There is no other place in the city with more chances of being the scenario for an accident than a construction zone. Construction vehicles can cause unfortunate traffic accidents that can take many lives simultaneously.
Awareness of the dangers while driving or walking near a construction zone is necessary to avoid accidents that can hurt you badly.
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries in a construction zone car crash, you may be entitled to compensation. If you want to be treated fairly once you file a claim, get help from an experienced construction site accident attorney.
Keep reading to learn how to overcome this type of accident and receive a high-level legal service.
Causes of Construction Site Car Accidents
The most updated data from the NYC Department of Buildings shows 8,243 active building projects in 2020. One cause of accidents near construction sites is the traffic that must pass on the project address. New York is a crowded city, and traffic needs to flow, but drivers must be patient when driving near a construction site.
Construction sites often receive many construction vehicles that bring materials or machines for daily tasks; all drivers in the surrounding areas have to drive slowly and carefully. This behavior will keep them out of trouble and injuries.
Reckless driving behavior can lead to serious construction site car accidents with serious consequences. Dangerous maneuvers when passing by construction sites are a problem because they may hurt the construction crew and other citizens.
Failure to follow traffic control measures
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has a Work Zone Traffic Control Manual. This manual provides information on how to keep a safe work area for workers within the roadway while facilitating the safe and orderly flow of all road users.
All potential users include motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and persons with disabilities.
Poorly maintained road conditions in construction areas
Sometimes, heavy construction vehicles contribute to the damage to the roads near the construction project. There must be communication between the owners and managers of the project and the entity in charge of repairing the roads so they can be aware of the damage and implement renovation tasks.
These renovations help avoid traffic accidents near the construction zone.
Types of Construction Site Car Accidents
The main reason that every construction project must have a traffic control plan is to avoid construction site car accidents that may bring serious consequences for the involved parties. Some of the most common accidents that you may see near construction sites are the following:
- Rear-end collisions
Sometimes, a construction vehicle needs to enter the project, but due to its dimensions, the crew in charge of traffic control needs to stop the cars coming in the closest streets.
Distracted drivers who do not see the stopped traffic ahead of them may cause rear-end collisions that, depending on the speed they have, may provoke serious injuries to their users.
- Rollover accidents
Due to the heavy loads and large dimensions, construction vehicles are prone to rollover. These machines need a trained driver to avoid dangerous maneuvers, which can generate disastrous consequences if they are not qualified.
- Cargo spill accidents
Trucks carrying debris or other materials may constitute a hazard. If improperly loaded, the cargo can fall over the pavement, causing traffic accidents.
- Back Over accidents
When a backing vehicle strikes a worker standing, walking, or kneeling behind the car, it is called a backover accident. Even a pedestrian inadvertently crossing the site without precaution can get injured or die in the place due to this accident.
There are multiple ways of getting hurt on a construction site, among other accidents we may find:
- Crane accidents
- Bulldozer accidents
- Dump truck accidents
- Backhoes accidents
- Pinning accidents
Liability in Construction Site Car Accidents
Proving liability in a construction site car accident is a challenging task only experienced car accident attorneys can determine. Since plenty of people and entities are involved, an extensive investigation is required to find the person responsible.
One might think the construction vehicle driver was at fault, but that is not always true. The company that trained that driver or the contractor that brought the crew to the site can be responsible.
The company that owns and rents the machinery is responsible for applying regular maintenance to the construction vehicles. They need to ensure that all their moving parts work properly to avoid malfunctions.
The prime contractor is responsible for the overall safety measures of the construction workers, and other companies subcontracted to do specialized tasks.
If a car accident occurs on the project's nearest streets and it is found that the accident was caused by construction duties, an experienced construction vehicle accident lawyer will lead an investigation to find the right at-fault party.
Injuries and Damages in Construction Site Car Accidents
Most of the accidents in construction zones bring serious injuries to the victims if they are lucky; if not, most of the accidents can cause sudden death.
It is common to see broken bones in injured people in these accidents, and multiple limbs can be crushed by heavy machines or falling debris from these massive vehicles. Heavy vehicles must be fed with fuel, requiring lubricants to perform properly. An expert needs to do these tasks to avoid chemical burns with these materials.
The giant engines that move these construction vehicles are often exposed and expel a great deal of energy in the form of heat; a slight touch with a hot engine can cause second—to third-grade burns.
Understandably, these types of injuries will keep you out of work for several months or even years, and you may lose substantial income, not to mention the high medical bills you may need to cover.
When an injured person on a construction site tries to recover from his/her losses, they could go to set a worker’s comp claim. This coverage is a must for every construction project owner or manager, shielding them from being suited by injured workers and allowing the injured party to receive compensation to pay for their expenses.
The compensation you can receive from insurance may not be sufficient to cover everything, including treatment and rehabilitation that may last several months. It is essential for the victim to determine all the involved parties and fight for extra compensation to cover everything.
It is unfair to pay out of our pockets for another person's or entity's negligent action. A construction vehicle accident lawyer will help you navigate the compensation process and fight in court if necessary.
Construction Site Car Accident Insurance Claims
All people must know that insurance companies are out there to make money. They may not want to provide full coverage, and they will apply techniques to reduce the amount of money they provide to a victim.
They are backed up by a legion of experts in the insurance field to state you were the one causing the accident or that you at least shared a percentage of the fault. An experienced lawyer can battle against these accusations and build a forceful argument backed up with pieces of evidence to get you the highest settlement available.
Every incident is unique and must be addressed carefully and by a professional. People who fail to bring in an experienced lawyer usually find out they were denied coverage or leave with little monetary compensation, leading them to huge medical debt and an uncertain future for themselves and their families due to the injuries sustained that might be serious and with a permanent disability.
If a claim is denied after all the proof and valid arguments, a construction vehicle accident attorney can help you file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault parties to get you an even better amount of monetary compensation.
Preventing Construction Site Car Accidents
A proven method to avoid accidents with construction vehicles is the well-known “spotters.” They have trained people to instruct construction vehicle drivers about the vehicle's many blind spots. However, they can be at risk of serious injuries or even death.
Nowadays, no car does not have a camera that provides the driver with a view of the rear. Those cameras can be implemented in construction vehicles, too, so the operator has multiple screens on their dashboard to see what potential hazards their physical blindspots pose.
Another technology that can be implemented for the sake of safety is proximity detection systems. These systems alert the driver with a visual or audio warning. A negative point of this technology is that it might detect materials that interfere with detecting an object or person behind the vehicle or mobile equipment. Therefore, it must be positioned in a strategic place.
The tag-based system is another option for the construction manager to consider. This system consists of electromagnetic field generators and field-detecting devices. The tag is worn by persons working near the vehicle, and the vehicle has the device to detect it; when it detects a tag near the vehicle, the machine operator is alerted.
Another way of dealing with backover concerns is an internal traffic control plan (ITCP). These are strategies that project managers can use to organize the flow of moving equipment, personnel, and cars at a workplace to reduce or prevent vehicle and employee collisions. These strategies can drastically reduce, if not eliminate, the need for vehicles to back up on a job site.
Contact a Construction Vehicle Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one suffered severe injuries or died in a construction vehicle accident, you may be entitled to compensation for this unfortunate event. There is a process for you to get compensated, but you need to follow the guidance of an experienced professional who knows about the law.
The Ward Law Group possesses a group of highly qualified lawyers who can help you in those difficult moments. We understand the stress and pain you are going through and are committed to bringing justice to your home. Contact us for a free consultation at 855-DOLOR-55 or message our website chat.