Las Vegas Construction Accident Lawyer
Cranes dot the Las Vegas skyline. New casino towers rise along the Strip. Master-planned communities spread across the valley floor. Roadway projects reshape traffic patterns that have existed for decades. All of this construction activity keeps the local economy humming, but it also puts thousands of workers in hazardous conditions every day. When safety protocols fail and workers get hurt, a Las Vegas construction accident lawyer at Lobo Law helps injured workers and their families pursue the compensation they deserve. We treat our clients like family and fight the insurance companies, general contractors, and corporate defendants who try to avoid responsibility.
Construction sites are inherently dangerous places. Heavy equipment operates in close proximity to workers. Materials are hoisted overhead and stacked at heights. Trenches can collapse. Scaffolding can fail. Electrical systems pose shock and electrocution hazards. Even with proper safety measures, accidents happen. When employers and contractors cut corners on safety, the results can be catastrophic.
Construction Accident Injuries in Las Vegas
The nature of construction work means that accidents often result in severe or fatal injuries. Falls from height lead to traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, and death. Workers struck by falling objects suffer crush injuries and head trauma. Caught-between accidents involving machinery or collapsing structures cause amputations and fatal crushing injuries. Electrocution can kill instantly or cause severe burns and cardiac damage.
These injury categories account for the majority of construction deaths nationwide. Las Vegas construction sites see all of them with regularity. The rush to complete projects on schedule, combined with the use of subcontractors who may prioritize speed over safety, creates conditions where preventable accidents occur.
Less dramatic but still serious injuries also plague construction workers. Repetitive stress injuries develop over time from demanding physical work. Exposure to toxic substances causes respiratory illness and cancer. Heat-related illness affects workers during the brutal Las Vegas summers when temperatures exceed 110 degrees. Hearing loss results from chronic exposure to loud equipment without adequate protection.
Who Is Responsible for Construction Accidents
Construction accident cases often involve multiple potentially liable parties. General contractors oversee construction sites and bear responsibility for overall site safety. They hire subcontractors, coordinate work activities, and should ensure that safety protocols are followed. When general contractors fail to maintain safe conditions or ignore hazards, they may be liable for resulting injuries.
Subcontractors perform specific portions of construction work and are responsible for their own employees’ safety. Electrical subcontractors, plumbing contractors, framing crews, and other specialty trades each bring their own workers and equipment to job sites. Negligence by a subcontractor can cause injuries to its own employees or to workers employed by other contractors.
Property owners who hire contractors to perform construction may retain liability for site safety in some circumstances. Equipment manufacturers bear responsibility when defective machinery, tools, or safety equipment causes injuries. Architects and engineers may face liability when design defects create dangerous conditions.
Workers Compensation and Third-Party Claims
Nevada requires employers to carry workers compensation insurance, which provides benefits to employees injured on the job regardless of fault. Workers compensation covers medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, but it does not compensate for pain and suffering and does not provide full wage replacement.
In exchange for guaranteed benefits, workers compensation generally bars employees from suing their own employers for workplace injuries. However, this bar does not extend to third parties who contributed to the accident. When someone other than the employer bears responsibility for a construction accident, the injured worker can pursue a third-party claim for full compensation.
Third-party claims become available in numerous construction accident scenarios. A worker employed by a subcontractor may have claims against the general contractor. Any worker may have claims against equipment manufacturers. Workers may sue property owners who are not their employers. These claims allow recovery of damages that workers compensation does not cover, including full lost earnings, pain and suffering, and other losses.
OSHA Violations and Construction Safety
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration establishes safety standards for construction sites. These regulations address fall protection, scaffolding, excavation, electrical safety, personal protective equipment, and numerous other hazards. Employers must comply with OSHA standards, and violations can result in citations and penalties.
OSHA violations do not automatically establish liability in a civil case, but they provide powerful evidence of negligence. When an employer ignores a specific safety requirement and a worker is injured as a result, the violation demonstrates that the employer failed to meet its duty of care.
Common OSHA violations on Las Vegas construction sites include failure to provide fall protection for workers at heights, inadequate scaffolding construction and inspection, failure to protect excavation walls from collapse, improper electrical grounding and lockout procedures, and inadequate training for workers operating dangerous equipment.
Types of Las Vegas Construction Accidents
Fall accidents occur when workers slip, trip, or fall from elevated surfaces including scaffolding, ladders, roofs, and structural frameworks. Falls also happen through floor openings, from incomplete structures, and off edges without adequate guardrails. Fall protection equipment including harnesses, lanyards, and anchor points must be provided and properly used.
Struck-by accidents involve workers hit by falling objects, swinging loads, moving vehicles, or collapsing structures. Hard hat requirements exist precisely because overhead hazards are constant on construction sites.
Caught-between accidents trap workers between equipment, materials, or collapsing structures. Trench collapses bury workers in seconds. Workers caught in machinery suffer amputations and crushing injuries.
Electrocution occurs when workers contact energized electrical systems. Power lines pose hazards to workers using cranes, scaffolding, and ladders. Incomplete electrical systems may be energized during construction.
Crane accidents cause some of the most catastrophic construction injuries. Crane collapses can kill multiple workers and damage surrounding property. Load drops send heavy materials falling onto workers below.
Las Vegas Construction Accident FAQs
Can I sue my employer for a construction accident?
Nevada workers compensation generally bars lawsuits against your direct employer for workplace injuries. However, you may have claims against other parties involved in the construction project, including general contractors, other subcontractors, property owners, and equipment manufacturers. These third-party claims can provide compensation beyond what workers comp offers.
What if I was an independent contractor, not an employee?
Independent contractors may not be covered by workers compensation and may have different legal options. Classification as an independent contractor versus employee depends on the actual relationship, not just how paperwork labels it. Lobo Law evaluates these situations to determine the best path forward.
How long do I have to file a construction accident claim?
Nevada provides two years from the date of injury to file most personal injury lawsuits. Workers compensation claims have separate deadlines, typically requiring injury reporting within 90 days. Contacting an attorney promptly ensures all deadlines are met.
What if I made a mistake that contributed to my accident?
Nevada follows comparative negligence rules, allowing recovery even if you share some fault for the accident as long as your fault is less than 50 percent. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
Serving Construction Workers Across Las Vegas
Lobo Law represents injured construction workers from job sites throughout the Las Vegas valley.
- Strip Casino and Hotel Construction
- Downtown Development Projects
- Summerlin Residential Construction
- Henderson Commercial Projects
- North Las Vegas Industrial Sites
- Highway and Infrastructure Projects
- Airport Expansion Work
- Convention Center Construction
- Stadium and Entertainment Venues
- Residential Subdivision Development
- Commercial Tenant Improvements
- Solar Installation Projects
Contact a Las Vegas Construction Injury Attorney
Construction companies, general contractors, and their insurers have legal teams that activate immediately after serious accidents. They investigate with an eye toward minimizing liability. Injured workers need representation that matches this level of preparation and aggressiveness. Lobo Law brings exactly that to construction accident cases. Attorney Adrian Lobo earned her reputation through tenacious advocacy, and our entire team approaches construction injury claims with the seriousness these cases deserve. If you or a family member was hurt in a construction accident anywhere in Las Vegas, call 702-290-8998 for a free consultation. We handle construction injury cases on contingency, collecting no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
