Road Construction Accidents & Injuries
With summer fast approaching, roads throughout South Carolina are experiencing an increase in traffic. Summer traffic is common on local roads and on interstates and is often the result of road work and construction. Road construction and maintenance workers put their safety on the line on a regular basis, and serious and potentially life-threatening on-the-job accidents and injuries are an unfortunately common occurrence. The following outlines the common reasons for road construction accidents and the resources available to help these workers recover.
Accidents Involving Road Workers
With little to protect them in the event of motor vehicle collisions, road worker accidents often end up being fatal. The Federal Highway Administration reports that work zone accidents involving road construction and maintenance workers claim as many as 700 lives annually, a number that continues to increase each year. More than half occur on city freeways and rural or urban interstates, and summer construction makes this time of year one of the most common for these accidents to occur.
Unlike motor vehicle accidents involving drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, which are more frequent on nights and weekends, work zone accidents tend to occur during daylight hours, and on weekdays when work is in progress. Many of the same types of dangerous driving behaviors that cause car accidents and injuries contribute to work zone accidents, including:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Speeding and driving too fast for conditions
- Reckless driving, such as tailgating and swerving between lanes
- Distracted driving, such as using cell phones or texting
Work zone fatalities may occur due to being struck by or caught between vehicles, or being caught between machinery and other equipment.
For a free legal consultation, call 803-222-2222
Compensation for Road Work Accidents
Workers who are injured in road construction accidents may be entitled to benefits through the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation program. Types of benefits available include:
- Medical expenses, including hospital, medication, and rehabilitative costs, and transportation to and from appointments
- Lost wages and income, either on a temporary or permanent basis
- Disability benefits, if your injuries prevent you from working or performing certain tasks on your job
- Funeral benefits, in the event a worker dies as the result of their injuries. Benefits include funeral costs and compensation for future losses in income
In addition to being entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, employees injured in work zone accidents may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver. Benefits available through a personal injury claim include pain and suffering as well as punitive damages, which is a dollar amount meant to punish drivers for conduct that was
particularly reckless or negligent.
Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you are involved in an accident or suffer an injury on the job, contact Anastopoulo Law Firm right away. Our South Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys provide
the aggressive professional legal representation you need to ensure your rights are protected and can advise you on how to get the maximum amount compensation you deserve. With offices in Charleston and throughout South Carolina, call or contact us online today for a free review of your case.
Call or text 803-222-2222 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
