Kansas City Construction Accident Lawyer
Were you recently injured in a construction accident in Kansas City, MO? You may be able to seek compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages. Our experienced Kansas City construction accident lawyers can help you maximize your recovery. Call Cohen Law Firm at (816) 323-0955 for a free consultation.
We are a trusted name in personal injury litigation. Founding attorney Zach Cohen has single-handedly helped injury victims and families in the greater Kansas City metro area recover tens of millions of dollars in benefits, settlements, and jury awards. We are ready to invest our considerable experience and resources into helping you achieve the best possible case results, too.
Why Choose Cohen Law Firm to Help Me After a Construction Accident in Kansas City, MO?
While you may be entitled to compensation for your construction accident injuries, you should expect your employer’s insurance company to do everything it can to stand between you and a meaningful financial recovery. Hiring an experienced Kansas City personal injury lawyer can turn the tables and set the stage for the kind of monetary award you’ll need to get back on your feet.
Construction workers and their families trust the Cohen Law Firm with these critical legal disputes because we’re reliable, honest, respected Missouri litigators with a proven track record of success.
Founding attorney Zach Cohen, who has years of experience litigating high-stakes injury claims, has been awarded “Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney Under 40” by the NAOPIA.
Our Kansas City workers’ compensation attorneys can offer the legal support and depth of resources you’ll need to take on a powerful insurance company and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact our law office in Kansas City, Missouri, today to learn more. Your initial consultation is free.
How Much Is My Construction Accident Case Worth?
It depends. Every case is different. The details that make your story and situation unique will drive the valuation of your case, as well as the type of legal claim you decide to pursue.
The following factors will play a role in determining how much your case is worth:
- What types of injuries did you suffer in the construction accident?
- How severe are your injuries?
- Will you be diagnosed with a permanent impairment or disability?
- Do you have to miss time at work while you recover?
- If so, how long will you be out of work?
- What income and wages have you missed out on because of the construction accident?
- Do you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits?
- Who’s liable for your construction accident?
- Can you pursue damages through a civil construction accident lawsuit?
- How has the construction accident affected your overall quality of life?
- Do you share responsibility for the accident?
Some or all of these factors might affect your claim’s value. Claims for workers’ compensation benefits will often be worth less than civil tort actions pursued through a Missouri state court. In some situations, you might be able to pursue compensation through both types of claims.
What Compensation Can I Get After My Construction Accident?
The compensation that can be awarded will depend on the claim(s) you pursue.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
All private construction employers in the state of Missouri have to carry a workers’ compensation insurance policy. Workers’ compensation provides no-fault benefits to construction workers as long as they’re employees who suffer work-related injuries.
Benefits can include limited economic support for:
- Reasonable necessary expenses
- Temporary total disability
- Permanent partial disability
- Permanent total disability
- Temporary partial disability
Most wage benefits only cover two-thirds of your average weekly wage, so you won’t get all of your lost income through workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation also won’t cover non-economic losses or hardships, such as the pain and suffering you have experienced during your recovery.
Since workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, you’ll waive the right to sue your employer for damages, even if they’re responsible for your construction accident. However, you can assert a civil personal injury claim against a liable third party or an employer if you weren’t covered by workers’ compensation.
Damages in a Civil Construction Accident Lawsuit
When you file a construction accident lawsuit against an equipment manufacturer, negligent motorist, property owner, architect, contractor, or engineer, you’ll be able to request two types of compensatory damages: economic and non-economic.
A successful construction accident lawsuit can help you get money for your:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- Nursing assistance
- Rehabilitation
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Chronic physical pain
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement and scarring
Punitive damages can sometimes be awarded in civil construction accident lawsuits in Kansas City, too. If your lawsuit goes to trial, a jury can order punitive damages to punish a defendant for their clearly malicious, willful, or grossly negligent actions.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Construction Accident Attorney in Kansas City?
Most construction accident lawyers, including ours, handle cases on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid if we win compensation for your legal claim(s).
If we negotiate a benefits package or settlement agreement, or win a verdict for you at trial, our attorney fees are simply deducted from that financial award.
While every case is different, typical attorney fees for a construction accident case range from 30 percent to 40 percent.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I Was Partially at Fault for the Accident?
Missouri’s pure comparative negligence rule applies to civil construction accident cases, but not claims for workers’ compensation benefits.
So, only damages in a construction accident settlement or jury award will be reduced if you share responsibility for your construction accident injuries.
Damages are reduced proportionately to fault. The more responsibility you share for your construction accident, the more it will limit your financial recovery.
Common Types of Construction Accidents
At Cohen Law Firm, we proudly fight for the rights and futures of construction workers who’ve been injured in all types of construction accidents in Kansas City, including:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falls from heights
- Ladder accidents
- Scaffolding accidents
- Excavation accidents
- Trenching accidents
- Demolition accidents
- Heavy machinery accidents
- Crane and hoist accidents
- Forklift accidents
Not every injury shows up right away. After a construction accident, it’s common to feel shaken but assume you’re fine—until the pain creeps in days later. Maybe it’s a sore back, persistent headaches, or tingling in your arms or legs. These delayed symptoms can signal something serious. That’s why it’s so important to see a doctor, even if you feel okay at first. Keeping track of how you feel over time can protect both your health and your right to compensation.
If you’ve been injured in an accident on a construction site in Kansas City, report it to your supervisor immediately. Reporting the accident is critical for documenting the accident and preserving your right to pursue compensation in the future.
We’ll Fight for Compensation for All Your Construction Accident Injuries
Even though Kansas City construction projects are subject to state and federal safety regulations, accidents are still a common problem on job sites throughout the city and across the state of Missouri.
These construction accidents are known to cause serious and debilitating injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Burn injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Chest injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Nerve damage
- Eye injuries
- Hearing loss
- Concussions
- Brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis injuries
- Leg injuries
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
Most construction accidents that cause debilitating injuries happen because important safety regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) aren’t followed. Construction employers have been known to cut corners to save costs, and it puts hard-working construction laborers in harm’s way.
As an injured worker, it’s important to know you have rights and speak with our experienced construction accident attorneys in Kansas City to explore them.
What Is the Statute of Limitations on Construction Accident Claims in Missouri?
After a construction accident in Kansas City, Missouri, you’ll have up to:
- Two years to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits, and
- Five years to pursue compensation through a civil construction accident lawsuit.
You have to file your claim within the applicable statute of limitations if you want to preserve your right to recover compensation from your employer’s insurance company or another responsible party.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Kansas City Construction Accident Lawyers
If you’ve been injured on a construction site in Kansas City, Missouri, Cohen Law Firm is here to help. You deserve compensation, and our Kansas City construction accident attorneys want to help you fight to get every cent you’ll need to get back on your feet. We have seven years of combined experience, and our founding attorney, Zach Cohen, has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of clients.
We offer a free consultation, so contact our law office today to discuss your construction accident case. We’re ready to answer your legal questions and provide you with sound legal advice.