Construction accidents are the third most likely cause of work-related injury, after mining and agriculture. Some common causes of construction accident reports include faulty scaffolding, falls from heights, motor vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide poisoning due to faulty gas mechanisms, forklift accidents, electrocution, machinery accidents, and injury due to falling objects.

Construction accident reports must be filed immediately following the injury. A construction accident lawyer should be retained after a report is filed. Both federal and state law may apply. About 6 construction accident attorneys practice in Minnesota , who can be found through the Minnesota State Bar Association, at http://www.mnbar.org. The Minnesota statute of limitations can be as short as two years and as long as six years, depending on alternate theories of liability. If the governmental body, such as a city or state, has fault for the injury, even shorter notice requirements may apply.

In Minnesota and most other states, an injured worker is barred from suing the employer for negligence. That means that if the worker or the employer is 100% at fault, remedies will be limited to workers’ compensation benefits. However, if a third-party such as the employee of another supplier or contractor contributed to the accident, the injured party still file suit on a third-party claim.

The attorney will gather a list of several possible third party defendants in order to ensure a better chance at winning a settlement. Any or all of several parties can be held accountable for a construction accident. Depending on the size and sophistication of the construction project, there can be a wide variety of individuals involved at a construction site, including the site's landowner, design and engineering professionals, contractors (including general, "prime," and "sub"-contractors), construction managers, and equipment and material suppliers. While many construction projects are based on general contract relationships (where a general contractor retained by the site owner enters into agreements with sub-contractors as needs require), larger projects are increasingly being handled by "construction management" organizations.

The type of system in place at a construction site where an injury occurs will be an important consideration in assessing the potential liability of the various individuals involved in the project, especially as to the site owner's liability. To determine who may be liable for injuries resulting from a construction accident, the attorney will take a close look at the duties and legal responsibilities of individuals involved in the construction project.

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