Leading Causes of Fatalities in Construction Accidents and When to Talk to an Indianapolis Construction Accident Lawyer

June 3, 2025

Construction is among the most dangerous trades both in Indianapolis and throughout the Hoosier State, making up nearly 18 percent of Indiana workplace deaths in 2023, and certain hazards are frequently at the root of fatal construction accidents. Fortunately, a deceased construction worker’s family could be eligible to receive compensation, as could the survivor of a non-fatal onsite accident too, and a skilled attorney could increase the amount obtained. Join us as we examine the leading causes of fatalities in construction accidents and when to talk to an Indianapolis construction accident lawyer.

Factors Commonly Associated with Deadly Accidents on Construction Sites

A variety of circumstances could bring about a construction-based disaster, though deadly construction accidents are most commonly associated with a relatively narrow set of factors. Indeed, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found that over half of the lives taken on American construction sites are the result of:

Falling – Falls from elevated positions play a role in roughly one-third of lethal construction injuries.
Blows by heavy objects – Approximately 11.1 percent of the individuals who die on construction sites have been struck by heavy objects.
Electric shocks – Exposure to electrical current contributes to an average of 8.5 percent of construction casualties annually.
Crushing events – An estimated 5.5 percent of the construction workers killed on the job get crushed when they are trapped in or between unyielding forces.

Other types of incidents that could inflict grievous bodily harm at Indianapolis construction sites include:

Misuse of cranes, forklifts, and machines
Collisions with construction vehicles
Scaffolding and structural collapses
Gas leaks and chemical spills
Fires and explosions

Obviously, serious injuries are not confined to construction sites, yet a number of elements at these locations could make them more probable, such as:

Inadequate fall prevention measures
Lax overhead shielding
Open power sources
Unguarded trenches
Obstructed paths
Substandard equipment

Conditions like these could be indicators of negligence, which you will have to demonstrate in any viable Indianapolis construction accident claim. However, a successful outcome isn’t guaranteed, since construction accidents pose some of the biggest challenges in personal injury litigation. Merely identifying everyone who hurt you can require deep familiarity with the law as well as the operations of the construction industry, to say nothing of the difficulty of holding the at-fault parties to account, but hiring a knowledgeable legal practitioner as soon as possible could help.

What a Construction Accident Attorney Can Do for You

While this may be your first construction accident, it won’t be the first for a seasoned Indianapolis construction accident attorney, who will be better able to contend with the insurance companies with applicable coverage. This is a key reason why personal injury victims tend to walk away with 3.5 times more with lawyers than they do without them.

Once retained, your attorney will launch a comprehensive investigation into your Indianapolis construction accident in order to track down the defendants who made it happen, a list of candidates that might include the:

Property owner
Project developer
General contractor
Contractors and subcontractors
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of deficient tools and materials
Government agency with authority over a public space under construction or renovation

In some instances, multiple defendants could share blame simultaneously, but a tenacious Indianapolis construction accident lawyer will establish valid claims and/or file a lawsuit against them all within the time allotted by law.

Your attorney will also move swiftly to secure the evidence needed to assemble your case, taking action to prohibit defects from being repaired before they can be documented, then negotiate with the defendants’ insurers for a settlement that reflects the entirety of your damages, like your:

Medical bills
Lost wages
Pain and suffering
Mental and emotional trauma
Mobility restrictions
Scarring and disfigurement
Diminished quality of living
Loss of consortium

Though a construction accident case could be resolved without a trial, a battle-tested lawyer will be indispensable if you case makes it the courtroom, where around 96 percent of plaintiffs lose when they represent themselves. In contrast, plaintiffs with professional representation are statistically favored to win and could potentially be awarded the resources necessary to become whole again.

Hopefully, you now have a greater understanding of the advantages that may be available to you if you partner with an Indianapolis construction accident attorney – advantages that you can’t begin to enjoy until you get in touch with one.

Reach Out to Hensley’s Dedicated Indianapolis Construction Accident Lawyers

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting for the wrongfully injured for more than 25 years. If you are still reeling from the effects of a catastrophe at an Indianapolis construction site, reach out to Hensley’s dedicated Indianapolis construction accident lawyers to learn more about your legal options.

You can schedule a free consultation with an accomplished Indianapolis construction accident attorney by calling us at (317) 472-3333, chatting with us online, or filling out our contact form today.