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Cleveland Construction Accident Lawyer
Experiencing an injury or losing a loved one in a construction accident is an incredibly challenging ordeal, marked by physical, emotional, and financial strain.
At Crandall & Pera Law, we know the difficulties families and individuals face after such incidents. Our construction accident attorneys in Cleveland bring over 40 years of combined experience to support and guide you through these tough times, striving for justice and fair compensation on your behalf.
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Table of Contents
- Why Choose Our Cleveland Construction Accident Lawyers?
- Construction Accident Compensation
- Common Construction Accident Locations in Cleveland
- Practice Area: Construction Accident Representation
- Fighting the Insurance Company After a Cleveland Construction Accident
- What to Do After a Construction Accident
Why Choose Our Cleveland Construction Accident Lawyers?
Selecting Crandall & Pera Law for your construction accident claim means opting for a law firm with a renowned reputation in Ohio and Kentucky for our client dedication and legal achievements.
Our lead attorneys, Steve Crandall and Marc Pera, together with our skilled legal team, have earned numerous accolades for our commitment to legal excellence, including:
- Super Lawyers® Recognition: Attorneys with skilled professional achievements and peer recognition actively receive this honor. It involves a thorough selection process, including peer nominations, evaluations, and independent research.
- The Best Lawyers in America®: Being listed in this directory is a prestigious honor, signifying peer recognition for professionalism, integrity, and skills.
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum® Membership: Membership in this forum is limited to trial lawyers who have won multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements, highlighting our capacity to secure significant client outcomes.
Understanding the Industry
Our insights stem from years of experience, including time spent as former insurance and healthcare defense attorneys. This background gives us a strategic advantage, allowing us to foresee and effectively neutralize the tactics employed by the opposition, thereby strengthening your case.
Noteworthy Case Results
Our firm's history of successful outcomes proves our dedication and legal experience. We have secured significant settlements and verdicts for our clients, demonstrating our commitment and capability in handling complex cases:
- $4.7 Million Settlement: Achieved for a construction worker paralyzed due to a fall, emphasizing our focus on victims of workplace negligence.
- Landmark $20.5 Million Settlement: Secured in a case involving a fatal construction site accident, one of the largest in Ohio's legal history, showcasing our proficiency in complex injury cases.
- $5.5 Million Settlement: Won for a family after a construction worker was fatally injured, highlighting our ability to advocate for victims of serious accidents.
- $2.35 Million Settlement: Obtained for a worker who suffered severe injuries from a fall, showing our experience in premises liability within construction sites.
- $1.25 Million Settlement: In a case involving defective construction equipment leading to a worker's death, reflecting our skill in product liability claims.
These results reflect our firm's commitment to securing justice and meaningful client compensation.
Our Locations
Conveniently situated, Crandall & Pera Law actively serves our clients in Cleveland, providing easy access to discuss your case in a comfortable and private setting.
850 Euclid Avenue #1122,
Cleveland, OH 44114
Our office's strategic location, near the Cuyahoga County Administrative Headquarters, allows us to efficiently serve clients across the area, providing a convenient venue for legal counsel in construction accident cases.
Construction Accident Compensation
The repercussions of a construction accident are far-reaching, impacting victims and their families both emotionally and financially. Our attorneys actively dedicate themselves to ensuring that any compensation covers the full extent of your losses, including:
Medical Expenses
The financial implications can overwhelm an individual when injured in a construction accident.
The term "medical expenses" includes a wide range of costs, from the initial emergency care required immediately after the incident to the long-term rehabilitation and treatment necessary for recovery. This may include ambulance fees, hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, prescription medications, and other medical interventions needed to address the injuries sustained.
Our firm actively dedicates itself to ensuring that compensation for these expenses is comprehensive, relieving the financial burden on the victim and their family. This allows them to focus on the healing process without the added stress of mounting medical bills.
Funeral and Burial Costs
In the unfortunate event of a fatal construction accident, families not only deal with their grief but also actively face the financial strain of arranging funeral and burial services for their loved ones. These costs can be substantial, including everything from the funeral service, casket, and transportation to the burial or cremation.
Our firm is committed to securing compensation that covers these expenses in full, allowing families to honor their loved ones with a dignified service. This financial support is important during such a painful time, providing some relief as families come to terms with their loss.
Loss of Income and Support
The impact of a construction accident can extend far beyond the immediate physical injuries. For many families, the loss of income and support following an accident can have devastating consequences.
This compensation component considers the earnings the injured or deceased would have contributed to their family over time. It includes lost income, benefits, and other financial contributions.
Our goal is to ensure that families are not left in a precarious financial situation due to the absence of this support, helping to maintain their standard of living and secure their future financial stability.
Pain and Suffering
The injuries sustained in construction accidents often result in significant physical pain and emotional distress for the victim. Compensation for pain and suffering acknowledges the severity of this impact, providing a measure of relief for the anguish endured.
This aspect of compensation addresses the immediate pain and the long-term effects on the victim's quality of life. It recognizes the non-economic damages suffered, which are equally important, although harder to quantify.
Our firm actively advocates for a fair assessment of these damages to ensure victims receive compensation for the full extent of their suffering.
Loss of Consortium
The loss experienced by the families of construction accident victims goes beyond financial support; it also includes the profound emotional impact of losing a loved one's companionship, affection, and support.
Loss of consortium compensation seeks to address this aspect, recognizing the emotional pain and loss suffered by spouses, children, and other close family members. This form of compensation is an acknowledgment of the irreplaceable void left by the victim, aiming to offer some solace for the loss of love, companionship, and the myriad ways the victim contributed to the family's emotional well-being.
Our firm ensures this loss is acknowledged and compensated, reflecting the deep emotional toll these accidents take on families.
Common Construction Accident Locations in Cleveland
Construction accidents in Cleveland can unfold across various locations, presenting unique risks and challenges. From the downtown area, where high-rise developments and commercial construction projects are commonplace, to the expanding residential neighborhoods in areas like Tremont and Ohio City, the construction landscape in Cleveland is varied.
The city's commitment to growth and development increases the potential for fall-related accidents, machinery mishaps, and issues with site safety protocols.
The University Circle area, known for its cultural institutions, hospitals, and universities, is another focal point for construction projects. Given the complex nature of such projects, the ongoing expansion of medical facilities and educational institutions can lead to construction-related incidents.
Cleveland's industrial sectors, such as those found along the Cuyahoga River and in the Collinwood area, are sites of significant construction activity related to manufacturing and warehousing. Heavy machinery and industrial operations in these zones pose distinct risks for construction workers.
Residential construction projects in suburbs like Westlake and Lakewood also contribute to the city's construction accident statistics. As these communities grow, the demand for new homes and renovations increases, along with the potential for accidents in these less regulated, often fast-paced work environments.
Practice Area: Construction Accident Representation
Our firm handles a wide variety of construction accident cases, each presenting unique legal challenges:
Falls from Heights
Falls from heights represent one of the most common and dangerous hazards on construction sites, including accidents from scaffolding, ladders, and elevated work platforms. These incidents often occur due to inadequate fall protection measures, such as poor maintenance of equipment, insufficient safety training, or failure to use personal protective equipment.
The consequences of falls from heights can be severe, leading to long-term disabilities or fatalities. Ensuring the safety of workers operating at heights requires strict adherence to safety protocols, regular equipment inspections, and comprehensive training on the correct use of fall arrest systems.
Machinery and Equipment Accidents
Accidents involving machinery and equipment are a significant concern in the construction industry. These incidents can arise from the malfunction of machinery or the improper use of equipment, including cranes, forklifts, power tools, and heavy machinery.
Lack of maintenance, operator error, and inadequate safety measures can all contribute to these accidents. The results can be catastrophic, causing serious injuries or death.
Preventing machinery and equipment accidents necessitates rigorous operator training, regular equipment maintenance and inspection, and strict safety guidelines enforcement.
Electrocutions
Electrocutions on construction sites are typically the result of contact with exposed wiring, overhead power lines, or unsafe electrical systems.
These accidents can occur when safety standards are overlooked, such as failing to de-energize electrical systems before work begins or neglecting proper lockout/tagout procedures. Electrocution can lead to severe injuries, including burns, cardiac arrest, and, in some cases, death.
Preventative measures include:
- Thorough training in electrical safety.
- Regular inspections of electrical equipment.
- Adherence to established electrical codes and standards.
Trench and Building Collapses
Trench and building collapses can happen due to inadequate structural support, failure to follow excavation safety practices, or the improper assessment of environmental conditions. Collapses endanger workers within the immediate vicinity and can pose a risk to emergency responders and bystanders.
Exposure to Hazardous Materials
Construction workers may face exposure to hazardous materials, including asbestos, lead, chemicals, and toxins, which pose significant health risks.
These dangers can arise during the demolition of older buildings, handling construction materials, or working in contaminated environments. Health issues from exposure to hazardous materials can range from immediate reactions to long-term conditions, such as respiratory diseases, cancer, and neurological damage.
Mitigating these risks requires proper identification and handling of hazardous materials, use of personal protective equipment, and adherence to safety protocols and guidelines established by health and safety regulatory bodies.
Fighting the Insurance Company After a Cleveland Construction Accident
After a construction accident in Cleveland, individuals and their families may face off against insurance companies that use a variety of tactics to minimize payouts for claims. Overcoming these strategies can be challenging without the guidance of experienced legal representation.
Armed with over four decades of combined experience, our attorneys identify and counter these tactics to ensure our clients receive the full compensation they deserve.
Delaying the Claims Process
One common strategy used by insurance companies is to intentionally delay the claims process. This can involve requesting unnecessary documentation, excessively reviewing the claim, or failing to respond to inquiries promptly.
The goal is to wear down the claimant, hoping that the financial pressure and the desire for resolution will lead to accepting a lower settlement than deserved.
Disputing Liability and Causation
Insurance companies may also minimize their responsibility by disputing liability or causation. They might argue that the accident was due to the worker's negligence or claim that external factors were the primary cause.
By challenging the direct link between the workplace incident and the injuries sustained, insurers aim to reduce their payout or deny the claim.
Underestimating the Severity of Injuries
Another tactic involves underestimating the severity of the claimant's injuries. Insurers may rely on evaluations from their medical professionals, who might downplay the extent of injuries or suggest that the recovery period will be shorter than anticipated. This can significantly impact the amount offered for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Offering Quick, Low Settlements
Insurance companies often approach victims with quick settlement offers shortly after the accident. These initial offers may seem attractive, especially to those facing immediate financial hardships, but they are frequently far below what is fair.
Accepting such an offer can prevent the victim from pursuing additional compensation later on, even if it becomes clear that the injuries are more severe or the recovery is longer than initially thought.
Misinterpreting Policy Language
Insurers may also attempt to deny claims by misinterpreting their policies' language or coverage limits. This can involve claiming that certain conditions or incidents are not covered or applying policy exclusions inappropriately.
Such tactics rely on the complexity of insurance documents and the hope that claimants will not challenge their interpretations.
Requiring Excessive Documentation
While some documentation is necessary to substantiate a claim, insurance companies may demand an excessive amount. This overburdening request aims to find inconsistencies or reasons to reduce or deny the claim. It can also serve as a stalling tactic, delaying the resolution and payment of the claim.
How Our Attorneys Counteract These Tactics
Our approach to combating these insurance company tactics involves comprehensive evidence gathering to substantiate every aspect of the claim, from the severity of injuries to the impact on the claimant's life and work. We consult with medical professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, and financial analysts to build a compelling case for the full extent of damages.
Strategic negotiations backed by solid evidence and professional opinions enable us to counter lowball offers and unjust denials. When necessary, we are prepared to take the fight to court, leveraging our legal knowledge and advocacy skills to secure the justice and compensation our clients rightfully deserve.
What to Do After a Construction Accident
Immediate steps include seeking medical attention, reporting the accident, documenting everything related to the incident, and contacting a lawyer. At Crandall & Pera Law, we guide you through each step, protecting your rights.
Contact a Cleveland Construction Accident Lawyer at Crandall & Pera Law
Choosing Crandall & Pera Law means partnering with a team committed to your cause, offering empathetic, informed representation. Contact our Cleveland personal injury lawyers to discuss how we can support you in seeking justice and compensation after a construction accident.