Washington DC Construction Accident Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Were you injured in a construction accident in Washington, DC?

At Cohen & Cohen, we are trial-tested construction accident lawyers committed to thorough preparation in every matter.

If you were hurt on a job site through the negligence of a party other than your employer, an attorney can pursue compensation beyond what a workers’ compensation claim provides. Our firm opened in 1993 and has since recovered more than $300 million across over 10,000 cases. A Washington, DC construction accident lawyer at our firm will identify every contractor, subcontractor, property owner, and equipment supplier whose conduct contributed to the incident. Contact our office to arrange a free review of your case.

Construction Accident Lawyer Washington, DC

A construction accident claim is a negligence action brought against a party that owed you a duty of care on the job site and failed to meet it. What distinguishes these cases from most injury claims is the number of entities present on a single project. A general contractor, several subcontractors, a property owner, an equipment lessor, and a materials supplier may all be working the same site, and any of them may bear responsibility.

That structure is also why these claims require investigation before they can be evaluated. The company named on your incident report is not necessarily the company whose negligence caused the injury, and the contracts that assign safety responsibility on a project are not documents an injured worker ordinarily sees. Determining who controlled the hazard usually means obtaining those agreements, the equipment records, and the site’s daily reports.

Construction remains the deadliest private industry in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 1,034 construction fatalities in 2024, more than any other private sector, at a rate of 9.2 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers against a national average of 3.3.

Types of Construction Accident Cases We Handle in Washington, DC

Job site injuries follow recognizable patterns, and the mechanism of injury usually points toward which party bears responsibility. Our attorneys handle the matters below throughout the District.

• Falls from heights. Scaffolding collapses, unprotected edges, ladder failures, and falls through floor openings. Falls remain the leading cause of death among construction and extraction workers, accounting for 370 fatalities nationally in 2024.
• Struck-by incidents. Workers hit by falling tools, swinging loads, collapsing materials, or moving equipment. Responsibility often rests with whoever controlled the load or the work above.
• Caught-in and caught-between accidents. Trench collapses, cave-ins, and workers pinned between equipment and a fixed structure. These produce crush injuries and are frequently fatal.
• Machinery accidents. Injuries involving cranes, excavators, forklifts, power tools, and industrial equipment. Maintenance records and inspection history matter as much as operator conduct.
• Electrocution. Contact with live wiring, damaged tools, or overhead power lines. Site coordination failures are a recurring cause.
• Construction zone accidents. Workers struck by vehicles passing through or entering an active work area on a District roadway.
• Construction vehicle accidents. Collisions involving dump trucks, concrete mixers, and other heavy vehicles operating on or around a site.
• Elevator accidents. Injuries during installation, servicing, or operation of lifts and hoists, where a maintenance contractor may be liable.
• Burn injuries. Fires, explosions, chemical exposure, and arc flash incidents, which often require extended treatment and leave permanent scarring.
• Wrongful death. Claims brought by families when a job site incident proves fatal.

Why Choose Cohen & Cohen as my Construction Accident Lawyer in Washington, DC?

Attorneys Who Pursue Every Responsible Party

Founder Wayne R. Cohen began practicing in 1991 and opened the firm two years later. He holds the AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, has taught Trial Skills at George Washington University Law School since 1993, and previously served as Chairman of the Litigation Section of the D.C. Bar and as President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Jill F. Stanley focuses her practice on injury litigation and represents individuals seriously harmed by negligence. Job site cases require untangling contractual relationships among several companies before liability becomes clear, and that groundwork is what you should expect from a personal injury lawyer in Washington, DC.

Results and Fee Structure

Our firm has recovered in excess of $300 million over more than 10,000 cases. Firm attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers and The National Trial Lawyers, and they appear regularly in national media as commentators on injury and liability matters. Construction cases are handled on contingency. There is no retainer, no hourly billing, and no attorney’s fee unless we obtain a recovery for you.

What Is Important to Understand About a Construction Accident Case?

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Construction Accident Cases

The central question in most job site cases is whether a third party owed you a duty independent of your employment. Workers’ compensation generally covers workplace injury regardless of fault, but it does not compensate for pain and suffering and it does not reach companies other than your employer. A negligence claim against a third party can. Recovery in such a claim may include:

• Medical expenses. Emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and the long-term care serious job site injuries frequently require.
• Future care costs. Ongoing therapy, assistive equipment, and attendant care in catastrophic cases.
• Lost income and earning capacity. Wages missed and the reduction in what you can earn, which is substantial when an injury ends a trade career.
• Pain and suffering. Compensation unavailable through a workers’ compensation claim.
• Permanent impairment and disfigurement. Amputation, scarring, and lasting loss of function.

The District applies contributory negligence, meaning a plaintiff who bears any share of fault in causing the incident may be barred from recovering at all. Defense counsel in job site cases builds that argument around the injured worker’s own conduct, which makes the sequence of events and the site conditions worth documenting carefully and early.

What Are Important Aspects of a Construction Accident Case?

A handful of elements determine whether a third-party claim can be established at all.

• The contracts governing the project, which define who controlled safety on the site
• Photographs and video of conditions before the site is altered or cleaned up
• Equipment maintenance, inspection, and rental records
• Identification of every company present, including subcontractors not named on the incident report
• Witness accounts from other trades on site, which are often the only independent evidence available
• The site’s daily logs and safety meeting records, which document known hazards and who was told about them

What Is The Construction Accident Case Timeline?

These claims tend to run longer than ordinary injury cases because the number of parties multiplies the work at every stage.

1. Investigation of the site, the equipment involved, and the contractual structure of the project
2. Identification of potentially liable parties beyond the employer
3. Medical treatment through maximum medical improvement
4. Demand and negotiation, which may proceed against several carriers at once
5. Suit in the Civil Actions Branch where negotiation does not resolve the claim
6. Discovery, depositions of site personnel, mediation, and trial where required

What Should You Bring to Your Construction Accident Consultation?

Bringing documentation to the first meeting allows us to assess the claim more accurately, though none of it is required and we can obtain most records on your behalf.

• The incident or accident report prepared by your employer or the general contractor
• Photographs of the site, the equipment, and your injuries
• Medical records, discharge paperwork, and bills received so far
• Any workers’ compensation paperwork, including claim numbers and correspondence
• The names of companies working the site and of anyone who witnessed the incident
• Pay records establishing your earnings before the injury, which support a wage loss claim

We will explain whether a third-party claim appears available alongside your workers’ compensation benefits and give you a direct assessment of both.

Reach Out to Cohen & Cohen to Schedule a Consultation

Case reviews are provided at no cost, and our attorneys work on contingency, so no fee is owed unless we recover on your behalf. During the consultation we will review how the incident occurred, identify which companies may bear responsibility, and explain how a third-party claim interacts with workers’ compensation benefits. Contact us to arrange a time. New inquiries receive a response within 24 to 48 hours.

Construction Accident Statistics in Washington, DC

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2024 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in February 2026, and the figures place construction at the top of the private sector for workplace deaths. The census is compiled in cooperation with state agencies, New York City, the District of Columbia, and federal agencies, so District fatalities are captured within the national count.

The rate matters as much as the raw number. Construction fatalities occur at nearly three times the all-industry rate, and the causes are concentrated rather than diffuse. Falls alone account for a substantial share, which is why fall protection failures are so often at the center of a third-party claim.

• The private construction industry recorded 1,034 fatal work injuries in 2024, down 3.8 percent from 1,075 in 2023, and remained the deadliest private industry.
• The construction fatal injury rate was 9.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2024, improved from 9.6 but well above the national rate of 3.3.
• Construction and extraction occupations recorded 1,032 fatalities in 2024, of which 788 were construction tradesworkers.
• Fatal falls, slips, and trips among construction and extraction workers fell 7.5 percent to 370 in 2024 from 400 in 2023.
• Across all industries, 5,070 workers died from work-related injuries in 2024, which amounts to one death every 104 minutes.

Common Causes of Construction Accidents

Job site incidents are rarely the product of a single mistake. More often a sequence of decisions about scheduling, supervision, and equipment converges at the moment someone is injured.

1. Inadequate fall protection. Missing guardrails, unanchored harnesses, and unprotected floor openings. Fall protection is the most frequently identified deficiency on construction sites, and the consequences are the most severe.
2. Defective or poorly maintained scaffolding. Improper assembly, missing planking, overloading, and inadequate bracing. Responsibility may rest with the company that erected the scaffold rather than the one whose workers used it.
3. Unsafe trenching and excavation. Trenches without shoring or sloping collapse without warning, and soil weighs enough that a partial burial is frequently fatal.
4. Equipment failure. Cranes, lifts, and power tools that fail under load because they were not inspected or were returned to service without repair. Defective equipment claims may lie against a manufacturer or a rental company.
5. Poor site coordination. Trades working above and below one another without communication, which is how workers are struck by falling material.
6. Electrical hazards. Energized circuits that were never locked out, damaged cords, and work conducted too close to overhead lines.
7. Inadequate training and supervision. Workers assigned to equipment or tasks they have not been prepared for, often under schedule pressure.
8. Debris and housekeeping failures. Cluttered walkways, exposed rebar, and accumulated material, which produce a large share of slip and fall injuries on active sites.
9. Vehicle and heavy equipment operation. Backing incidents, blind spots, and the movement of loaded trucks through areas where workers are on foot.
10. Schedule compression. Accelerated timelines that push crews to skip sequencing steps, work through fatigue, and defer safety measures until later in the project. Deadline pressure rarely appears as a cause on an incident report, but it frequently explains the decisions that led to one.

Washington, DC Construction Accident Lawyer FAQs

Can I sue if I am already receiving workers’ compensation?

In many cases a separate claim remains available. Workers’ compensation generally bars an action against your employer, but it does not prevent a negligence claim against a different company whose conduct caused your injury. On a site with a general contractor and multiple subcontractors, a third-party claim is frequently available alongside benefits.

Who can be held responsible for a job site injury?

Potentially the general contractor, a subcontractor, the property owner, an equipment manufacturer, a rental company, or a maintenance contractor. Identifying the right defendants requires reviewing the project contracts and determining which entity controlled the condition or activity that caused the harm.

How much does a construction accident lawyer cost?

There is no cost to begin. Our firm works on contingency, so the fee is a percentage of any recovery and no attorney’s fee is owed if we do not obtain one. The terms are provided in writing before we begin. The consultation itself is free and carries no obligation.

How long do I have to file a claim?

Most District injury claims must be filed within three years of the date of injury under D.C. Code § 12-301(8). Workers’ compensation carries separate reporting and filing deadlines that are considerably shorter. Because the two run independently, confirm both with an attorney rather than assuming either.

What if I am an undocumented worker?

The ability to bring a negligence claim for a job site injury does not depend on work authorization. Concern about status keeps many injured workers from seeking advice at all. A consultation is confidential, and we can explain what options exist in your circumstances.

What if I was an independent contractor?

Independent contractors typically fall outside workers’ compensation coverage, which can make a negligence claim the primary avenue for recovery. Classification is also frequently disputed, and a worker labeled a contractor may in fact meet the legal definition of an employee.

Will filing a claim cost me my job?

Retaliation for pursuing an injury claim is prohibited, and a third-party claim is brought against a different company rather than your employer. Concerns about workplace consequences are common and worth raising directly during the consultation so they can be addressed.

How much is a construction accident case worth?

Value depends on injury severity and permanence, total and future medical costs, income lost, the effect on your ability to work in your trade, and the coverage available across the responsible parties. Claim values in job site cases are often higher than in ordinary injury claims because the injuries are frequently disabling.

What if I was partly at fault?

The District applies contributory negligence, which can bar recovery where the injured person shares fault. Defense counsel in job site cases builds that argument aggressively. An initial assessment of fault is not conclusive, however, and those determinations are regularly revised once site conditions and supervision have been examined.

Should I give a statement to the site’s insurance carrier?

Not before speaking with an attorney. Statements taken shortly after an incident, while you are medicated or still in treatment, tend to be incomplete and are later used to argue that you caused your own injury. Your attorney can handle that communication.

Important Resources for Washington, DC Construction Accident Cases

What Are Important District of Columbia Legal Resources for Construction Accident Cases?

The sources below allow you to review the District’s rules directly. They are research starting points rather than substitutes for advice on your own case.

• The D.C. Law Library publishes the official Code, including the limitations periods that govern injury claims.
• The D.C. Courts website explains civil procedure and provides forms for litigants.
• Negligence standards in the District, including the contributory negligence rule, are drawn primarily from court decisions rather than from statute.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the injury and fatality data used to assess risk across construction occupations.
• Damages recoverable in a negligence action are addressed in the District’s civil jury instructions, which our firm summarizes.

What Are Important Local Resources for Washington, DC Construction Accident Cases?

The organizations below assist District workers injured on the job. Cohen & Cohen has no affiliation with, and does not endorse or sponsor, any organization listed here. This information is provided solely for convenience.

• DC Department of Employment Services – (202) 671-1000. Workers’ compensation claims and disability benefits for District workers.
• OSHA Baltimore-Washington Area Office – (410) 865-2055. Workplace safety complaints and inspection requests.
• Metropolitan Police Department – (202) 727-9099. Incident reports where a job site injury involved a vehicle or a criminal matter.
• MedStar Washington Hospital Center – (202) 877-7000. Regional trauma center and burn center serving the District.
• The George Washington University Hospital – (202) 715-4000. Level I trauma center located in Foggy Bottom.

About Cohen & Cohen

Cohen & Cohen has represented injured people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia since 1993. Kim Brooks-Rodney has been admitted in the District since 1986 and focuses her practice on serious injury matters including negligence, product defects, and automobile claims. She previously worked on the liability and claims side before moving to plaintiff’s representation, and she has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients through settlements and jury trials. Washingtonian Magazine has identified her and founder Wayne R. Cohen among the top personal injury lawyers in the Washington area on multiple occasions. Our attorneys maintain admissions across the District, Maryland, and Virginia, which matters on projects drawing crews from across the region.

What Our Clients Say

★★★★★

“I spoke with Cohen & Cohen about my personal injury case and was impressed with how helpful and responsive they were from the very first conversation. They took the time to understand my situation, answered my questions clearly, and made me feel confident moving forward. Highly recommend their team for anyone needing reliable and caring legal help.” – Jelena Radivojevic

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Additional Resources for Washington, DC Construction Accident Cases

• Seeking Compensation for Third Party Negligence as an Injured Worker
• Types of Silent Injuries in the Workplace
• Catastrophic Injuries From Accidents
• The 6 Major Types of Brain Injuries
• What Are Repetitive Stress Injuries?

Contact Cohen & Cohen

An injury sustained on a job site through another company’s negligence carries costs that workers’ compensation was never designed to cover. Our attorneys have represented injured workers throughout the District for more than three decades, and construction claims are handled on contingency, so no attorney’s fee is owed unless we obtain a recovery. The consultation is free and obligates you to nothing. We will review how the incident occurred, identify which parties may bear responsibility, and explain how a third-party claim fits alongside the benefits you may already be receiving. Our office responds to new inquiries within 24 to 48 hours.