If you live in a major city, it probably seems like new buildings are popping up almost every day. While construction is necessary to fuel growth, it's often a risky process. Every year, numerous pedestrians are injured when walking through or around a construction site.

If you or a loved one have been hurt, you do have rights, and it's vital that someone pays the price for your suffering. Learn about the responsibilities of the construction company to ensure you're protected. 

Duty to Protect

The priority of any construction company should be to protect the local community in the area they are servicing. A large part of accomplishing this goal is taking the necessary precautions to secure the worksite.

For example, if there is a utility hole on a sidewalk, the construction personnel must put up a suitable barrier to prevent innocent people from walking into the hole and injuring themselves. When a construction company does not take these precautions, they are failing at their duty to protect.

A failure to protect is often viewed as a sign of negligence and may create a straight path forward for compensation for any person injured as a result. If the construction company does not take any measures to safeguard potential hazards, they may even be guilty of gross negligence. 

Duty to Notify

In the same respect that construction personnel are required to protect the general public, they must also take steps to notify the public of any known hazards. Consider the previous example of the utility hole, for instance.

The construction company would need to put up signage that alerts the general public of the hole. Without the right signage, a person could not see the hole and walk right into it, which could lead to severe injuries. A duty to notify is somewhat of a backup measure for a duty to protect, in that it doesn't just safeguard a person from an injury, but also informs them of what the risk is.

If you were hurt because a construction company did not provide proper notification about a potential hazard, the company is not operating correctly, and their neglect is putting others at risk. 

If you were hurt due to an issue with a construction site, you need to speak with personal injury legal services. They can assess your injuries and the actions of the construction company to determine whether or not their negligence lead to your injuries and as a result, help you recover any compensation you deserve.