Toxic exposure injuries in construction happen when someone comes into contact with hazardous chemicals, fumes, gases, dust, and other harmful substances. Exposure poses a severe, long-term health risk and typically occurs during building demolition, renovation, or maintenance projects, most commonly through breathing in airborne particles or fumes.
More rarely, toxic exposure injuries may result from absorption through the skin or ingestion. Whatever the circumstances surrounding your injury may be, our construction injury attorneys are here to help. Call our office to schedule a consultation with a qualified Philadelphia construction site toxic exposure lawyer for more information.
The most typical sources of toxic exposure on job sites include the following:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates the industry, providing the standards for toxic and hazardous substances, including gases, fumes, mists, and vapors. The agency provides guidelines on exposure limits to protect workers from hazardous materials that cause injury. Our knowledgeable Philadelphia construction site injury attorney could answer your specific questions about the causes of a toxic exposure injury and what steps to take next.
Exposure to hazardous chemicals and other materials on a construction site can cause immediate and short-term illness as well as long-term chronic conditions, as our Philadelphia attorney could explain. Potential symptoms include nausea, dizziness, headaches, skin irritation and rashes, chemical burns, respiratory or eye irritation, and flu-like illness.
Chronic conditions can include:
Prolonged exposure to substances, such as silica or asbestos, can be the most severe, potentially causing progressive illnesses that can be fatal.
If a person or business was responsible for your injuries or shared fault, you may file a toxic tort suit against that party to hold them financially responsible. Potential parties to seek compensation from include property owners who failed to disclose the risk of hazardous toxins, such as asbestos, in older structures. General contractors who oversee safety could be held accountable, as could subcontractors if their negligence contributed to your injury.
Additionally, if someone recklessly dumped or mishandled toxins and this led to your illness, you may have cause to initiate legal action. Evidence to establish liability includes exposure details, statements from witnesses, medical history, and records, such as blood and urine tests. Filing a complaint is essential to ensuring the responsible party does not cause further harm and supporting the claim.
The statute of limitations sets a court-enforced deadline, generally two years, for injury claims seeking to recover damages from exposure to toxic substances, including asbestos, lead, and silica solvents. Missing the deadline usually means losing the right to obtain a payout and hold the responsible individual or company financially accountable. Our seasoned Philadelphia lawyer could investigate and prepare your construction site toxic exposure injury claim in accordance with the guidelines.
Suffering injury or illness at work can leave you frustrated and unsure what to do next, especially if it requires time off work and extensive medical care.
If someone else’s negligence caused you harm, you have the right to hold them accountable. Call today and schedule an appointment with our experienced Philadelphia construction site toxic exposure lawyer to learn more.
