Road Construction Accidents in Washington: Know The Risks and Your Legal Rights To Compensation
Road construction is ongoing in Washington State and helps maintain and improve local infrastructure. However, these projects also pose serious risks for the workers involved, particularly on major highways and interstates surrounding Issaquah.
Accidents in road construction areas can lead to devastating injuries. Our Issaquah construction accident attorney explains more about the risks and your legal rights in seeking compensation.
How Road Construction Accidents In Issaquah Happen
The Washington State Department of Transportation maintains a list of road projects throughout the state. Many of these are focused near Interstate 90 and other major roads in our area.
Road construction zones are often filled with heavy machinery and require drivers to navigate shifting traffic patterns and uneven road surfaces, which can increase the likelihood of accidents. Reckless driving behavior increases the risk. This includes:
- Failing to reduce driving speed in road construction zones;
- Aggressive driving behavior, such as failing to yield and improperly passing other motorists;
- Distracted driving, causing motorists to veer from the road;
- Driving while impaired, which includes alcohol, drugs, or medications.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that more than 800 road construction workers are killed in work zone crashes throughout the U.S. each year, while thousands of other workers suffer potentially debilitating personal injuries. If you are a road worker in Washington State and get hurt on the job, you may be entitled to file a claim against the at-fault driver, others involved, or through workers’ compensation.
Your Rights To Compensation For Road Construction Worker Injuries In Issaquah
Washington State’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) oversees the workers’ compensation program, which provides benefits for injured road workers in Issaquah. These can help cover your medical care, lost income, and other costs.
However, depending on how your injuries happened, you may also be entitled to compensation for road construction injuries in Washington State by filing an injury claim against the at-fault driver or others involved. To protect your rights to compensation, take the following steps if you get hurt while working a road construction job:
- Report the accident immediately to your employer or site supervisor;
- Make sure law enforcement is notified and completes an accident report;
- Gather evidence, such as photos of the scene and contact information for witnesses;
- Seek medical attention and avoid downplaying your injuries;
- File a Washington State workers’ compensation claim as soon as possible;
- If contacted by insurers representing the driver or others involved, avoid making any statements or accepting any settlements.
Protect Your Rights To Compensation. Contact Our Issaquah Construction Accident Attorney.
Road construction workers face significant risks on the job. Potentially devastating personal injuries can happen due to reckless drivers or other causes.
To get the compensation you are entitled to, get Injury Law Group NW on your side. We can review your case, gather evidence, and fight for the maximum amount you are entitled to in a claim. Call or contact us online today to schedule a consultation with our Issaquah construction attorney.
Sources:
wsdot.wa.gov/construction-planning/search-projects
safety.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/wz_awareness/2009/factsht09.cfm#:~:text=More%20than%2040%2C000%20people%20are,vehicle%20crashes%20in%20work%20zones.
lni.wa.gov/patient-care/workshops-training/attending-provider-resource-center/workers-comp-fundamentals
