lawyers when preparing your case in Marshfield.
Witness Statements
If anyone else witnessed the incident, identify them to our construction accident lawyers. Interviewing eyewitnesses right away typically leads to more useful statements. Even if you ultimately file a Workers’ Compensation claim instead of a third-party lawsuit, eyewitness statements can help establish that you were injured at work and that you did not intentionally cause your injuries.
Serious construction accidents, like vehicle accidents or explosions, might be witnessed by many, including other workers on a construction site and passersby. In these situations, calling the police is often important, not only to have assistance processing and documenting the scene but also to get help identifying eyewitnesses to the accident and collecting their contact information.
Incident Reports
Construction sites typically have protocols for reporting and documenting on-the-job injuries since accidents are common in this industry. Our lawyers will request copies of any incident reports filed with your employer and incident reports from the Marshfield Police Department if you called law enforcement to the scene.
Though police reports are not admissible in many injury claims in Massachusetts, they can help our lawyers prepare your case and look for other evidence. For example, the police report might note all involved parties, the events preceding the accident, and the immediate injuries sustained by a worker. Suppose you can file a third-party construction accident lawsuit rather than a Workers’ Compensation claim. In that case, we may be able to use the police report as leverage during settlement negotiations.
Photographs
One of the best things victims can do immediately after an accident on a construction site in Marshfield is to take pictures. If you have your phone on you, use that to photograph the cause of your injuries as well as any apparent bodily harm to your person. If you do not have the means to take pictures yourself, ask fellow workers on the construction site or first responders to help. Our lawyers can immediately obtain and review photos from the accident scene to see if they may be useful to your case.
Surveillance Footage
Construction sites often have surveillance systems that may capture an accident. Video evidence can be exceptionally helpful to victims’ recoveries, even when filing Workers’ Compensation claims. Though Workers’ Compensation is a no-fault system in Massachusetts, insurance companies can deny claims if workers injure themselves through serious or willful misconduct, according to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 152, § 27. Video evidence showing an accident taking place can disprove any arguments that you intentionally caused your injuries to recover Workers’ Compensation benefits.
If our lawyers identify a negligent third party, like the producer of the defective product that injured you, video footage will also be important evidence. Because of the impact surveillance footage can have in your case, our lawyers will immediately request footage from the construction site to ensure it is not deleted or lost.
Medical Records
As victims get medical treatment, they build medical evidence for their claims. In Workers’ Compensation claims in Marshfield, claimants’ recoveries are based largely on the severity of their injuries. In Massachusetts, there are temporary total incapacity benefits, partial incapacity benefits, and permanent and total incapacity benefits. Your injuries will dictate your benefit type.
Right after a workplace accident, go to the hospital. Your employer’s insurer might have you see a medical professional of their choosing to confirm your injuries under § 45. Continue to get the necessary treatment, including any suggested surgeries or therapies. Without sufficient medical evidence, injured employees might see their claims denied.
From after the accident onward, our lawyers can help you request copies of medical records and keep them carefully organized so that we have a clear timeline of your injuries and treatment. Because Workers’ Compensation is a no-fault system in Massachusetts, what matters most often in these claims is whether or not claimants can prove their injuries, not that an employer’s negligence necessarily caused their injuries. When victims sue negligent third parties for construction accidents in Marshfield, they also need medical records to prove their claims.
Wage Information
While your employer and their insurer already have your income information, our lawyers will also need such details when preparing your case. We will do our own calculations regarding your likely Workers’ Compensation lost-wage benefits based on your benefit type and your income preceding the accident. That way, when the insurance company responds with a proposed settlement, we will be able to carefully evaluate it to confirm if it is fair or accurate based on your injuries and income.
Wage information is also necessary for third-party work injury claims so that our lawyers can calculate victims’ lost wages due to injuries in Marshfield.
Call Us to Discuss Your Construction Accident Case in Marshfield, MA
Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan’s construction accident lawyers to get a free case assessment at (617) 925-6407.
