Reviewed by: Adrianos Facchetti, Esq.
California State Bar No.: 243213
This page has been reviewed for California personal injury accuracy, legal information, and value to those injured in construction accidents in Encino.
Adrianos Facchetti can be verified at the California State Bar online lawyer directory.
Construction Accident Help in Encino, California
An Encino construction accident lawyer will be able to assist you in deciding what sort of claim you may have regarding a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party claim, or a combination of both. There may be various causes behind such construction accidents, ranging from dangerous equipment, subcontractor negligence, falls, unsafe site safety practices, large machinery, or hazardous working environments.
The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, Accident & Injury Lawyer, is experienced in handling construction accident cases that occur on Encino and San Fernando Valley sites and job locations surrounding Ventura Boulevard and Balboa Boulevard. As an Encino personal injury lawyer, we see how quickly things change at a job site following an accident, and this is why it is always good to know your legal rights before assuming that you know what your claim may be.
Third Party Injury Claims vs. Workers’ Compensation
The use of workers’ compensation usually occurs when the injured worker sustained an injury while performing job duties and does not usually need proof of your employer being negligent.
The possibility of filing a third-party injury claim exists in situations where your injury was not due to the negligence of your immediate employer but rather some other person or entity, such as a contractor, property owner, or another business performing work alongside you on the site. These two processes do not necessarily exclude each other, and an injured worker should never automatically rule out the existence of a third-party process in favor of the workers’ compensation process.
Every construction site accident does not necessarily end up in court, and every injured worker does not have legal grounds to sue his/her employer directly. It all depends on whether there existed another party liable for the creation of the specific hazard.
When Someone Other Than Your Employer May Be Responsible
Responsibility on a construction site rarely rests with just one party. Depending on the facts, a third-party claim may involve:
- A subcontractor whose work created the hazard
- A general contractor with overall site safety responsibility
- A property owner, if unsafe conditions on the property contributed
- A site manager, if inadequate oversight played a role
- An equipment manufacturer, if defective machinery caused the injury
- A maintenance company, if poorly maintained equipment failed
- A delivery driver, if a vehicle-related incident occurred on site
- A vendor or another company working on the same project
- A public entity, in more limited situations involving public property
Responsibility is dependent upon control of the particular work site, who was responsible for creating the hazard, who was aware of the hazard, and what the cause of the injury was. Where the injury was caused by an unsafe condition of the property, our Encino premises liability attorney source will explain.
Construction Site Evidence That Should Be Saved Quickly
- Incident report
- Medical records
- Photos of the hazard
- Photos of the equipment involved
- Photos of visible injuries
- Witness names and contact information
- Job-site safety records
- Subcontractor information
- Inspection reports
- Maintenance records
- Equipment manuals
- Surveillance footage
- Workers’ compensation paperwork
- Insurance letters
- Pay stubs and wage records
Construction sites can change quickly, so photos, reports, witness names, and equipment details should be preserved as early as possible.
Injuries and Losses After an Encino Construction Accident
Construction sites involve heavy equipment and physical labor, both of which carry real injury risk.
Common injuries may include:
- Broken bones
- Crush injuries
- Burns
- Electrocution injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Eye injuries
- Internal injuries
- Amputations
- Fatal injuries
Losses may include:
- Emergency care
- Hospital bills
- Surgery
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy
- Future medical care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering, in third-party claims
- Emotional distress, in third-party claims
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Wrongful death damages, where applicable
There’s no set formula for what a claim is worth. Value depends on the medical evidence, liability, insurance coverage, injury severity, and long-term impact of the accident. If your case involves a fatality, our Encino wrongful death lawyer resource explains how those claims work for surviving family members.
Deadlines That May Impact Your Construction Site Accident Case
There may be different deadlines that can be applicable if your case includes workers’ compensation, third-party liability, or both; hence the importance of clarifying the type of claim early enough. There are always workplace reporting deadlines, and failure to meet them early can limit your workers’ compensation claim irrespective of the time available for filing a broader legal case.
In a third-party personal injury claim, there are generally two-year deadlines that most of the claims in California should not exceed under the California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. In cases where a public entity is a defendant, there is usually an even shorter deadline, often six months, under California Government Code § 911.2.
There is no single deadline in such cases; however, you should try to gather all the relevant evidence earlier because the more the construction project continues, the more the site changes, and witnesses get scattered.
Contact the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti After a Construction Accident
If you have been injured in a construction accident in Encino, we will guide you on what your legal options include. Your options could include workers’ compensation claims, third-party claims, medical bills, lost wages, improper equipment, and other factors. A free consultation is free of charge, and you are not obligated to retain us.
During a free consultation, we can:
- Analyze the incident that occurred
- Discuss whether a workers’ compensation claim or a third-party lawsuit or both may be necessary.
- Analyze the potential evidence in your case
- Analyze medical treatment and loss of work
- Provide information regarding deadlines
- Explain what your potential legal future is
You will pay no upfront fees to consult with us. In addition, you do not need to worry about attorneys’ fees, as we only receive fees from the compensation that we obtain for you. There are no guarantees prior to reviewing all of the facts of your case, but we will give you an honest assessment. Contact us now.
