Construction Accident Lawyer
in Cleveland, OH
A construction site accident rarely stops at just a workers' comp claim. If a piece of equipment failed or a subcontractor cut corners, Ohio law may let you go after these third parties directly, in addition to whatever workers' comp benefits already cover.
Our Cleveland construction accident lawyers at Lowe Trial Lawyers investigate every job site injury for third-party liability, not just the workers' comp claim in front of you. If someone other than your employer contributed to what happened, we will pursue them.
Types of Construction Accidents
We Handle in Cleveland
Cleveland's construction boom, from downtown high-rises to highway resurfacing along I-90 and I-77, means job sites are busier and more dangerous than ever. As a construction accident attorney in Cleveland, our team represents workers and bystanders hurt in incidents including:
Hurt on a Cleveland Construction Site? Let's Talk.
A free consultation costs nothing and tells you exactly where you stand. Tell us what happened and whether your employer's workers' comp carrier has already gotten involved, and we'll help you sort out what other options may exist.
Common Injuries from Cleveland Construction Accidents
Construction accidents tend to produce serious, often permanent injuries because of the height, weight, and force involved. Some injuries are obvious immediately. Others, particularly nerve damage and internal injuries, take time to fully surface.
Our construction accident attorneys in Cleveland represent clients dealing with:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Crush injuries and amputations
- Broken bones and multiple fractures
- Severe burns and electrocution injuries
- Herniated discs and chronic back injuries
- Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
- Nerve damage and chronic pain conditions
- Lacerations requiring surgical repair
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Wrongful death
Some clients recover within months. Others face years of surgery, physical therapy, and lost earning capacity. A construction accident claim, particularly a third-party claim, should account for the full scope of that harm, not just the medical bills workers' comp already paid.
What Your Cleveland Construction Accident Claim May Be Worth
There's no set formula for what a construction accident claim is worth, because so much depends on the severity of your injuries, the strength of the third-party liability evidence, and how the injury has affected your ability to work and live. Ohio law allows injured workers pursuing a third-party claim to recover several categories of damages.
Economic Damages
These are the costs you can attach a dollar figure to. Common items include:
- Emergency care, hospitalization, and surgery costs
- Follow-up treatment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation
- Future medical costs tied to permanent injuries
- Lost wages beyond what workers' comp already paid
- Reduced earning capacity if you can't return to the same trade
- Vocational retraining, if you can no longer perform construction work
- Out-of-pocket costs for medical devices and home modifications
Non-Economic Damages
A serious construction accident takes far more than money from a worker and their family. Ohio law allows a third-party claim to seek compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and loss of consortium for spouses, none of which workers' comp ever provides.
What to Do After a Construction Accident on a Cleveland Job Site
What you do in the hours and days after a job site accident can shape both your workers' comp claim and any third-party case you may have. These steps help protect your health and your legal options.
- Report the incident immediately. File a report with your supervisor or site safety officer to create an official record right away, before memories fade.
- Get medical attention right away, even for injuries that seem minor. Prompt treatment protects your health and documents the injury for both claims.
- Photograph the scene before it changes. Capture the hazard, equipment, safety signage (or the lack of it), and your visible injuries as soon as you can.
- Identify all contractors and subcontractors on site. Note every company working that day, not just your own employer, for later liability review.
- Preserve the equipment involved. Don't let a failed tool, machine, or safety device get repaired, replaced, or thrown out before it's examined.
- Don't give a recorded statement without our lawyer. Speak to our Cleveland construction accident attorney before talking to any workers' comp adjuster or third-party insurer.
- Talk to a Cleveland construction accident attorney early. Quick involvement protects evidence and keeps every claim option open and on track.
Ohio Construction Accident Laws You Should Know
Ohio's construction and workplace injury laws are layered, and insurance carriers and defense attorneys count on injured workers not knowing the full picture. Here's what typically shapes a Cleveland construction accident claim.
Workers' Compensation Exclusive Remedy
Under Ohio Revised Code §4123.74, an employer that carries workers' compensation coverage is generally immune from being sued directly by an injured employee, regardless of fault. In exchange, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation pays for reasonable medical treatment, a portion of lost wages, and disability benefits. What it doesn't pay for is pain and suffering, full wage replacement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium for your spouse and minor children, or punitive damages, even when the injury changes your life permanently.
Third-Party Liability Claims
The exclusive remedy rule only protects your direct employer. If someone outside that employment relationship contributed to your injury, such as a general contractor, a different subcontractor on the same job, an equipment manufacturer, or a negligent driver, you may be able to file a separate personal injury lawsuit against them under Ohio Revised Code §4123.93. That claim can proceed alongside your workers' comp case, and it opens the door to damages workers' comp doesn't cover.
Statute of Limitations
Under Ohio Revised Code §2305.10, most third-party personal injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the date of the accident. Wrongful death claims carry their own 2-year window beginning on the date of death. Workers' comp claims have separate, often shorter filing deadlines, so it's important to protect both timelines at once.
Comparative Negligence
Ohio follows a modified comparative negligence rule. If you're found partially at fault for the accident, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, and if that share exceeds 50%, recovery is barred entirely. Defense attorneys on construction sites often argue that workers ignored safety protocols; don't assume your claim is weak just because fault has been raised.
Non-Economic Damage Caps
Ohio caps non-economic damages in most personal injury cases at $250,000 or three times the economic damages, whichever is greater, up to $350,000 per plaintiff. These caps don't apply to claims involving catastrophic injuries, including permanent and substantial physical deformity, loss of a limb, or the inability to independently care for oneself, which are common outcomes in serious construction accidents.
Hear from the People Who've Worked with Us
Why Cleveland Construction Workers Choose Lowe Trial Lawyers
Construction accident cases require a firm that understands both workers' compensation and personal injury law, since most injured workers need both handled correctly to get full compensation. Since 1976, Lowe Trial Lawyers has faithfully represented injured workers and families across Ohio.
Proudly Serving Cleveland and
Communities Across Ohio
Cleveland is our home base, and Cuyahoga County is where most of our construction accident work happens. We also represent injured workers across Northeastern Ohio and statewide.
- Cleveland (Main Office)5875 Landerbrook Drive, Suite 220, Cleveland, OH 44124
- Youngstown30 N Main Street Hubbard, OH 44425
- Chardon115 Main Street Chardon, OH 44024
- Lorain4789 N. Leavitt Road Suite A1 Lorain, OH 44053
Tell Us What Happened. We'll Take It from Here.
If you already have a workers' comp claim open, you may still be entitled to more. Share a few details below, and our Cleveland construction accident attorney will get back to you. The consultation is free, with no obligation to hire us.
FAQs About
Cleveland Construction Accident Claims
That's common, and it's exactly what an investigation is for. Our team reviews site logs, contractor agreements, equipment records, and witness statements to identify every party who may share responsibility for your injury.
Falls from heights are the leading cause of construction injuries and deaths nationwide, according to OSHA and Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Along with struck-by accidents, electrocutions, and caught-in/between incidents, falls make up what OSHA calls the "Fatal Four," which together account for the majority of construction fatalities each year.
Sprains, strains, and cuts from overexertion, falls, and contact with tools or equipment are among the most frequently reported construction injuries. More severe cases involve broken bones, herniated discs, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord damage, particularly in falls from height or heavy equipment accidents.
Work involving significant height or heavy equipment, such as roofing, structural steel erection, and highway or road construction, tends to carry the highest accident rates. These jobs combine elevated fall risk with exposure to traffic, cranes, and other heavy machinery, which is why third-party liability so often comes into play.
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