A construction site can change dramatically from one day to the next. New subcontractors arrive, equipment moves across the property, materials are delivered, and multiple crews often work in the same area at the same time.
When safety breaks down in that environment, the consequences can be catastrophic. A single incident can leave a worker facing serious injuries, months away from work, and difficult questions about who is legally responsible.
At Parker & McConkie, our Idaho Falls construction accident lawyers represent workers and families affected by serious construction site injuries throughout eastern Idaho. Share your story with us, and we can explain your legal rights and options.
While workers' compensation may provide limited benefits after a workplace injury, many construction accidents involve third parties whose negligence contributed to the incident. In those situations, an injured worker may have the right to pursue additional compensation through a personal injury claim. This is where we can help.
For more than four decades, our attorneys have represented injury victims in complex cases throughout Idaho and the surrounding region. We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients and are not afraid to take cases to trial when necessary.
If you were injured on a construction site in Idaho Falls or the surrounding area, call (208) 600-6032 today for a free consultation.
Construction Sites Are Among the Most Dangerous Work Environments in Idaho
Construction projects involve heavy machinery, elevated work areas, electrical systems, excavation zones, moving vehicles, power tools, and constantly changing job site conditions. Even when workers follow safety procedures, a single mistake by another company or contractor can create life-altering consequences.
Unlike many workplace injuries, construction accidents frequently involve multiple parties working on the same project. General contractors, subcontractors, equipment suppliers, delivery companies, property owners, and other entities often share responsibility for maintaining a safe work environment.
When something goes wrong, determining liability may require a thorough investigation into who controlled the work area, who created the hazard, and which parties failed to meet their safety obligations. We can help gather evidence to understand what happened and who may be responsible for your losses.
Why Choose Parker & McConkie After a Construction Site Injury?
Construction accident cases are often more complex than other personal injury claims because liability may extend to multiple companies, and evidence can disappear quickly after an incident. Our attorneys understand how to investigate serious construction accidents, identify responsible parties, and build cases supported by evidence rather than assumptions.
For more than 45 years, our legal team has represented injured individuals and families throughout Idaho. We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients, including substantial case results in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
When you hire our attorneys, we can:
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident
- Identify all potentially liable parties
- Preserve evidence before it is lost or altered
- Review safety records and construction site documentation
- Work with qualified experts when necessary
- Calculate the full extent of your damages
- Handle negotiations with insurance companies
- Take your case to trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached
Our attorneys approach every case with the understanding that strong preparation often creates stronger outcomes. Insurance companies often change their negotiation process when they know the team on the other side will not hesitate to go to trial if the company doesn’t offer a fair settlement. Our experience may provide additional leverage during negotiations and lead to a better overall outcome.
What Are Your Rights If the Company Responsible for Your Injury Is Not Your Employer?
Many injured construction workers assume their legal options begin and end with workers' compensation benefits. However, construction sites often involve multiple parties working together.
When an entity other than your employer contributes to an accident, you may have the right to pursue a separate personal injury claim in addition to any workers' compensation benefits that may be available.
These third-party claims can be particularly important because they may allow recovery for damages that workers' compensation typically does not provide, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses associated with a serious injury.
Depending on the circumstances of your construction site, otentially responsible third parties may include:
- General contractors
- Subcontractors
- Property owners
- Equipment manufacturers
- Crane operators and crane companies
- Delivery and transportation companies
- Outside drivers
- Engineers and design professionals
- Maintenance contractors
Determining whether a third-party claim exists often requires a detailed investigation into how the accident occurred and which companies were involved at the job site. Our team can conduct that investigation and gather the evidence needed to support a third-party construction accident claim.
Common Construction Accidents That Lead to Serious Injury Claims
Construction sites present numerous hazards that can result in severe injuries. The team at Parker & McConkie accepts cases involving these scenarios and other construction site situations:
Falls From Heights
Falls remain one of the leading causes of serious construction injuries. Workers may fall from scaffolding, ladders, roofs, elevated platforms, unfinished structures, or improperly protected edges.
Struck-By Accidents
Workers can be struck by falling tools, construction materials, equipment, vehicles, or suspended loads. These incidents frequently cause traumatic injuries because of the force involved.
Crane and Heavy Equipment Incidents
Construction projects often rely on cranes, forklifts, loaders, excavators, and other heavy machinery. Equipment failures, operator errors, and communication breakdowns can create dangerous situations.
Electrocution Accidents
Contact with overhead power lines, exposed wiring, defective equipment, or improperly secured electrical systems can cause catastrophic injuries or fatalities.
Trench and Excavation Collapses
Excavation work carries significant risks when proper protective systems are not used. A trench collapse can bury workers within seconds and often results in severe or fatal injuries.
Defective Equipment Failures
Construction workers depend on equipment and tools to function safely. Defective machinery, faulty safety systems, and manufacturing defects can contribute to devastating accidents.
How Our Attorneys Investigate Construction Accidents
Construction accident cases often involve evidence that is far more technical than what exists in a typical injury claim. Our attorneys may investigate:
- OSHA findings and reports
- Site safety procedures
- Incident reports
- Equipment inspection records
- Maintenance documentation
- Training records
- Witness statements
- Job site photographs and videos
- Subcontractor agreements
- Construction project records
Because construction sites frequently change after an accident, it is often important to begin investigating as soon as possible. Defective or broken equipment may be repaired, materials may be moved, and work conditions may change rapidly.
We can conduct a thorough investigation to help establish how the accident occurred and whether another party's negligence contributed to the injury. To learn more about the entire legal process and how we can help, call us for a free, no-obligation case review today.
Serious Construction Injuries Often Require Long-Term Care
Construction accidents frequently produce injuries that extend far beyond the initial emergency treatment. We know that many injured workers face lengthy recoveries involving surgeries, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and ongoing medical care. Some injuries may permanently affect a person's ability to return to construction work or continue in the same profession.
Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, crush injuries, severe fractures, burn injuries, amputations, nerve damage, and other catastrophic conditions. In the most tragic situations, construction accidents result in fatalities that leave families facing emotional and financial hardships.
Our attorneys can explain whether a wrongful death claim may be appropriate if a loved one lost their life because of negligence on a construction site. Call us to better understand your potential options after losing a loved one on a construction site.
What Compensation May Be Available Through a Third-Party Construction Accident Claim?
The purpose of a third-party personal injury claim is to recover compensation that addresses all of your losses, including those that may not be fully covered through workers' compensation benefits alone.
| Construction Injury Consequence | Potential Compensation |
| Time Away From the Job Site | Lost wages, missed overtime opportunities, lost employment benefits |
| Career Disruption | Reduced earning capacity, vocational retraining expenses, and loss of future career opportunities |
| Ongoing Medical Needs | Hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, assistive devices, and future treatment costs |
| Changes at Home | Household assistance, home accessibility modifications, and caregiving expenses |
| Lasting Personal Impact | Physical pain, emotional suffering, loss of independence, and reduced quality of life |
Every case is different. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries, your future medical needs, available insurance coverage, and the evidence supporting the company’s liability.
We help everyday people stand up for What's Right.
What If Someone Claims You Were Partly Responsible?
Construction companies and insurance carriers sometimes argue that the injured worker somehow contributed to the accident. We work to build a strong case to show who was responsible and, if possible, minimize your fault.
In a third-party personal injury lawsuit where multiple parties may share responsibility, Idaho's modified comparative fault rules may apply. If an injured worker shares responsibility for the incident, compensation may be reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned to the worker.
Being partially at fault does not automatically preclude recovery unless the worker is found to be 50% or more responsible for the accident. In those cases, the worker may not be entitled to receive compensation for their losses.
Because allegations of worker error frequently arise in construction cases, it is important to thoroughly understand what happened rather than relying solely on the initial explanations or assumptions provided after the accident.
Our attorneys work to identify all contributing factors and parties to challenge unsupported attempts to shift blame away from negligent parties. We don’t simply accept the insurer’s position… we fight for our clients’ rights using evidence and legal argument.
How Long Do You Have to File a Construction Accident Lawsuit in Idaho?
In Idaho, most lawsuits arising from construction accidents are covered by the Idaho statute of limitations. These personal injury cases must be filed within two years of the date of the injury.
While that may seem like a significant amount of time, construction accident investigations take time and often become more difficult over time as evidence disappears and witnesses become harder to locate. It’s important to take action as soon as possible to help preserve important evidence and strengthen your ability to build a successful claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Construction Accidents in Idaho Falls
Can I bring a claim if another subcontractor caused the accident?
Possibly. If a subcontractor or one of its employees contributed to the accident through negligence, a third-party personal injury claim may be available in addition to any applicable workers' compensation benefits. We can explain your rights when you share your story with our team.
What if OSHA investigated the accident?
An OSHA investigation may uncover valuable information about safety violations, job site conditions, and contributing factors. However, an OSHA investigation does not automatically determine whether a personal injury claim exists.
Can defective tools or equipment create a construction injury claim?
Yes. Equipment manufacturers, distributors, and other parties may be liable when defective products contribute to a construction accident. These cases often require detailed investigation and technical analysis.
What happens if multiple companies share responsibility?
Construction projects frequently involve multiple entities. Depending on the circumstances, more than one company may share liability for an accident. Identifying all responsible parties is an important part of our process to maximize your potential recovery.
Should I speak with the other company's insurance adjuster?
You don’t have to, but if you do, proceed carefully. Any statements you provide early in the process may later be used to challenge liability or minimize your damages. Instead, reach out to our injury attorneys before providing a recorded statement or signing anything related to your claim.
Contact Our Idaho Falls Construction Accident Lawyers Today
A serious construction accident can affect every aspect of your life, from your health and finances to your ability to support your family and continue your career. We can shoulder those burdens, determine who is legally responsible for what happened, and build a strong legal case while you focus on healing.
At Parker & McConkie, our Idaho Falls construction accident lawyers investigate complex job site injuries and pursue compensation from the parties responsible for causing them. Whether through settlement negotiations or trial, our attorneys are committed to helping injured workers seek the resources they need for the future.
Call (208) 600-6032 today for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help rebuild your future.