Managing Partner
A lot of construction work takes place at elevated heights, and construction workers typically use ladders to reach these heights. Unfortunately, however, ladders on construction sites routinely result in fall accidents. Falls on construction sites often cause serious injuries, including death. In this article, we discuss what to do after a ladder fall on a construction site.
Seek Medical Attention
The first thing you should do after a ladder fall on a construction site is seek medical attention. And this applies even if you don’t believe you’ve been injured. Some injuries don’t present symptoms until days—or even weeks or months—after an accident. Therefore, it is wise to obtain a medical examination even if you aren’t in pain. Not only will this ensure that any underlying medical issues are addressed, but it will create a record that may be useful should you decide to file a legal claim.
Report the Accident
Next, you should report the accident to your employer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to report all incidents. By reporting your accident, this ensures that it will be on record with your employer and OSHA, which will impact your ability to receive compensation for your injuries.
Gather Evidence
After you’ve received medical attention and reported the accident, you should begin to gather evidence of the accident and your injury. There are several important types of evidence to compile following a ladder fall on a construction site, including:
- The contact information of potential witnesses to your accident, including witness names and telephone numbers.
- A statement detailing everything you can recall about the accident.
- Photos and videos of the accident scene, the ladder, and your injury.
Take Photographs of the Accident
As noted above, photographs and videos provide valuable evidence following a fall from a ladder on a construction site. When taking videos and photos of the accident, you should capture as much of the scene as possible, including the surrounding area and the ladder itself. In addition, you should take pictures and videos of the injuries you suffered as a result of your fall. Photographic evidence is extremely powerful in construction accident cases, so the more footage you can obtain, the better.
Preserve Evidence of the Ladder
Although many employers are honest, some will attempt to destroy evidence following a fall accident. Sometimes, employers and other third parties responsible for fall accidents will destroy the item that caused the accident—the ladder itself. Therefore, you should take steps to preserve the ladder following your accident, including contacting an experienced attorney to communicate with your employer and other involved parties on your behalf.
Contact a Long Island Construction Accident Attorney
Finally, if you’ve suffered a fall injury on a New York construction site, you should contact an experienced New York construction accident attorney as soon as possible. At Dell & Dean, PLLC, our construction accident attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to protect your legal rights. Please contact us to schedule an initial consultation with a Long Island construction accident attorney.
