If you or a family member were injured on a construction site in Durham, NC, contact Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for a free consultation today. You can call (919) 728-1770 to learn how an experienced Durham construction accident lawyer can help you recover the most compensation possible for lost wages, medical bills, and other injury-related losses.
Our lawyers have over 190 years of experience handling personal injury cases. We’ve successfully recovered over $850 million in compensation awards (see disclaimer below). Don’t hesitate to get the legal assistance you need. After a workplace injury, contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Why Choose Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers to Help After a Construction Accident in Durham?
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers is a leading injury law firm in Durham, North Carolina. Our Durham personal injury attorneys are passionate about helping our clients get justice–and it shows. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of injury victims like you (see disclaimer below).
For our success, we’ve been recognized by:
- The National Trial Lawyers
- Martindale-Hubbell’s lawyer rating service, with a top AV-Preeminent rating
- Best Attorneys of America
- Super Lawyers
We’re proud to have received over 1,800 five-star Google reviews for our top-quality legal representation.
Today, we’re here to stand by you and handle any issues that arise in the fight for full compensation. Is your employer pushing you to return to work? Are you worried your benefits aren’t correct? Are you curious about your rights under state personal injury laws?
Call our Durham construction accident attorneys today to get the legal advice and assistance you deserve.
What Should I Know About How Construction Injury Cases Work in North Carolina?
When someone is injured, they can usually file a lawsuit to recover damages from the at-fault party.
Construction injury cases are different. You’ll typically start by filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. In North Carolina, nearly every employer must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover workplace injury claims.
For many injured workers, there’s no other option for recovering compensation. North Carolina employers are broadly protected against lawsuits–assuming they carry the required insurance.
That said, your rights depend on who caused your injuries. If a third party (not your employer) caused the accident, they aren’t protected from personal injury lawsuits. So, you may also have the right to seek additional compensation via a personal injury claim.
How Much Is My Durham Construction Accident Case Worth?
The value of your case will depend heavily on the severity of your injuries and the laws that govern your case.
Workers’ compensation claims are limited, and the value of your overall claim will depend on:
- Your average wages prior to the disability
- The length of your recovery period
- Whether the injury is temporary or permanent
- The extent of the disability and whether you can earn any income during recovery
- Any impairment that remains after you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI)
Your weekly check will also be subject to statewide limits. If your injury occurred in 2025, that limit is $1,380. In 2026, it will increase to $1,446.
Our attorneys can provide more detailed guidance about your case value during a free case review.
What Kinds of Compensation Are Available to Construction Accident Victims in Durham?
Workers’ compensation in North Carolina provides the following types of benefits:
- Medical expense reimbursement, including for hospitalization, doctor’s visits, nursing care, rehabilitation, etc.
- Disability benefits to replace roughly 66 ⅔% of your lost wages
- Vocational rehabilitation to help you prepare for a new type of work
- Death benefits
Your disability benefits will depend on the extent of your disability, and might include:
- Temporary total disability benefits if you cannot work at all
- Temporary partial disability benefits if you can work, but at a reduced earning capacity
- Permanent partial disability benefits if your earnings remain impaired after reaching MMI
- Permanent total disability benefits if you’re never able to work again
You become eligible for income replacement benefits once your disability lasts for seven days.
Can I Recover Additional Damages By Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in North Carolina?
If someone other than your employer caused your injuries, you may pursue additional compensation.
That compensation award may include economic damages and non-economic damages:
- Any unreimbursed medical expenses
- 100% of your lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Mental trauma
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Lost future earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Personal injury awards can cover more than just your financial losses. For that reason, injury victims tend to walk away with more money if they can file a lawsuit in addition to workers’ comp.
How Much Money Does It Cost to Hire a Construction Accident Lawyer in North Carolina?
Our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis. Like most personal injury lawyers, our attorneys’ fees are based on the amount of money we recover for our clients. You won’t owe anything upfront–and you’ll only pay if we succeed in recovering compensation for you.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Construction Accident in North Carolina?
Shared fault won’t typically be an issue for workers’ compensation purposes. Workers’ comp is a no-fault system. Proof of fault isn’t even necessary to receive benefits.
In personal injury cases, shared fault is a serious issue. North Carolina has a strict contributory negligence law. In a personal injury case, you cannot receive any compensation if you were even slightly responsible for your own injuries.
Our Attorneys Handle All Types of Construction Accident Injury Cases in Durham
Construction accidents can occur in all different ways.
Our attorneys are equipped to handle any type of accident case, including those involving:
- Scaffolding accidents
- Falls from ladders and roofs
- Slip and fall accidents
- Accidents involving falling objects
- Demolition accidents
- Heavy lifting injuries
- Building collapse
- Excavation accidents
- Electrocution
- Electric shock
- Fires or explosions
- Welding accidents
- Accidents where someone is caught between two objects
- Heavy machinery accidents, including crane and forklift accidents
- Motor vehicle and truck accidents
You deserve to understand your rights. After an accident, you can count on our lawyers to fight for every available dollar. Give us a call today to discuss your case.
Construction Accident Victims are Vulnerable to All Types of Injuries
At Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers, we have experience successfully representing victims who have suffered all types of injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Dislocations
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Eye and facial injuries
- Burns
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Hearing loss
- Organ damage
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
It’s important to seek medical attention right away. You should also be careful to follow any instructions your employer provides with respect to your medical treatment. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Durham construction accident attorneys to learn about your legal rights.
What Causes Most Construction Accidents in Durham?
Some common causes of construction accidents include:
- Missing or inadequate safety equipment
- Lack of fall protection
- Lack of fall prevention training
- Communication failures
- Failure to clear debris and fall hazards
- Missing or damaged guardrails
- Defective scaffolding, equipment, or tools
- Improperly installed scaffolding
- Failure to properly train or supervise employees
- Negligent hiring practices
- Dangerous property conditions and negligent property maintenance
- Improperly maintained work equipment and tools
- Ignoring state and OSHA federal safety regulations
Understanding the cause of your construction accident is important. It will determine whether you have any rights under state personal injury laws.
Is Negligence Relevant to a Construction Accident Case in North Carolina?
Possibly, but to receive workers’ compensation, you’ll only have to prove:
- You were employed by a North Carolina employer
- You were classified as an employee, rather than an independent contractor
- You were injured due to something work-related
Negligence can be relevant if someone other than your employer caused your injuries. To win a personal injury case, you’ll likely have to prove the defendant was negligent.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim for Compensation After a Construction Accident in North Carolina?
It’s important to notify your employer quickly. If you fail to give notice of the injury within 30 days, you could lose your workers’ compensation benefits.
The statute of limitations in North Carolina personal injury cases gives you three years to file a lawsuit.
How Common Are Construction Accidents in North Carolina?
In a recent year alone, employers in North Carolina reported a total of 68,600 workplace injuries. Roughly 3,200 of those injuries occurred in the construction industry.
Over 65% of those construction injuries were severe enough that the victim missed time at work or was subjected to job restrictions.
Contact Our Durham Construction Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
The time after an injury can be frustrating. You don’t have to take a chance at walking away with less money than you deserve. Instead, call an experienced Durham construction accident lawyer at Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.