Chicago Construction Accident Attorney

construction site in chicago il

Chicago is a city famous for its construction. Following the Great Fire in 1871, our city became known for its towering skyscrapers and rapid growth. None of this would have happened without the skilled tradesmen that call the Chicago area home. And yet, construction workers, electricians, plumbers, masons, engineers, and other skilled craftsmen remain undervalued. This is one of the reasons construction accidents remain so common. 

Despite the fact that modern technology and safety standards could protect workers from most accidents, developers, building owners, homeowners, and others who employ tradesmen continue to cut corners and put workers at risk. That is why the Stein & Shulman team is committed to helping Chicago area construction workers and craftsmen seek compensation for injuries that occur on the job. We put our 50+ years of combined experience to work to help workers who have been injured in or by:

  • Roofing Accidents
  • Ladder Falls
  • Scaffolding Accidents
  • Falling Objects
  • Unsafe Equipment
  • Job site vehicles, including dump trucks, hoes, shovels, cranes, and excavators.

The Stein & Shulman team has helped Chicago area residents recover millions of dollars in compensation for injuries suffered in construction accidents. 

Construction Accidents Often Lead To Two Legal Actions 

Workers who are injured in a construction accident typically have two paths they can take to seek compensation for their injuries — workers’ compensation and personal injury lawsuits. 

The first and easiest way for someone who is injured on the job to seek compensation is through the Illinois Workers Compensation Act (IWCA). The workers comp system provides injured workers with compensation when they are fully or partially disabled, or lose a body part. The family members of a worker killed on the job can also receive workers’ compensation benefits. The IWCA provides specific guidelines that dictate how much money an injured worker or worker’s family can receive for a particular injury. 

The second way to seek compensation for a construction accident is through a personal injury lawsuit. Illinois law generally does not allow an injured worker to sue his or her employer for an on-the-job injury because that is what the worker’s comp system is for, but an employee may be able to file a lawsuit against a negligent third party.

Third-party lawsuits are appropriate when another tradesman, a subcontractor, or a worksite owner has caused or contributed to a worker’s injury. The evidence in the case must show: 

  • The third-party (subcontractor, mechanic, property owner, etc.) owed the injured worker a duty of care. 
  • The third-party failed to uphold their duty through negligent or reckless behavior.
  • That failure caused or contributed to the injured worker’s accident or injury. And,
  • The injured worker can show they suffered actual damages. 

The Stein & Shulman team walks injured workers through this four-step analysis to build a case for third-party liability. Each case is different, so it is important to look at the facts in a specific case to determine if a lawsuit is appropriate. 

For example, in a typical construction accident lawsuit, the Stein & Shulman team is combing through the various contracts between the injured worker’s employer and all the subcontractors on the project; looking for relevant Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or other safety standards that may have been violated; and gathering medical records that document the extent of the injured worker’s injuries. It is the minor details in this mountain of paperwork that makes or breaks a case, which is why working with an experienced construction injury attorney is so important. 

Depending on the facts of the case, a third-party lawsuit can get an injured worker a lot more money than they would get if they only pursued a worker’s compensation claim. It is also important to note that it is possible to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit even if the injured worker does not qualify for workers comp. 

Fighting For Your Full Monetary Compensation 

We know that injuries suffered at construction sites are often severe and life-altering. To make matters worse, due to the physical nature of the work, an injured worker may never be able to get another job in their chosen profession. 

In order to ease the anxiety that comes with such a stark reality, our goal is to obtain as much money as possible for our Chicago area construction accident victims so they can get some breathing room to figure things out and ultimately move forward with their lives.

Under Illinois law, personal injury accident victims can seek both economic and non-economic damages. We gather documents that explicitly enumerate your: 

  • Medical expenses;
  • Lost income;
  • Decreased future earnings; and 
  • Property damage.

We also talk to experts who can estimate a fair compensation for non-economic losses like:

  • Physical pain;
  • Emotional anguish;
  • Permanent disfigurement or disability;
  • Loss of consortium; and 
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.

If we can prove that the person who caused your injury (the defendant) acted with disregard for human safety or engaged in criminal behavior, Illinois law allows us to seek punitive damages as well. Punitive damages have a twofold purpose: to punish the defendant and to discourage others from engaging in similarly egregious behavior.

We Do Not Get Paid Unless Our Clients Do

It takes a lot of time and energy to gather all the evidence needed to build a strong construction accident case because there is so much paperwork involved, but our clients don’t pay us a cent upfront for the work we do to investigate their claims. 

Stein & Shulman represents Chicago construction accident victims on a contingency fee basis. This means we do not get paid unless you do, and our fee will always be just a portion of the money we recover on your behalf. 

We will not pressure you to settle for the first lowball offer a third-party defendant or their insurance company throws at you just so we can cash a check. We will aggressively fight for every penny you deserve. 

Contact Our Chicago Construction Accident Lawyers Today

Stein & Shulman is dedicated to protecting the rights of Chicago area tradesmen and construction workers that were injured on the job. We know that injuries suffered at construction sites can be severe and life-altering not only for the injured worker but for their families too. Please contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation where we can discuss the details of your case. 

Helping clients in Chicago & the surrounding areas including, Cook CountyLake CountyDuPage CountyWill County, McHenry County, and Kane County.