Practice Areas Workers’ Compensation Common Work Injuries Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation for Construction Accidents

Construction sites are among the most dangerous work environments in Pennsylvania. Construction workers face daily risks involving heavy equipment, falls, lifting injuries, machinery accidents, and hazardous job site conditions. Serious construction accidents can lead to long-term injuries, permanent disability, and significant lost wages.

At Stern & Cohen, we help injured Pennsylvania construction workers pursue workers’ compensation benefits after workplace accidents and job-related injuries. If you are seeking workers’ comp benefits for a construction accident injury in Pennsylvania, our attorneys are ready to help.

Common Causes of Construction Accidents

Construction workers are exposed to dangerous conditions every day on commercial and residential job sites.

Common causes of construction accident injuries include:

Construction workers often suffer injuries while lifting steel, wood, concrete, glass, tools, or other heavy materials. Hazardous job site conditions can also cause serious falls, twists, or impact injuries.

Types of Construction Injuries We Commonly See

Construction accidents can cause both traumatic injuries and long-term wear-and-tear conditions.

Common work-related construction injuries include:

Symptoms may include:

  • Chronic pain
  • Limited mobility
  • Weakness or numbness
  • Difficulty lifting or walking
  • Nerve pain
  • Long-term physical limitations

These injuries can interfere with a worker’s ability to safely perform physical labor or return to construction work.

Falls, Scaffolding, and Equipment Accidents

Construction workers frequently suffer serious injuries involving ladders, scaffolding, cranes, forklifts, trucks, and heavy machinery.

Common construction site accidents include:

  • Falls from scaffolding or ladders
  • Crane accidents
  • Forklift collisions
  • Falling equipment or debris
  • Machinery malfunctions
  • Unsafe worksite conditions

These accidents may result in severe orthopedic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, or wrongful death.

Repetitive Stress and Long-Term Construction Injuries

Not all construction injuries happen in a single accident. Many workers develop chronic injuries over time from repetitive lifting, bending, kneeling, climbing, and physically demanding labor.

Long-term construction work may contribute to:

  • Chronic back pain
  • Knee degeneration
  • Shoulder injuries
  • Joint damage
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Wear-and-tear spinal conditions

Even if there was no single accident, workers may still qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if repetitive job duties caused the injury.

Third-Party Claims After Construction Accidents

Some construction accident cases involve third-party liability in addition to workers’ compensation benefits.

For example, injuries may be caused by:

  • Negligent subcontractors
  • General contractors
  • Defective equipment manufacturers
  • Careless machinery operators
  • Unsafe property conditions

While workers’ compensation generally covers medical treatment and lost wages regardless of fault, third-party claims may provide additional compensation in certain cases involving negligence. Our attorneys are experienced in identifying potential third-party construction accident claims.

Medical Treatment and Workers’ Compensation for Construction Injuries

Serious construction injuries often require emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and long-term medical treatment.

Pennsylvania workers’ compensation benefits may cover:

  • Emergency medical treatment
  • Surgery and hospital bills
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Ongoing medical care
  • Wage-loss benefits during recovery
  • Compensation related to permanent impairment in severe cases

Insurance companies sometimes attempt to minimize injuries, deny medical treatment, or pressure construction workers to return before they are fully healed. Our attorneys are experienced in handling contested construction accident claims.

Light Duty Work After a Construction Injury

After a construction accident injury, some workers may be released to return on light duty restrictions. These restrictions may limit lifting, climbing, standing, repetitive movement, or physical labor while the injury heals.

Insurance companies may argue that construction workers can return to “light duty” work even when no realistic modified work exists on construction sites. If appropriate work is unavailable, injured workers may still qualify for wage-loss benefits.

Let Stern & Cohen Help With Your Construction Accident Claim

At Stern & Cohen, we understand how serious and life-changing construction accidents can be. Whether you suffered injuries from a fall, lifting accident, machinery incident, scaffolding collapse, or another construction site hazard, our experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys are ready to protect your rights and fight for the benefits you deserve.

If you suffered a construction accident injury at work, contact Stern & Cohen today for a free consultation.

Schedule a free & confidential consultation

Common Work Injuries

$190,000

FedEx Employee with Work-Related Neck Injury

We secured a $190,000 settlement for a FedEx employee who suffered a serious neck injury on the job. She required ongoing treatment, including injections, and was kept out of work while receiving total disability benefits.

$210,000

Carpenter/Foreman with Rotator Cuff Tear

We recovered $210,000 for a carpenter/foreman who stepped off a ladder, landed on equipment, and fell at work. He suffered a full tear of his dominant right rotator cuff.

$230,000

Union Carpenter – Scaffold Fall & CRPS

We recovered $230,000 for a union carpenter who fell from a six-foot scaffold while installing sheet rock and metal framing. He landed on his left hand and wrist and later developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

$230,000

Electrician with Knee, Hand, Wrist, and Back Injuries

We secured $230,000 for an electrician who tripped over a pipe at a Pennsylvania job site, injuring both knees, hands, wrists, and his back. His employer failed to properly document the incident, and the insurance company initially accepted only part of his injuries.