Injured construction worker and EMT. | Patrick Daniel Law

What Are the Most Common Injuries Suffered by Construction Workers?

Construction workers are no strangers to on-the-job injuries. It’s often a physical job. Most workers suffer minor injuries occasionally, such as cuts and scrapes, which are typically easy and cheap to treat and don’t impact a worker’s ability to continue doing their job.

Other injuries, however, can be much more serious, leading to expensive treatment, time away from work, and long-term effects. Examples of the most common types of serious injuries include:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
Spinal cord injuries
Amputation injuries
Injuries to the eye
Burns
Crush injuries
Injuries that caused nerve damage

Oftentimes, these types of injuries can result in long-term—even lifelong—challenges.

What Are “Long-Term Consequences” of an Injury?

The long-term consequences of injuries are effects that will impact an injured person for months, years, or even decades after the injury takes place. These consequences can include chronic health issues, such as long-term impairment, as well as mental health and financial challenges.

What Are the Long-Term Consequences of Construction Accident Injuries?

The long-term effects of construction accident injuries depend on the severity of the injuries, but they can result in some of the following:

Chronic Health Issues

When an injury results in ongoing pain, discomfort, or paralysis, it is considered a chronic health issue. One example of this type of issue is the ongoing pain—or even paralysis—suffered from a spinal cord injury.

In some cases, if the accident was serious enough, someone who suffers a spinal cord injury could be facing long-term treatment and rehabilitation. This treatment can be very expensive, and there is usually no guarantee that the injury will ever fully heal.

Mental Health Issues

Construction injuries can also lead to ongoing mental health challenges, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), such as concussions, can also lead to long-term mental health issues, including:

Cognitive challenges
Anxiety, depression, and mood swings
Personality changes
Memory loss
Seizures
Insomnia
And more

These symptoms can be extremely debilitating for workers, making it very difficult—if not impossible—to perform regular work-related duties.

Financial Issues

When workers are suffering from the long-term effects of construction accident injuries, being on the job can become unrealistic, which can impact their ability to earn an income.

In the short term, this is referred to as “lost wages” or “lost income,” where an employee is unable to work while recovering from an injury. However, if the injury has a long-term impact on a worker’s ability to perform their duties, it can be considered a “loss of earning capacity” or “loss of future income.” This means that the worker is unable to make what they once made because of the injury they’ve suffered.

What Is the Leading Cause of Construction Job Site Injuries?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most common causes of fatalities for construction workers are falls, slips, and trips, which accounted for over 40% of construction accident fatalities in 2022.

This is why OSHA requires fall protection for any worker who is 6 feet or higher off the ground. Unfortunately, falls still occur due to things like:

Improperly installed scaffolding
Slippery surfaces
Inclement weather
Unsafe work practices
Unprotected openings or floor holes
And more

Tips To Avoid Injury on the Construction Site

According to OSHA, there are four keys to avoiding the “Fatal Four” causes of construction accidents: falls, struck-by, electrocutions, and caught-in or -between. These keys are:

Always use fall protection
Ground or double-insulate electrical equipment
Be aware of possible struck-by hazards
Use strict safety measures to ensure workers are not caught-in or -between equipment, vehicles, or other objects

Construction sites are busy, loud environments that can make it difficult to be fully aware of your surroundings. That is why discipline and following safety protocols are so critical.

What To Do After a Construction Accident Injury

After being injured in a construction accident, there are a few key steps you should always take:

Seek medical attention: Always get the medical care you need as soon as possible. Any delay may be dangerous for your well-being and harm your legal claim down the road.
Report the accident to your employer: To begin the workers’ compensation process, you must report the accident to your employer within 30 days from the date you were hurt or became aware of your injury or illness.
Complete DWC paperwork: The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) will send you information and forms that you will need to read and fill out as part of your workers’ comp claim.
Keep your medical appointments: To recover workers’ compensation benefits as you receive treatment, it’s imperative to show up to all of your appointments.
Call a lawyer: While minor injuries may not call for legal support, if your injury is serious, your claim has been denied, or you believe you are not receiving the benefits you deserve for your losses, we recommend getting in touch with legal counsel as soon as possible.

It can be a complicated process, to be sure, but you should never hesitate to reach out to the DWC or an attorney if you are unsure about next steps.

Contact Patrick Daniel Law Today

At Patrick Daniel Law, we understand how confusing and frustrating it can be to deal with the long-term effects of construction accident injuries. The bottom line is that you deserve to be compensated for all of the damages you sustain, whether those be related to immediate medical attention or the ongoing physical or mental effects of your accident.

Our mission is to fight for those rights. You can rest assured that we will do all we can to recover the benefits and compensation you deserve. Contact our construction accident lawyer today for a FREE consultation.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Construction Accident Injuries?