Who is liable when a construction worker is hurt in Live Oak?
Live Oak, FL – Personal injury attorneys often assist people who were hurt while working. One of the most dangerous occupations is working on a construction site. This is due to the fact that workers may fall from several floors up, they handle heavy materials that can be dangerous, and there may even be hazards such as exposed wires and chemicals. If a worker is hurt on the job, they will need to receive legal advice about who is actually responsible for these losses and which party will be named as a defendant in a lawsuit.
Florida law for contractors or subcontractors
Florida law gives some specific guidance about construction site regulations and liability in the state statutes. The relevant laws say that subcontractors and employees are generally part of the same business, and liability will move up to the general contractor responsible for the work. Contractors in the state will usually ask for proof of insurance to cover injuries and workers compensation claims from subcontractors for this reason. There also may be evidence specific to the incident that caused the injury which shows which individual or company was actually responsible. If an employee engaged in their regular job duties caused the injury through a mistake or negligence, their employer may be liable for the damages.
Defective equipment
If a particular piece of equipment on a job site is defective, the manufacturer of the product may actually be named in the lawsuit rather than any particular individual or contractor at the site. The area of the law known as products liability makes manufacturers strictly liable for these kinds of problems and injuries as an incentive to conduct safety research before making the product available to the general public. Because products liability can implicate some complex issues, the victim should try to find an attorney with experience in this area and obtain advice regarding how to proceed.
Intervening causes
There may be some unforeseen problems or hazards that have nothing to do with the construction work at the site or the companies involved. In some cases, a driver may crash into the site, or a land owner may have left a hazardous condition from before the work started that was never fixed. In these situations, the specific person or entity that caused the injuries will be liable. This means that someone like the driver that caused the accident or the owner of the land would have to be named as a defendant in a negligence lawsuit.
More legal advice
Anyone who has been hurt in an accident can get assistance from a local attorney in the Live Oak area. Koberlein Law Offices is a firm that can help.
Firm contact info:
118 Ohio Avenue N, Suite A, Live Oak, FL 32064
386-516-2626
www.klo-attorneys.com
