Construction Accident Lawyers, QLD

All Australians have the right to a safe and healthy working environment, which is why it pains us to see the number of injuries caused by construction accidents on a daily basis. Australia has a work-injury rate of 3.5% and has documented over 1,165,100 workers who have made serious worker’s compensation claims in the past 10 years. No matter how careful you may be, there’s always a chance that you could be involved in a tragic construction accident that wasn’t your fault – that’s where our compassionate team at WT Compensation Lawyers comes in.

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As some of the most committed construction accident lawyers in Queensland, our success is based on our ability to connect with clients and achieve results with minimal costs to you thanks to our No Win, No Fee policy. Let our team manage your injury claim and help you process the often overwhelming mental toll that a workplace accident can create.

What is a Workplace Construction Accident?

A workplace construction accident in Queensland is defined by the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 as any injury or illness caused by events that occur within or about the worker’s employment. This will also include injuries suffered during work-related travel and work functions, and extends to stress, anxiety, and emotional distress because of working conditions.

What are Common Causes of Construction Accidents and Fatalities?

Although Australia’s work-injury rate is lower than the global average (12.5%), accidents and fatalities do unfortunately happen. We’ve personally seen the pressure construction workers are under, with long hours and demanding projects impacting their mental and physical condition. The mixture of heat, repetition, and stress can cause lapses of judgement that lead to serious accidents on the construction site.

We’ve summarised Key Work Health and Safety Stats and interactive data from Safe Work Australia, both based on figures reported for 2023. The table below shows the most common causes of work-related fatalities:

worker fatalities based on most common mechanism, 2023
worker fatalities by leading causes, 2023
Worker Fatalities Based on Most Common Mechanism, 2023
Vehicle incident42%
Falls from a height15%
Hit by moving objects12%
Hit by falling objects6%
Contact with electricity5%
Trapped by moving machinery or equipment4%
Rollover4%
Trapped by stationary machinery or equipment4%
Assaulted by other persons4%
Other6%

Across all industries, vehicle accidents are the most common type of workplace fatality, often due to collisions with another vehicle or stationary object. As a result, machinery operators and drivers have the highest fatality rate (amounting to 1.8 per 100,000 workers).

On the other hand, the construction industry differs quite significantly. The two tables below show the most common reasons for serious claims within the construction industry:

Claims in Construction Based on Most Common Mechanism, 2023
Body Stressing32%
Falls, Trips, and Slips30%
Being Hit by Moving Objects22%
Hitting Objects with Part of the Body12%
Vehicle Incidents and Other5%

Body stressing and falls make up nearly two-thirds of the serious claims in the construction industry. The table below shows the most common breakdown agencies in construction claims:

Claims in Construction Based on Most Common Breakdown Agency, 2023
Materials and Substances31%
Non-Powered Handtools, Appliances, and Equipment29%
Environmental Agencies21%
Mobile Plant and Transport11%
Machinery and (Mainly) Fixed Plant8%

** Per the Safe Work Australia Glossary, the breakdown agency identifies “the object, substance or circumstance that was principally involved in, or most closely associated with, the point at which things started to go wrong and which ultimately led to the most serious injury or disease.”

Even if at fault, you may have a right to compensation. Start your claims check:

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What are Common Injuries in Construction Accidents?

The most common types of injuries in construction accidents tend to be physical injuries that impact the upper and lower limbs, trunk, hands, and head. These are caused by falls, struck-by incidents, and equipment-related accidents. Injuries that could validate a personal injury claim or work accident claim include:

  • Musculoskeletal disorders (back pain and joint injuries)
  • Physical trauma
  • Crushed limbs
  • Burns (chemical and thermal)
  • Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs)

Can I Claim Compensation for an Emotional or Psychological Injury?

Yes, you may be eligible to claim compensation if you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a construction accident. Physical injuries make up the bulk of our work as construction injury lawyers, but we understand the emotional burden you may experience after a construction accident can be just as painful. These are called nervous shock claims and are considered just as valid as a physical injury claim, so long as the cause can be directly linked to the construction accident.

It is a good idea to contact a lawyer as soon as possible and never dismiss a possible nervous shock claim. WorkCover Queensland has seen a notable rise in psychological claims since 2017 as construction workers become more aware of their mental health.

In fact, mental stress claims were the fourth most common claims in 2022, accounting for 8.6% of serious claims across all industries. Moreover, mental health conditions accounted for 9.2% of all serious claims in 2022. We are here to hear your story and help you claim compensation for your serious injury, physical or otherwise.

Do I Have a Construction Accident Compensation Claim?

types of construction accident compensation claim
different types of construction accident compensation claim

Yes, you may have a construction accident compensation claim if you’ve suffered an injury or illness that can be linked to your construction work and/or environment. Contacting a construction site injury lawyer is the quickest way to know whether your accident and injury will be eligible for compensation. These claims can include:

All construction workers in Queensland will be insured either through WorkCover Queensland (WorkSafe) or a self-insured employer. These no-fault insurance plans cover medical expenses, lost wages, and the rehabilitation you may require no matter who was at fault for the accident.

How to Begin Filing a Construction Injury Compensation Claim

If you’ve been involved in a construction accident that has caused a physical or psychological injury, you can begin the work accident claim procedure by following the following steps. Filing a compensation claim can be extremely overwhelming while you’re dealing with the repercussions of an accident, so don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer with experience in construction accident law.

  1. Seek Medical Attention No matter the accident, it’s important that you always seek immediate medical attention from your nearest work physician or hospital. When establishing a workplace injury claim, threading a clear link between the accident and your injuries is crucial.
  2. Report Your Injury Once you’ve been treated for your injury, report the accident and the resulting injury to your employer. Not only are you required by Queensland law to report as soon as possible, it also creates a detailed record and timeline that will prove valuable when you eventually seek a compensation claim. You can save more than 50% of any potential costs you accrue when you claim compensation by reporting your injury within 14 days of the incident.
  3. Gather the Necessary Documentation Always ensure you keep a copy of documents relevant to the compensation claim. These can include the incident report your employer filed with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ), medical records of the injury, proof of expenses as a result of the injury, and work records. If possible, get and save photos, videos, and witness statements surrounding the accident to help a construction accident legal professional.
  4. Lodge Your Workers’ Compensation Claim You can lodge your workers’ compensation claim in several ways. The quickest is through the WorkCover (WorkSafe) Queensland website, but you can also phone 1300 362 128 to speak with a representative or send a physical claim form via fax or post. Once lodged, Queensland has 20 business days to assess your claim and make a verdict.
  5. Consult a Lawyer Around 4% of workers’ compensation claims are rejected by WorkCover every year in Queensland, with psychological claims facing higher rejections. Don’t risk your compensation claim becoming rejected due to an inexperience in personal injury law. Our team at WT Compensation Lawyers are experienced workers’ compensation lawyers who have helped hundreds of clients claim their compensation. Contact our lawyers today and let us help you.
  6. Monitor Your Claim Once your claim has been lodged with WorkCover Queensland, one of our lawyers will keep you updated on their decision. You should hear back within 20 business days via email or SMS, but your lawyers can help you keep in contact with the WorkCover case manager to expedite the procedure. We also actively aim to relieve the burden you are under due to your injury and help monitor and supplement information for your case.

What Affects My Compensation for a Construction Accident Claim?

There are several factors that can impact the final compensation payout you receive as a result of a construction accident claim, including:

  • Extent of your injury
  • Medical expenses accrued
  • Loss of wages
  • Potential future medical expenses
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional trauma

Other elements that can impact how much you receive are based on the responsibility your employer had related to the accident. Serious offences, like negligence, can heavily impact your claim under common law claims.

Time Limitations for Construction Accident Claims in Queensland

There are several time limit constraints that affect your compensation claim with WorkCover Queensland according to the Worker’s Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003, section 131. If you have a worker’s compensation claim, you must lodge it within 6 months after the injury happening or being diagnosed. On occasion, extended deadlines may be granted to you in special circumstances, including medical reasons and any delays on the part of Queensland state.

Also note that if you lodge your claim more than 20 days after the injury has occurred, WorkCover could only offer backdated payments to 20 days before the claim was lodged.

How Much Can I Expect to Receive from My Construction Accident Claim?

You can expect to receive an average of $188,794 in a common law settlement for a construction accident claim as of 2023 Queensland Compensation Scheme Statistics. Your final payment will be based on various factors, but our lawyers will be able to give you an estimate for your particular case.

However, it’s worth noting that like in a car accident claim, there are several factors that can influence the success of your compensation claim and your payout. Out of this average, 14% of cases received a nil settlement, which makes it crucial to work together with your construction accident injury lawyer to improve your chances of a successful claim.

How Long Do Construction Accident Claims Take to Resolve?

The average time frame you can expect your construction accident claim to take is 12 to 18 months. Consulting with a construction accident lawyer in Brisbane like WT Compensation can reduce this settlement time. However, there are many factors that can impact this time frame, including the complexity of the case, the number of other injury claims in Queensland, and the skill of your legal representation.

WT Construction Accident Lawyers | Compassionate Compensation

If you need a personal injury lawyer to help you strategically advocate the legal and emotional burden of your construction accident claim, consider WT Compensation Lawyers. We believe that everyone deserves to have their rights defended no matter what financial situation they are in. This belief is why we offer a No Win, No Fee policy and low hourly legal costs for our clients — if you don’t win, you don’t have to pay any legal fees.

Contact our injury lawyers in Brisbane for legal advice from a dedicated team that genuinely wants the best for you. Contact us about your construction injury compensation claim at 07 3924 9544 or receive a free case review today.

FAQs on Construction Accident Lawyers, QLD

Concrete and masonry workers, electricians, heavy machinery operators, and roofers are generally the professions that suffer injuries in mining and construction accidents. Typically, men are more susceptible to a higher chance of injury compared to women – mainly due to the demographic representation within the mining and construction industry.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in Queensland helps construction workers keep safe by providing a comprehensive framework of regulations and standards that companies need to abide by. For construction workers, these OHS laws are found under the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and include codes of practice, consultations and training, and proper notification and reporting requirements if there is an accident or injury on-site.

Yes, you can absolutely claim for falling at a building or construction site. As a worker on a construction site who has been injured due to a fall, it is your right to place a workers’ compensation claim. If you’re planning to consult a lawyer who can help with construction injury claims, always ensure the law firm has a No Win No Fee policy like WT Compensation Lawyers.

What our clients say

Thank you WT Compensation Lawyers for your hard work, commitment and dedication towards settling my case. This was my first ever experience having the helping hand of a lawyer and I’m glad it was with your firm! Thank you very much for making everything seem so easy and clear for me to understand. I will definitely know who I can trust in regards to seeking legal aid

Asipeli Feki

Warm, kind, compassionate, knowledgeable… I could go on and on about Jono and his great team at WT Compensation Lawyers. The words thank you don’t even begin to describe how grateful I am to this great team of personal injury lawyers and for the way they help people and show that they genuinely care about their clients.

R Rasul

I am beyond grateful for the genuine assistance of WT Compensation lawyers to get through with my claim. Absolutely every single person I had contact with at the team were amazing. I especially want to thank Jono Wu who helped me achieve an outstanding outcome.

Virginia Su

Jono, Sinny and everyone at WT Compensation Lawyers are the best car accident lawyers in Brisbane I’ve come across. The genuine care, compassion and human kindness they show to their clients is clear from the very first moment you speak to them. I cannot recommend them enough to anyone in need of a personal injury lawyer and would not hesitate at all to refer any of my family or friends. Thank you guys always for all your great work.

Ru McKinnon

Big thanks to WT, Jono, Sinny and the entire team. I couldn’t be happier with boys and the help they’ve given me and my family over the years. Both my sister and partner had car accidents and got unreal results from their claim. These guys are talented, empathetic and genuinely want the best for their clients and I couldn’t recommend them more if you want the best car accident lawyers.

Tylor Bunting

Contact us

WT Compensation Lawyers
Address: Riparian Plaza, Level 38/71 Eagle St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000
Phone: (07) 3924 9544
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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