Rebuilding your life after a construction accident

Every day, construction workers in New York put their safety on the line. They hang off the sides of skyscrapers, work on loud job sites and operate powerful, heavy machinery. These dangerous, chaotic environments can and do lead to construction accidents.

Any worker who gets hurt while working construction can be at risk of severe, life-changing injuries that make a recovery incredibly difficult. Under these circumstances, injured victims and their families would be wise to take the following steps to begin rebuilding your life after a construction accident.

Seek medical attention

The priority after an injury or illness is to get medical attention. Too often, people assume they just need to go home, take some aspirin and get some rest. While that could work for minor injuries, it should not be the course of treatment for severe, persistent pain and injuries.

Seeing a doctor creates a record and allows medical professionals to determine the extent of your injuries and make a treatment plan. It can also be a critical reference point if you are in an accident in the future.

Report the accident

After you get hurt or sick on the job, it is critical to report the incident to your employer. Some people are hesitant to do this, but reporting your injuries is essential to your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits, which we discuss below.

It can also be wise to take note of the circumstances surrounding your injuries. For instance, you might want to take pictures of the scene, jot down any workers who may have been on the site with you and record the details about what happened.

Examine your options for financial support

Covered workers injured in work-related accidents can be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including:

• Weekly cash benefits for injuries lasting more than 14 days

• Payment of all injury-related medical costs

• Death benefits

• Social Security benefits

These benefits can be critical in helping a person recover from their injuries, especially when a person cannot work because of those injuries.

Considering how severe construction-related injuries can be, reporting an accident, getting medical attention and seeking workers’ compensation can be vital to the healing process.