Nevada's Construction Boom and Its Dangers
From the Strip to master-planned suburbs and northern Nevada's industrial expansion, construction activity in Nevada is constant — and so is the risk. The leading hazards mirror national 'fatal four' patterns: falls from height, being struck by objects or vehicles, electrocutions, and caught-in or caught-between accidents. Multiple contractors, subcontractors, and equipment suppliers on a single site create complex but often valuable liability questions.
Workers' Comp and Third-Party Claims
An injured construction worker is usually entitled to workers' compensation regardless of fault, covering medical care and partial lost wages. But workers' comp does not pay for pain and suffering and rarely covers a worker's full losses. When a party other than the employer — a subcontractor, general contractor, property owner, equipment manufacturer, or negligent driver — contributed to the injury, a third-party claim can recover full damages.
Common Construction Injuries
Construction accidents cause spinal cord and brain injuries, amputations, severe fractures, burns, and fatal injuries. These life-altering harms often require extensive treatment and prevent a return to physically demanding work, making lost earning capacity a major component of a claim.
Protecting Your Rights After a Site Injury
Report the injury, get medical care, and preserve evidence including photos, the names of witnesses, and any equipment involved. An attorney can navigate the workers' comp system while investigating third-party liability, ensuring every source of recovery is pursued under Nevada's modified comparative negligence rule under NRS 41.141, which lets you recover as long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault. Deadlines apply, so prompt action matters.
Injured in Nevada? Get a free, confidential case review today. There's no obligation, and you pay no fee unless you win. Call 973-566-5599.
Frequently Asked Questions
Often yes. While you generally cannot sue your employer, a third-party claim against a subcontractor, property owner, or equipment maker can recover damages workers' comp does not cover.
Falls from height, struck-by incidents, electrocutions, and caught-in/between accidents — the 'fatal four' — cause the majority of serious construction injuries.
Workers' comp has short reporting deadlines and civil claims generally must be filed within two years. Act quickly to protect both.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Nevada attorney.