Construction Accident Lawyer in Pittston & Wilkes-Barre, PA

Greater Pittston and Wilkes-Barre are building. Warehouses and distribution centers keep going up along I-81 and Route 315, data center projects are proposed across the region, and highway and bridge work never seems to stop. Construction is some of the most dangerous work there is, and when a worker is seriously hurt, workers' compensation is often only part of the answer. Joyce, Carmody & Moran is a Pittston law firm that helps injured construction workers and their families throughout Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

Why construction injury claims are different

Many companies, one job site. General contractors, subcontractors, equipment rental companies and property owners all work side by side. The company that caused your injury may not be the one that signs your paycheck.

Workers' comp has limits. In Pennsylvania, workers' compensation generally pays medical treatment and part of your lost wages, but nothing for pain and suffering, and you usually cannot sue your own employer.

A third-party claim may be possible. If someone other than your employer was responsible, a separate personal injury claim can include full lost earnings and pain and suffering. See workers' comp vs. a third-party claim.

Watch for the "statutory employer" rule. In some situations, Pennsylvania law shields a general contractor the same way it shields your employer. Whether that applies depends on the contracts and who controlled the work.

Construction injuries we help with

• Falls from ladders, scaffolds, roofs and lifts

• Workers struck by falling materials, swinging loads or backing equipment

• Trench collapses and caught-in or caught-between injuries

• Electrical injuries

• Defective tools, lifts and safety equipment. See defective product injuries.

• Road workers hit by drivers in work zones. See construction zone accidents.

What a claim can include

• Workers' compensation medical and wage benefits

• In a third-party claim: full lost earnings, future earning capacity and pain and suffering

• Long-term care for spinal cord, brain and other catastrophic injuries

• For families who lost someone, wrongful death and survival claims. See wrongful death.

What to do after a construction injury

• Get medical care and tell every provider exactly how you were hurt.

• Report the injury to your supervisor in writing right away. Pennsylvania ties workers' comp benefits to timely notice.

• Write down which companies were on site and what equipment was involved.

• Get names of coworkers who saw what happened.

• Talk to a lawyer before giving statements to insurers for other companies on the job.

For a detailed guide, see construction site injuries in Northeastern Pennsylvania and warehouse and distribution center injuries.

What it costs to talk to us

Construction injury cases are typically handled on a contingent-fee basis: the attorney's fee comes from a recovery, and if there is no recovery there is no attorney's fee. Clients may still be responsible for certain case costs depending on the outcome and the written fee agreement, which we explain before you sign.

Where we help

We help injured construction workers in Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston Township, Jenkins Township, Hanover Township, Hazleton and throughout Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. See all areas we serve.

Talk it through with someone local. If you were hurt on a job site, call our Pittston office at 570-602-3560 or request a free consultation. We'll review what happened and explain your options, with no cost for the first conversation and no obligation.