Virginia Ladder Accident Attorneys Protect Workers’ Rights

Experienced lawyers will seek full compensation for your ladder fall Injury

Falls from heights are leading causes of severe and even fatal occupational injuries. Such falls were so common in certain industries, such as construction, that the federal government and the various states have issued regulations for ladder and scaffold safety. Unfortunately, many employers and even some workers disregard safety for the sake of expediency. If you have been injured on the job in a fall from a ladder or scaffold in Virginia or Washington, D.C., you deserve full workers’ compensation benefits and may even be able to sue for personal injury. The dedicated attorneys at Pikrallidas & Probasco in Fairfax are prepared to help you assert your rights. 

Common causes of ladder and scaffolding accidents

Multiple types of ladders and scaffolding are used commercially, including step ladders, extension ladders, telescoping ladders, platform ladders, articulated ladders and scaffolding. The leading causes of falls from ladders and scaffolds include:

• Slipping or tripping, especially on wet surfaces or where equipment/materials are strewn about
• Reaching for an object
• Interference from another worker
• Poorly secured ladder or poorly erected scaffold
• Untrained workers
• Lack of safety equipment
• Defective or poorly maintained ladders and scaffolds

Under workers’ compensation, employees are covered for ladder accidents even if their own negligence cause the fall. 

Types of injuries from ladder accidents

Falls from heights, especially onto hard surfaces or sharp objects, can be deadly. Injuries range from minor cuts and bruises to more severe harm, such as:

• Bone fractures
• Concussion and traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
• Impalement

Falls often produce long-term conditions such as chronic pain or limited mobility, for which workers can collect permanent disability benefits. 

Immediate steps to take after a ladder or scaffolding accident

To maintain eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits, you must report your accident to your employer as soon as possible, but you may first seek immediate medical treatment. You should document the accident scene with photos and gather contact information for potential witnesses. You should also contact a personal injuryattorney.

Employers’ legal responsibilities for ladder and scaffolding safety

Employers and property owners have a duty to ensure that ladders and scaffolding are reasonably safe, and that employees are properly trained to use them. These duties are spelled out in numerous federal and state OSHA regulations. These rules do not give injured workers a direct cause of action against an employer. However, violations might serve as evidence of an employer’s willful disregard for safety, which could overcome the workers’ compensation bar to suit.

Third-party liability for ladder accidents in Virginia

Workers injured in ladder or scaffold falls might are able to sue for negligence if the careless party who caused the fall is not related to them as an employer or coworker. For example, a contractor that erects scaffolding is a third party that workers’ compensation law does not shield from liability. Similarly, if an employee of an electrical contractor interferes with an employee of a roofing contractor, causing a fall, the roofer can sue the electrical contractor.

A third-party negligence lawsuit enables injured workers to recover full damages, including for pain and suffering, which workers’ comp benefits do not cover. Our attorneys investigate the accident to identify parties who might be responsible and work to hold them accountable for the harm they cause.

Contact our Virginia attorneys for a free ladder accident consultation 

Pikrallidas & Probasco in Fairfax represents victims of ladder and scaffolding falls in Virginia and Washington, D.C. We can pursue your claim for workers’ compensation or bring a third-party lawsuit if possible. Call us at 703-267-2600 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.