How to Pick the Right Construction Accident Attorney in Orlando

Ever since the country moved out of the Great Recession, we’ve seen a massive construction boom and an increase in housing prices. With interest rates as low as they’ve been for so long, more people can afford bigger houses, and demand for properties at all price ranges is sky-high.

In Florida, we’ve seen an incredible influx of people moving into the state from all over. People from other states are coming for the fantastic weather, and people from overseas are either relocating here or buying second homes. 

All of that activity has also meant a corresponding rise in construction work in the state. Unsurprisingly, the rush to build homes to meet demand has meant an increase in the number of Orlando construction accident reports. 

Construction accidents happen for several reasons and they range in severity. At their best, an Orlando construction accident can be a minor inconvenience. But at their worst, it can be fatal or cause lifelong disability. 

Get the Legal Representation You Deserve

No matter what type of construction injury, the right construction attorney in Orlando can hold construction companies, subcontractors and other at-fault parties responsible to get you the compensation you need. 

Here are some steps you can use to find the right construction attorney and how they’ll help. 

Step 1 – Start Your Search as Early as Possible

Don’t wait a moment too long to start looking for a construction accident lawyer. The actions you or a loved one take after a construction-related injury can have a massive impact on your case. A good lawyer will tell you how to:

• Talk to your insurance company and any other insurance companies
• Document your injuries
• Talk to your employer
• Seek the right kind of medical care after the accident
• Preserve critical evidence and prevent evidence from being changed destroyed
• Obtain photos and videos of the scene
• Identify witnesses before they are lost, disappear or the other side manipulates their story

Saying the wrong thing or forgetting to take certain steps after an Orlando construction accident may have serious consequences. 

Hiring a good attorney early on will help you avoid mistakes and make it easier to build an effective personal injury case against whoever is liable for your injuries. 

Step 2 – Ways to Find the Right Orlando Construction Accident Attorney

One of the best things about the amount of information available online today is that it’s easier than ever to gauge the quality of goods and services. Law firms are no exception. 

As you search for an attorney after an accident, read online reviews. Visit their website and look at what sort of results they’ve gotten for other clients and if they’ve handled cases similar to yours. 

You should look for positives as well as any red flags. While a negative review once in a while is understandable, if the overwhelming feedback is poor, you should keep looking for something better. 

Step 3 – Find a Lawyer Who Will Give You a Free Consultation

As you start emailing or calling law firms, find an attorney who is willing to jump on the phone with you and go over the details of your case. Here are some of the questions they’ll ask.

• What are all of the details around your injury?
• How is it impacting your quality of life?
• What sort of financial hardship are you going through?
• What were the conditions that led up to your injury?
• How did the company respond?

They’ll ask several more questions to understand possible liable parties and whether you have a strong case. Good attorneys will only take on clients who have a good shot at success. If they hire you, it’s a good sign.

Step 4 – Ask All the Questions You Want

The right Orlando construction accident law firm also needs to be a good personality fit. You need confidence in their abilities, but you also need to know that you can go to them with questions. 

Construction accident cases can take months or years to sort out. That’s a long-term endeavor that you’re taking on with your lawyer. You should be able to ask all the questions you want! 

Talk to your lawyer on the consultation and ask things about whether they’ve handled construction accident cases and what were the results, costs, how they’ll manage your case, and anything else you can think of.  Find out if they have substantial trial experience and what kind of results they have obtained.

Step 5 – Hire the Best Lawyer Possible

A good lawyer is always in high demand. Why, you might ask? Well, good lawyers get results for clients. 

Don’t make the mistake of thinking a good attorney is too expensive for you. That’s something a lot of construction workers worry about after they’ve been hurt in a construction accident that should have never happened in the first place. 

The best attorneys will win you better judgments and, ultimately, more in damages to cover medical costs and lost income as a result of your injury. 

Typically, legal fees are taken out of any judgment you win, and the at-fault party has to pay for them. 

Possible At-Fault Parties in an Orlando Construction Accident

The right lawyer will help you start building a case immediately. An integral part of that is finding possible liable parties involved in your accident. Here are some parties that could be responsible. 

• Site Owners – Property owners are responsible for all of the work that happens on-site. They need to keep the construction area free from hazards and conduct regular inspections to keep everyone safe. 
• General Contractors (GC) – A GC manages hiring out construction projects to smaller companies. It’s a good way to divide up the labor without incurring the cost of carrying so many employees. GCs have to make sure that subcontractors are trained on safety requirements and conduct themselves safely throughout the construction process. 
• Engineers – If plans or equipment fail, people can get hurt. Construction engineers must ensure equipment is built and handled properly so no one gets injured. 
• Equipment Manufacturers – Many construction sites use heavy machinery and other equipment made by manufacturers. If any of the equipment or machinery is faulty, they could be at fault for your injuries.
• Site Supervisors – Anyone who manages workers or anyone else on a construction site has responsibility for the safety of their people. If a supervisor gives an order that results in injury, or they fail to arrange the necessary precautions, they could be liable for a construction accident. 

These are just some of the potentially liable parties. Your lawyer will work with you to find out whether anyone else bears responsibility for a work-related injury. 

Understanding Workers’ Compensation

A qualified Florida attorney will work with you to maximize the benefits of worker’s compensation. Florida law requires workers’ compensation to cover things like funeral expenses, payments to dependents, and educational benefits for survivors. In a fatal construction accident, it’s even more important to get expert legal help to navigate the benefits process.  Workers compensation is provided to the employee by the employer and has very limited benefits.

For non-fatal construction accidents, workers’ compensation can cover some lost income and expenses related to injury recovery. Depending on your injury, you can get temporary disability coverage or permanent disability benefits. 

Pro Tip: A qualified construction accident lawyer can help you navigate workers’ comp and what you can expect. They’ll also tell you how a lawsuit may bridge any gaps in coverage. Before you accept any workers comp benefits speak with a qualified trial lawyer because workers comp can be a bar to recovery against responsible parties.

Construction Accident Injury Compensatory Awards

With the right Orlando construction accident lawyer on your side, you can start the process of getting the damages and support you need. In some cases, workers’ compensation limits won’t cover the medical care you need to recover from serious injuries. 

Pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against liable parties can help you bridge that gap. Here are some things that a personal injury lawsuit can help pay for:

• Lost Income – If you’re hurt, you’re probably not working, at least not in the same capacity. On a construction site, people need to be in good health to operate machinery and withstand the rigors of the job. Injuries often make it so people can’t earn the same amount as they used to. 
• Pain & Suffering – What about the mental anguish someone goes through after they are hurt, can no longer work, and feel things like anxiety and depression? A personal injury lawsuit can help cover the intangible costs of pain and suffering. 
• Medical Expenses – A personal injury lawsuit can help you cover medical expenses now and in the future. A serious accident can leave you with lingering disabilities and pain. 

Protecting Yourself from Liability in an Orlando Construction Accident

A good Florida construction accident lawyer will also protect you from liability in a construction accident. 

Builders, site owners, engineers, and insurance companies don’t want to pay damages when someone gets hurt. They typically immediately move to limit financial exposure and will be difficult to deal with. 

This reluctance to help can come as a surprise to construction workers who have dedicated years to a company and its projects. Sometimes, companies will try to assign fault for the accident to the injured person. They’ll try to say it’s your fault. 

You need an attorney who will fight against unfair accusations and exposure to countersuits. They’ll tell you what to say, what not to say, and how to document conversations and events.

They’ll also tell you not to hastily accept an offer of a settlement from an employer or equipment manufacturer after an injury. A lot of the time, injured people are offered cash payments as a way to keep things quiet and limit a company’s exposure. 

Finding the right attorney can guide you in the right direction and guarantee you get the most compensation possible. 

At Leighton Panoff Law, we lead the way in advocating for construction accidents. Our proven track record demonstrations our commitment to making things right after you’ve been hurt. We have handled construction accident cases throughout Florida as well as having been hired by lawyers outside the state to handle and try cases elsewhere.  Make sure you are in the right hands when tragedy strikes.