Myrtle Beach has seen rapid development in construction recently. With more than $411 million in recent construction projects, the area is “booming,” Myrtle Beach Online reports. In fact, the city needed to add more code enforcement personnel just to keep up with the growth, according to WBTW News 13. While this growth is a good thing, the uptick in construction can also lead to more accidents and injuries among workers.
At Joye Law Firm, we know how injuries can affect you and your family. If you get hurt on a construction job, it can leave you out of work and leave your family struggling to make ends meet. Our legal team wants to help you to get through this difficult time. Since 1968, we have protected the rights of injured workers and their families in Myrtle Beach and throughout South Carolina. We are ready to help you as well. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation or stop by our Myrtle Beach office to speak with an attorney today. If you can’t come to us, we’ll gladly come to you.
About the Myrtle Beach Construction Industry
Myrtle Beach is seeing a massive transformation. New projects and developments include a 50,000-square foot boardwalk extension and development complex and a complete overhaul and facelift to Ocean Boulevard. These projects and more promise to revitalize the entire look and feel of Myrtle Beach, according to Myrtle Beach Area CVB.
Myrtle Beach is not alone in construction activity. The South Carolina Department of Commerce reports that construction accounts for more than five percent of the state’s total economy. Thanks in no small part to construction jobs; the unemployment rate in South Carolina has sharply declined, from 12 percent in 2010 to below 4.2 percent in 2018, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Causes of Construction Accidents and Injuries
Perhaps one of the most dangerous jobs in America, construction work poses numerous physical and exposure-related hazards to workers. Working at heights, navigating dangerous scaffolds or operating in tight quarters, construction workers face many dangers. Every year, hundreds of construction accident-related deaths occur in our country. In fact, nearly 20 percent of all work-related deaths occur within the construction industry, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports.
So, while the construction industry may help the economy in areas such as Myrtle Beach to grow, and it provides a strong source of revenue and employment, it does not change the fact that workers face numerous hazards at construction sites.
Some of the most common construction worker accidents and injuries are:
- Slip and falls
- Head injuries
- Burns from fires and explosions
- Electrocution
- Crushing injuries (due to getting caught in or between objects)
- Back and spine injuries
- Auto and truck crashes
- Forklift accidents
- Digging and excavation accidents
- Punctures and lacerations.
You should get immediate medical attention if you get into an accident at a Myrtle Beach or greater Grand Strand construction site. Also, to preserve your legal rights, you should immediately report your injury to your employer. Keep copies of everything as well as a journal of your medical care and any conversations you have with your employer and medical personnel. More importantly, contact an experienced workplace injury attorney right away.
Why Get Help from a Construction Accident Lawyer in Myrtle Beach?
South Carolina law provides that your sole remedy against your employer for a work injury is to file a workers’ compensation claim. Most employers, including those in the construction industry, must carry workers’ compensation insurance. The workers’ compensation system provides a way for you to get the medical care you need and compensation for at least a portion of your lost wages without having to prove negligence. In other words, you do not have to establish that your employer did something wrong to cause your injury.
Sadly, in recent years, it has become more difficult to receive workers’ compensation claims in South Carolina. Companies or their insurance companies often fight very hard to avoid paying claims – even when they are valid. For this reason, you should consult with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer right away in order to protect your rights.
Typically, you cannot file a personal injury claim against your employer. However, if your employer failed to carry workers’ compensation insurance, you may have a right to pursue your claim through a civil court against the employer. In other cases, a negligent subcontractor or other third-party may be liable for your injuries. In those situations, you might actually be entitled to bring both a personal injury claim against that party and file a workers’ compensation claim with your employer (although offsets will apply).
For example, the Joye Law Firm was able to secure a large personal injury settlement on behalf of a construction worker injured after falling from scaffolding that was defectively installed by a third-party. The personal injury recovery collected against the third-party company was in addition to his workers’ compensation benefits. Read more about our results.
When you pursue a personal injury lawsuit against an employer or third party, you may be entitled to recover compensation such as:
- Past and future medical expenses
- All of your lost income and diminished future earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Wrongful death benefits (if your loved one died in a construction accident).
Joye Law Firm will determine all sources of compensation available to you and pursue maximum compensation for you and your family. Additionally, you can count on our legal team to:
- Investigate your case to improve your chances of success
- Work closely with accident reconstruction experts, engineers and construction experts in order to understand and prove your case
- Review your medical records and consult with medical experts to determine how the injury has affected your life
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf
- Take your case to trial or represent you at a workers’ compensation hearing, if necessary
Our Myrtle Beach Construction Accident Attorneys are Here for You
Joye Law Firm has the skill, resources and experience necessary to take on the most challenging construction accident cases. If you have suffered injury at a construction site in Myrtle Beach or a nearby area, or if you have lost a loved one in a construction accident, contact us immediately to discuss your case. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for our clients, and our consultations are always free. Call or reach us online today to learn more.
