Orange County Construction Accident Attorney

Orange County Construction Accident Attorney

Construction accidents happen far too often in the Orange County area. Whether due to unsafe conditions or reckless behavior, these accidents can leave you in dire straits with a possibly catastrophic injury. Since these accidents should be preventable, they are that much more tragic.

If you’re visiting this page, you may have been injured in an Orange County construction accident. It is very likely that you are in a good deal of pain. You may be suffering from the stress of making ends meet, as well, since you are unable to work due to your injury. You are looking for help with your claim, and you need answers sooner, rather than later.

Our Orange County construction accident attorney can help. Timothy J. Ryan & Associates provides a free legal consultation that will not cost you anything upfront.  Give us a call and schedule your free legal consultation as soon as you can.

The information on this page is intended to give you a detailed look at various aspects of construction accident claims. It will include a list of some of the most common mistakes people often make with these claims. We will also share a client story to give you more insights into construction accident claims. Read everything included here to learn as much as possible about your claim.

Timothy J. Ryan & Associates also helps residents of California with Personal Injury Matters in: Anaheim, Buena Park, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, San Diego and Santa Ana.

Common Construction Accident Claim Mistakes

Without realizing it, you could easily make a mistake that is detrimental to the value of your construction accident claim. By familiarizing yourself with the following common mistakes, you can significantly lower the risk of doing anything that might reduce the value of your claim.

Not Getting Medical Care

When you are in any accident, it is very important to receive medical care as soon as possible. With a construction accident claim, it is essential to your case. Getting medical care not only addresses your needs, but also creates a timeline of events that will serve as vital evidence.

The problem is that most of us experience a surge of adrenaline after an accident. This can prevent us from feeling pain or even realizing that we are hurt. This often prevents people from seeking the care they need. 

Not going to the doctor will only help the insurance company. They will say that you didn’t go to the doctor right away because you were not that hurt. Alternatively, they might try to claim that your injuries are unrelated to the construction accident and happened elsewhere. Don’t put the value of your claim at risk. Seek out medical attention as soon as you can after your construction accident, establishing a record of your injuries and creating a timeline that proves your injuries coincided with the accident as you claim.

Failing to Follow Your Doctor’s Plan for Treatment

Another common mistake that we see is not following a doctor’s treatment plan. After you receive medical treatment for your construction accident injury, you will receive a list of recommendations from your doctor. These may include medication or scheduled PT appointments, as an example.

Whatever is in your doctor’s treatment plan, you need to take it seriously. Take your medication to completion. Attend all your appointments and checkups.

Even if you think it is not doing you any good, you need to stick with it. If you do not, you may be putting your health and your claim at risk.

The insurance company will take advantage of this misstep just like they would if you don’t get medical treatment. When you miss a PT appointment, for example, they will say that it is your fault you are not getting better. If your doctor says to rest and you go for a 10-mile hike, the insurance company will say you are not that hurt.

Don’t give the insurance company any edge in your claim. Carefully follow your doctor’s treatment plan— you will be helping yourself and your claim. 

Giving a Recorded Statement to the Insurance Company

After your accident, you will be contacted by the insurance company. They will be friendly and sympathetic, and they will ask you for a recorded statement. Do not give them one. Doing so can be hugely detrimental to your case.

Don’t listen to them when they say it is for your own good. It is not. It will only benefit the insurance company itself. If they get you to say something compromising in a recorded statement, they will use it against you.

The adjusters you will speak with are trained to get you to say compromising things. Do not risk it. Anything you say might be used by the company to lower the value of your claim. Hand over any responsibility for communication with the insurance company to your Orange County construction accident attorney.

Waiting Too Long to Hire a Lawyer

We also see many people waiting too long to hire an attorney. They may think they have plenty of time, especially if the statute of limitations gives them what they think is a lot of time. Any delay, however, can be harmful to your case.

Construction sites are constantly evolving spaces. The evidence related to your construction accident can disappear much sooner than you might think. Witnesses might begin to forget crucial details, too.

Finding an experienced Orange County construction accident attorney and getting them on your claim right away is the best solution. They can step in, gather evidence, and put your claim in good stead from the very beginning.

Hiring the Wrong Attorney

Even the most competent attorney out there might not be the right fit for your case. People also often choose lawyers just because they have been recommended by a friend. When you hire an attorney, it has to be the right one.

When you hire a lawyer, make sure it is one with experience with construction accident claims. Construction accident claims can be complex and can involve multiple parties and even multiple insurance companies. An experienced Orange County construction accident attorney will know what to do and who to contact. They should also have trial experience. If your claim does not settle, you want an attorney by your side who knows their way around the courtroom.

Plus, if your attorney has a reputation for success in the courtroom, as our attorneys do, it may convince the insurance company or companies to settle. They are always more hesitant to face an experienced Orange County construction accident attorney in court. Hire a skilled trial attorney with experience in construction accident claims.

Orange County Construction Accident Client Story

We want to share the client story below to provide you with more insight into your construction accident claim. Names and details have been changed to ensure our client’s privacy, but you can still get tremendous value from the information here. Once you have read it all the way through, reach out to our offices to discuss your specific Orange County construction accident claim.

On a grey day during a classic Huntington Beach “rainy season” in February, Roberto Diaz was headed out the door to his current job at a large-scale commercial construction site.

It was, by far, the most stressful job he had ever been on. Equipment kept breaking and the powers that be were cutting corners left and right. Roberto wasn’t even sure if some of his co-workers on the site had any experience with builds of this scale, making it a pretty unsteady and unreliable environment. It was clear that the company was more interested in getting things done quickly and cheaply, then adhering to safety protocols.

Just a day before, a long-time friend of his had been knocked out after a newbie had forgotten to secure his safety harness and fallen on his friend from a height of six feet. Fortunately, both men were doing fine, but it hadn’t made Roberto feel any better about working at the site.

“You need the work, guy,” he said to himself as he pulled out of the driveway. “Just stick with it.”

He arrived at the site a few minutes early and began strapping on his safety gear and helmet. He would be working on the second level today, supervising finishing touches, He was surprised to see one of the newer workers on site standing by a forklift, waving his hands in frustration.

“You can handle it,” he heard the big boss, Fred, insisting to the younger man. “It’s just like driving a car.”

Roberto turned away, distracted by the work at hand. He liked what he did, and he liked how it allowed him to give his wife, Anna, and their two kids a quality of life they might not otherwise experience in this giant city.

Roberto was heading up a ladder to the second floor, when he heard a shout behind him. He barely had a second to process what was happening when a forklift rammed into his ladder, knocking him down. The last thing he remembered was the young man’s frantic face as the heavy machine rolled over Roberto’s leg.

The next thing Roberto was aware of he was waking up in the hospital. His leg was in traction and his wife, Anna, was sitting by his side. “Where are the kids?” he muttered as he tried to process what was going on.

“With my mother, of course, don’t you worry,” Anna squeezed his hand. “You need to stay calm. There was an accident.”

The forklift had crushed his leg entirely from the knee down. He soon found out the details—

he had been in surgery for 15 hours as the doctors tried to save the bottom half of his leg. The prognosis was still touch and go, and there would be a period of ‘wait and see’ before they knew if his leg would heal or if they would have to amputate.

He tried to keep a brave face on for his wife, but he knew the situation was grim. If he couldn’t walk, how would he navigate a construction site? How would he earn the money his family needed? Roberto and Anna decided that day to reach out to our firm for a free consultation.

We arranged a time to sit down with the couple the next day in Roberto’s hospital room.

How much will it cost to hire a lawyer?

As we settled in, Roberto looked at us assertively. “I appreciate you gentlemen taking the time to come by, but I need to know something right away— how much is this going to cost? I can’t risk our family savings right now, especially with the medical bills.”

We explained that our Orange County construction accident attorney works on a contingency fee basis. Roberto and his wife would face no upfront charge. “We only get paid when we bring your case to a successful conclusion,” our lawyer told them. They smiled at one another in relief.

How much is my case worth?

Anna patted Roberto’s hand. It seemed to be a nervous habit, but she was clearly an affectionate woman who adored her husband. “Roberto has already been through a lot,” she said. “We don’t know what the future will bring either. Can you tell us what a case like this is worth?”

Our lawyer replied, “We cannot responsibly give you a firm number this early in the case. We will need to investigate all the details of the accident. There may be third parties involved, too, and multiple entities against which we can bring a claim. It will all take time, but we will get it done.

“In the meantime, Anna, you and Roberto need to focus on his recovery. We need to know what Roberto’s quality of life is going to be once he reaches something known as ‘maximum medical improvement.’ This will be when we know exactly what will happen with his leg and what therapies he will need moving forward.

“When you reach that point, we’ll be able to tell you the value of your case.”

Roberto and Anna nodded, sharing a solemn look with one another. Roberto inhaled, clearly wanting to rally for his wife’s sake. “Whatever happens, we will be fine.”

How long will my construction accident claim take?

“How long will all of this take?” Roberto continued. “I will be out of work for a long time and need to have an idea of what’s to come.”

“We understand,” our attorney replied. “We can’t give a clear timeline this early on, unfortunately. How long your case takes depends on two factors: how long it takes you to reach maximum medical recovery and how the insurance company or companies respond. Your case may very well involve more than one insurance company, as is often the case with construction accident cases.

“Once you reach maximum medical recovery, we will contact the insurance companies with a total for your damages. If they are willing to meet their responsibilities, it will go quickly from there. If they dig in, we may have to negotiate further or even take them to court.

“Don’t get nervous at the idea of court, however. Our firm has experienced, successful trial attorneys and we bring cases to court and in front of juries on a regular basis. This may even help your claim— the insurance companies may not want to face us in court, and it may cause them to settle early on.

“Whatever the insurance companies choose to do, we will be ready. We have the knowledge and experience you need to succeed in your claim.”

Roberto and Anna with the answers they received during this free consultation, retained us that afternoon.  We are happy to say we were able to get Roberto seven times what the insurance companies first offered.

Call Our Orange County Construction Accident Attorney Today

We hope that this information has helped you gain a better understanding of your construction accident claim. Since every claim is unique, give us a call today to get answers on your specific claim. Our Orange County construction accident attorney will sit down with you in a free consultation to discuss your options.  You don’t have to go it alone. Contact Timothy J. Ryan & Associates today and let us fight for you.