You may frequently pass by a construction zone on roadways or on the highway. But you may not know just how dangerous these zones can be, even for passersby. Continue reading to learn what you should do if you become an injured party in a construction zone accident and how one of the experienced Panama City construction accident attorneys at Manuel & Thompson, PA can walk you through the legal road ahead.
What are the common causes of construction zone accidents?
Without utilizing the proper safety measures, construction zone can become quite hazardous. In other words, the negligence of construction zone owners, project managers, or workers can lead to any one of the following accidents:
- An individual is injured from falling debris.
- An individual is injured from the improper use of heavy machinery.
- An individual is injured from a construction vehicle rolling over.
- An individual gets caught in between construction equipment.
- An individual is exposed to hazardous materials.
- An individual is electrocuted from working with electrical lines.
- An individual slips and falls due to inadequate warning signs, lane barricades, etc.
- An individual’s vehicle collides with construction vehicles or heavy machinery.
What should I do if I am an injured party in a construction zone accident?
Sometimes, the injured party of a construction zone accident is a worker who was on the job site. This situation may be resolved with a workers’ compensation claim.
However, at other times, the injured party is an individual who is not associated with the construction zone in any way (i.e., an automobile driver, a pedestrian, etc). If this applies to you, then you may be able to bring forward a personal injury claim. For your claim, you should take the following steps:
- Call the police: an officer will arrive at the scene, conduct an accident report, and call an ambulance.
- Capture the scene: take photos and videos of your injuries, damages, and the construction zone hazards that led to your accident.
- Collect contact information: ask for the construction zone manager’s contact information, along with that of any present witnesses.
- Attend medical treatment: go to the ambulance at the scene, visit the hospital afterward, and then schedule follow-up appointments with your physician as necessary.
- Employ an attorney: our team will help you collect surveillance camera footage of your accident, among other things.
Nonetheless, you should not have to suffer injuries and damages just because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time. So, whenever you are ready, you must reach out to one of the skilled Panama City personal injury attorneys. We look forward to speaking with you.