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Construction Accident Attorneys in New Jersey

Construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces in New Jersey. With heavy machinery, high scaffolding, power tools, and hazardous materials all in play, workers are constantly exposed to serious risk. Even with OSHA regulations and safety protocols in place, construction accidents still occur far too often, leaving workers and their families devastated by physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

Given the conditions of these construction sites, it’s not surprising that careers in this trade are some of the most dangerous in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 1 in 5 (20.8%) workplace fatalities take place in the construction industry. Slips, trips, and falls account for over ⅓ of all construction-related deaths. 

Unfortunately, hazardous working conditions, defective equipment, lack of safety gear, and unsafe scaffolding are all significant causes of these types of injuries as well. Other leading causes of construction fatalities include transportation accidents and contact with objects, such as a defective tool.

At Mallon and Tranger, our team of New Jersey construction accident attorneys is committed to fighting for the rights of injured construction workers. We understand the unique challenges of these cases, from navigating third-party liability to pursuing full and fair compensation for catastrophic injuries. If you’ve been hurt on the job or lost a loved one in a construction-related incident, our experienced legal team is ready to help you take action.

Common Causes of Construction Accidents

Construction sites are dynamic, fast-paced environments where hazards are constantly present. Despite strict federal and state safety regulations, accidents remain a frequent occurrence across New Jersey. Many of these accidents are preventable and stem from a lack of proper oversight, inadequate safety measures, or pressure to meet deadlines at the expense of worker safety. The most common causes of construction accidents in New Jersey include:

Falls from Heights

Falls are the leading cause of death and serious injury in the construction industry. Workers often perform tasks on scaffolding, ladders, roofs, and elevated platforms without proper fall protection. A missing harness, an unsecured scaffold, or a lack of guardrails can quickly turn a routine job into a life-threatening incident.

Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents

Uneven terrain, scattered tools, loose wiring, wet surfaces, and poor lighting can all lead to slip and trip accidents. These seemingly minor incidents can cause significant injuries, especially when workers fall onto rebar, into open trenches, or down stairwells.

Electrocutions

Exposed wiring, live power lines, and malfunctioning electrical equipment pose a constant threat on construction sites. Electric shock injuries can cause severe burns, nerve damage, cardiac issues, or even death. Electrocution risks are especially high for electricians, HVAC installers, and demolition crews.

Struck-by Incidents

Construction workers are frequently at risk of being struck by falling tools, swinging cranes, or moving vehicles. Improperly secured materials, lack of warning signage, and failure to maintain safe zones can contribute to these dangerous encounters.

Caught-in/Between Accidents

These occur when a worker is crushed, pinned, or compressed between two objects or caught in machinery. Examples include being trapped between a backhoe and a wall or caught in the gears of a conveyor belt. These are often fatal or result in permanent disability.

Defective or Malfunctioning Equipment

Construction work relies heavily on tools and machinery. When equipment such as forklifts, cranes, nail guns, or harnesses fail due to poor maintenance or design defects, the consequences can be catastrophic. Employers and manufacturers can both bear responsibility for ensuring equipment safety.

Explosions and Fires

Improper storage of flammable chemicals, leaking gas lines, or faulty wiring can lead to deadly explosions or flash fires. These incidents can devastate entire job sites and leave workers with life-altering injuries.

Lack of Safety Training or Supervision

Inadequate training, poor communication, and failure to enforce safety protocols often contribute to avoidable accidents. New hires, subcontractors, or temporary laborers may be placed in high-risk roles without understanding the hazards they face.

At Mallon and Tranger, we investigate the root causes of construction site accidents to determine where safety protocols failed and who should be held accountable.

Common injuries in construction accidents

Common Injuries in Construction Accidents

Construction accidents often result in some of the most severe and catastrophic injuries across all industries. The physical demands of the job and exposure to heavy machinery, heights, and hazardous materials create an environment where even a brief lapse in safety can lead to life-changing consequences.

Here are the most common injuries we see among our construction accident clients:

  • Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): Falls, blows to the head, or objects falling from above can cause concussions, skull fractures, and long-term brain damage. TBIs can impair memory, speech, motor functions, and cognition, sometimes permanently.
  • Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage to the spinal cord from a fall or crushing incident can lead to partial or complete paralysis. These injuries often require lifelong care, including mobility aids, in-home assistance, and ongoing therapy.
  • Fractures and Broken Bones: Broken arms, legs, ribs, and pelvises are common in construction accidents. Some fractures require surgical intervention, metal implants, or extensive rehabilitation, especially when the injury involves joints or multiple breaks.
  • Amputations: Limbs can be severed by powerful machinery, crushed in equipment, or damaged beyond repair by electrical burns or explosions. Amputation injuries are emotionally and physically devastating and often result in permanent disability.
  • Severe Burns: Burn injuries from fires, chemicals, or electrical exposure can lead to intense pain, infections, disfigurement, and the need for multiple skin graft surgeries. Inhalation of hot gases or smoke can also cause internal burns to the respiratory tract.
  • Crush Injuries: Heavy machinery, collapsing walls, or structural failures can pin a worker, causing crushed bones, damaged muscles, nerve injuries, and compartment syndrome, a dangerous condition requiring emergency surgery.
  • Eye Injuries and Vision Loss: Flying debris, chemicals, or welding flashes can damage the eyes, resulting in temporary or permanent blindness. Eye protection is often lacking or improperly used on construction sites.
  • Internal Organ Damage: A fall from a significant height or being struck by a heavy object can cause internal bleeding, organ perforation, or damage to the lungs, kidneys, or liver. These injuries are often life-threatening.
  • Repetitive Motion Injuries: Construction workers frequently perform the same motion day after day. Over time, this can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and chronic back or shoulder pain that interferes with job performance and quality of life.

Related: CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING SITE DEBRIS


Each of these injuries can have a profound financial impact, including loss of income, skyrocketing medical bills, and long-term care needs. That’s why Mallon and Tranger fight tirelessly to secure maximum compensation for every construction accident client.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Construction Accident in New Jersey?

Construction accident liability is often far more complex than it initially appears. While workers’ compensation covers most job-related injuries, it doesn't always provide full restitution, particularly for non-economic damages like pain and suffering. That’s why identifying third-party liability is key to ensuring injured workers receive complete justice.

Here are the parties who may be held responsible:

  • General Contractors and Subcontractors: These parties are usually in charge of maintaining job site safety, providing proper training, and ensuring compliance with OSHA standards. Failure to uphold these duties can make them liable for worker injuries.
  • Property Owners: If the property owner had control over the premises and failed to address known hazards or properly warn workers, they could be held accountable for resulting accidents.
  • Equipment and Tool Manufacturers: When an accident is caused by a defective product, like a malfunctioning crane, faulty harness, or poorly designed power tool, the manufacturer or distributor may be liable under product liability laws.
  • Engineers and Architects: Improper structural designs, unsafe blueprints, or engineering miscalculations can cause collapses or unsafe conditions that lead to serious injuries. These professionals may be held liable for errors in planning or oversight.
  • Third-Party Vendors and Delivery Drivers: Negligence by outside contractors, vendors, or delivery personnel, such as improperly securing materials or creating obstructions, can also create dangerous conditions on the worksite.
  • Maintenance and Safety Companies: If a third-party company is responsible for inspecting equipment or maintaining safety procedures, and they fail in their duties, they too may be liable for your injuries.

Uncovering the full list of potentially liable parties requires a thorough investigation, something our experienced construction accident lawyers at Mallon and Tranger handle with precision and dedication. By holding all negligent parties accountable, we work to ensure our clients receive the full measure of justice and financial support they deserve.

How Can Mallon and Tranger Help After a New Jersey Construction Accident?

After a construction accident, insurance companies and employers may pressure you to accept a quick settlement or return to work before you’re ready. An experienced construction accident lawyer can protect your rights, investigate the accident, identify every potential source of liability, and advocate for the maximum compensation you deserve.

The New Jersey construction accident attorneys at Mallon and Tranger can help you:

  • Gather evidence, photographs, and witness statements
  • Coordinate with safety experts, accident reconstructionists, and medical professionals
  • File workers’ compensation claims and handle appeals
  • Determine if you have a third-party personal injury claim
  • Fight for fair settlement offers or take your case to court if necessary

We take the legal burden off your shoulders so you can focus on healing.

What Compensation Is Available After a New Jersey Construction Accident?

Depending on the facts of your case, you may be entitled to compensation through:

Workers' Compensation Benefits:

  • Full coverage of medical treatment and rehabilitation
  • Temporary total disability payments (typically 70% of your wages)
  • Permanent partial or total disability benefits
  • Death benefits for surviving family members

Third-Party Personal Injury Claims (if applicable):

  • Pain and suffering
  • Full wage loss (beyond workers’ comp limits)
  • Future medical expenses and long-term care
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Emotional distress
  • Punitive damages (in cases of egregious negligence)

The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injury, the circumstances of the accident, and your long-term recovery prospects. Our legal team is experienced in pursuing both workers’ compensation claims and personal injury lawsuits for construction workers in New Jersey.

If you or a loved one has been injured on a construction site, don’t wait to get help. Contact Mallon and Tranger today for a free consultation with a New Jersey construction accident attorney. We’ll assess your options and fight to secure the full financial recovery you deserve.

Serving Monmouth County and All of New Jersey From Our Freehold and Point Pleasant Offices

Construction workers are the backbone of our nation’s infrastructure. They build and maintain our homes, office buildings, and our roads. They’re also the ones who construct important monuments and tourist attractions. Without these dedicated, talented workers, our country would not thrive.

If you’ve ever visited an active construction site, then you know it’s not always the safest work environment. Heavy equipment, complicated machinery, and dangerous tools all pose a constant risk of injury. Every day, construction workers risk their lives and health to get the job done. When workers are injured, they deserve full and fair compensation for their injuries and other damages.

Helping You Get Back on Your Feet

At Mallon and Tranger, we work closely with workers who have been injured on construction sites. Our New Jersey workers’ compensation team also helps families who have lost a loved one due to a construction accident.

We serve injured victims in many locations throughout Monmouth County and the state of New Jersey, including:

  • Freehold
  • Howell
  • Middletown

When you are hurt on the job, you’re not dealing with just your injury. Suddenly, your entire livelihood is compromised by your inability to work.

State and federal laws mandate strict requirements for safety on construction job sites. Too often, construction contractors and big corporations flagrantly violate these laws in the interest of profits. By ignoring the law, they put their workers’ lives in jeopardy.

When companies and contractors cut corners, people get hurt. In the most devastating cases, a family loses a loved one because of negligence caused by another party.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, know that help is available. Our construction accident lawyers are passionate about advocating for victims and their families. We can help you recover compensation for the following:

  • Mental distress
  • Lost wages
  • Medical bills
  • Permanent disability
  • Physical injuries
  • Wrongful death

The bottom line is you should never have to pay for another person’s mistake or preference for making money over keeping you safe.

Contact Mallon and Tranger Today to Speak With a New Jersey Construction Accident Lawyer

Our legal team has recovered millions for construction workers and their families over the years. We offer a workers’ compensation case review, and we receive no payment unless we recover compensation for you. We help injured victims in a wide range of personal injury cases throughout New Jersey in addition to construction accidents, such as:

The law limits the amount of time in which you have to file a claim, typically two years from the date of the injury. Therefore, if you have been injured working on a construction site, or you have lost a family member in a construction accident, it’s important to speak with an experienced construction accident lawyer in New Jersey right away.

Our experienced construction accident lawyers in New Jersey can help you to determine the next steps in your case, including the right time to file. Call today to speak to a knowledgeable attorney about your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What evidence is most useful to prove third-party fault on a multi-contractor job in Monmouth County?

Beyond photos and witness accounts, the contract stack matters in a construction accident: prime contracts, subcontracts, purchase orders, and site safety plans that show who controlled means and methods. Access logs, delivery tickets, crane or lift telematics, change orders, and daily reports often tie a hazard to a particular subcontractor, while BIM markups and RFI responses can show who designed or modified the condition. We coordinate with experts in construction safety to connect this paper trail to the event, and an attorney can leverage that evidence whether the job is in Freehold, Point Pleasant, or anywhere in New Jersey.

How long do I have to file after a construction accident in New Jersey?

Most third-party personal injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2, and workers’ compensation formal claim petitions must be filed within 2 years of the injury or the last compensation payment, whichever is later. Medical treatment authorized by the employer counts as compensation, which can affect that clock. There are exceptions and tolling rules, so it is smart to calendar deadlines early and have an attorney review your facts as soon as possible.

Do OSHA citations help prove negligence in a construction accident case?

They can, because citations highlight safety violations tied to your incident. While not automatic liability, they are persuasive to insurers and juries. Obtain the inspection file, photographs, and witness statements if available. Pair OSHA findings with contracts and site-specific safety plans to show who controlled the hazard. Expert testimony can connect the rule violation to your injury mechanism. Together, these materials strengthen both comp and third-party claims.

Can undocumented workers pursue compensation after a construction injury in New Jersey?

Yes, workers’ compensation benefits generally apply regardless of immigration status. You still need to report the injury and follow authorized care. Wage calculations may use documented earnings or other proofs of pay. Confidentiality around status can be addressed through counsel. If a negligent third party caused your injury, you may also pursue a civil claim. The focus remains on workplace safety and your losses, not immigration questions.

What if a defective tool or machine caused my injury—who can be held responsible?

Beyond workers’ comp, a product liability claim may exist against the manufacturer or distributor. Preserve the tool in its post-incident condition and stop others from using it. Keep manuals, warnings, purchase records, and maintenance logs. Photographs and expert inspections can reveal design or manufacturing defects. Multiple defendants may share responsibility, including rental companies or service vendors. Bringing product claims can significantly increase available compensation.

Can I receive workers’ compensation and also pursue a third-party lawsuit for a construction accident in Point Pleasant?

Yes. In New Jersey you can get workers’ compensation benefits and also bring a separate claim against negligent third parties like a subcontractor, property owner, or equipment manufacturer. If there is a third-party recovery, the workers’ compensation carrier usually has a statutory right to reimbursement from that recovery, so we plan the case to maximize net dollars to you and coordinate benefits carefully. If you were hurt on a site in Point Pleasant or Freehold and want tailored guidance from an attorney, reach out to The Law Office of Mallon & Tranger for a free consultation.

Additional Information in New Jersey

  • New Jersey Workers’ Compensation - Protections for Injured Workers: Official NJ Department of Labor guide to workers’ compensation rights, including how to report a workplace injury, what benefits you may receive, how disputes are handled, anti-retaliation protections, and help if your employer is uninsured.
  • CPWR Fall Prevention and Protection: CPWR Fall Prevention and Protection: A research-backed hub from CPWR, developed with OSHA and NIOSH, that equips construction teams with fall hazard planning tools, model fall protection plans, toolbox talks, Stand-Down guides, multilingual outreach materials, and links to StopConstructionFalls.com to reduce jobsite falls and save lives.
  • NHTSA Work/Construction Zones: Two page driver fact sheet on safely navigating highway work zones. Covers what to expect in construction zones, common traffic controls like flaggers, cones, and temporary signals, and practical tips such as speed management, early or zipper merging, night driving caution, and planning for delays.


Contact Our Office

While this website provides general information, it does not constitute legal advice. The best way to get guidance on your specific legal issue is to contact a lawyer. To schedule a meeting with an attorney, please call or complete the intake form below.
Fax:
732-780-5002
Email:
kwatson@tmallonlaw.com
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