Los Angeles Construction Accident Lawyer

A construction injury is rarely a simple case, and that is exactly why so many injured workers leave money on the table. You file for workers’ compensation, collect limited benefits, and never learn that a second, far larger claim was available the whole time. Our Los Angeles construction accident lawyer exists to catch what the workers’ comp system is designed to overlook: the full value of what a serious job-site injury actually costs you.

Two Cases, Not One: Workers’ Comp AND a Third-Party Claim

This is the single most important thing to understand about construction injuries. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system administered through California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation — you get medical treatment and partial wage replacement no matter who caused the accident, but in exchange you generally cannot sue your own employer. Those benefits are capped and never include pain and suffering.

What workers’ comp does not touch is your right to sue a negligent third party. On a typical job site, multiple companies and people share the space: general contractors, subcontractors, equipment suppliers, and property owners. If a subcontractor’s crew dropped a load on you, a defective scaffold collapsed, or a driver plowed into a highway work zone, you may have a full personal injury claim against them — one that recovers total lost earning capacity, full medical care, and pain and suffering that comp will never pay. We routinely run both tracks at once. Learn more about our Rancho Cucamonga workers’ compensation practice and our construction-injury workers’ comp team.

The “Fatal Four” — and Why the Inland Empire Is a Hot Zone

OSHA identifies four hazards that cause the majority of construction deaths — the “fatal four”: falls, struck-by-object, caught-in/between, and electrocutions. The federal data shows how deadly the trade remains: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries recorded 1,075 construction-industry fatalities in 2023, and falls, slips, and trips alone accounted for 421 of them — about 39% of the sector’s deaths. Falls are not freak events; they are the predictable result of missing guardrails, unstable ladders, and unprotected edges.

The risk has migrated east. The Inland Empire’s explosive warehouse and logistics construction boom has put thousands of workers on tilt-up concrete sites, distribution-center builds, and freeway expansions across San Bernardino and Riverside counties — high-tempo projects where corners get cut and injuries follow.

What We Do That a Comp Adjuster Won’t

Investigate the whole site. We identify every company on the job, obtain the Cal/OSHA investigation file and any citations, and preserve the equipment before it disappears or is “repaired.”
Find the defective product. A shattered grinder, a collapsing lift, a failed harness — when a tool or piece of equipment fails, we pursue the manufacturer through a product liability claim.
Value the catastrophic cases correctly. Spinal injuries, amputations, and brain trauma from falls demand lifetime-care analysis. See our catastrophic injury practice.
Stand with families. When a job site takes a life, we handle the wrongful death claim alongside the survivors.

Miracle Law’s results include a $5 million wrongful death recovery and a $3.85 million truck accident recovery. Past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, but they signal to insurers and corporate defendants that we build cases for trial.

Deadlines Move Fast

Report your injury to your employer promptly — within 30 days for workers’ comp — and understand that a comp claim generally must be filed within one year. Your third-party lawsuit is usually governed by the two-year statute under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, shortened to a six-month government claim if a public entity or public road project is involved. California’s pure comparative negligence rule means you can recover even if you were partly at fault.

Free Consultation — No Fee Unless We Win

Founder Tamar Miot is a former insurance defense attorney who knows how comp carriers and construction insurers minimize these claims from the inside. Explore our full practice areas, then call (888) 843-5290 for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we recover for you. Hablamos Español.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sue if I already filed a workers' comp claim?

Often yes. Workers' compensation is a no-fault system that pays regardless of blame, but it bars you from suing your direct employer. It does NOT bar a third-party lawsuit against other negligent parties — a subcontractor, a defective-tool manufacturer, the property owner, or a driver who hit you in a work zone. Many of our clients pursue both at the same time.

Who can be a third-party defendant in a construction case?

Anyone whose negligence contributed to your injury other than your employer: general contractors and subcontractors on a multi-employer site, manufacturers of defective ladders, scaffolding, or power tools, property owners who failed to warn of hazards, and motorists who struck you in a highway work zone.

What is Cal/OSHA reporting and does it help my case?

California employers must report serious injuries and fatalities to Cal/OSHA, which investigates and issues citations for safety violations. Those citations and investigation findings can become powerful evidence of negligence in your third-party claim. We obtain the full Cal/OSHA file.

How long do I have to act after a construction injury?

A workers' compensation claim generally must be filed within one year, and you should report the injury to your employer within 30 days. A third-party personal injury lawsuit is usually subject to a two-year deadline under CCP § 335.1 — and only six months if a public entity is involved. Deadlines run fast; call early.