There is no average, really. Construction accidents cause a wide range of injuries and losses, which lead to an equally wide range of compensation amounts.
Workers who receive workers’ compensation benefits for their injury can generally expect to receive compensation for their medical expenses (much of it paid directly to their doctors), and up to two-thirds of their average weekly wage until they can return to work.
In Philadelphia construction accident cases, compensation can include medical expenses, lost wages, and sometimes, if third parties helped to cause the accident, so-called non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life.
Factors that can influence the amount of money an injured Philadelphia construction worker might receive through lawsuit include:
- The severity of the injury. More severe injuries often require more expensive treatments, more time away from work, and more severe impacts on the person’s day-to-day life, all of which can lead to larger claims.
- The worker’s age, general state of health, and income. Because damages can include payment for a worker’s current and future lost wages, younger, healthier, higher-paid workers will usually have higher-value claims compared to older, less-healthy, lower-paid workers.
- The degree of dispute and conflict. This factor can cut both ways. On one hand, lawsuits involving high-dollar claims tend to spur more disagreement, because the parties have more money to fight over. On the other hand, the more uncertain the facts and legal issues in a lawsuit, the longer the odds of succeeding and so, the lower the value of the claim.
- The liable party’s financial resources. At the end of the day, a legal claim is only worth as much as the liable party’s ability to pay. Experienced Philadelphia construction accident lawyers work to identify all parties with potential liability for a construction accident injury, to ensure their clients pursue the greatest number of sources of payment available.
- The injured worker’s personal needs. Some injured workers can hold out for the best possible resolution of a claim. Others face severe financial strain and need to resolve a claim sooner, even if that means taking less money than they might otherwise recover.