Beyond Workers' Compensation: Your Right to Full Compensation
If you are injured on a Michigan construction site, workers' compensation is not your only option — and it is often not enough. Workers' comp covers medical bills and a portion of lost wages, but it does not compensate you for pain and suffering, full lost earnings, or the long-term impact on your quality of life. A third-party personal injury lawsuit against someone other than your employer can recover these additional damages.
Who Can You Sue? Common Third Parties
Michigan construction injury claims frequently involve lawsuits against general contractors who control the work site and are responsible for overall safety compliance, property owners who hired the contractors and may bear liability for dangerous conditions, subcontractors whose negligence caused your injury (if they are not your direct employer), equipment manufacturers whose defective machinery caused injury, and architects or engineers whose design defects created unsafe conditions.
Common Construction Site Injuries
Michigan construction accidents frequently result in falls from heights (scaffolding, ladders, roofs, and open floors — the leading cause of construction fatalities), struck-by injuries from falling tools, materials, or equipment, electrocution from contact with power lines or faulty wiring, caught-between injuries from heavy equipment or collapsing structures, crush injuries from vehicles and machinery, and toxic exposure to asbestos, silica, or chemical agents.
MIOSHA and Federal OSHA Standards
Michigan construction sites are regulated by both MIOSHA (Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and federal OSHA standards. Violations of these safety regulations — such as missing guardrails, inadequate fall protection, or failure to provide personal protective equipment — constitute strong evidence of negligence in a personal injury lawsuit. Koussan Law obtains MIOSHA inspection reports and citation histories as part of every construction accident investigation.
The Workers' Comp Exclusivity Rule
Under Michigan law, you generally cannot sue your direct employer for a workplace injury — the workers' compensation system provides the exclusive remedy against your employer under MCL § 418.131. However, the exclusivity rule does not protect third parties. If a general contractor, property owner, equipment manufacturer, or any other non-employer party contributed to your injury, you have a full personal injury claim against them with no cap on damages.
If you were injured on a construction site in Michigan, call Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000. We identify every liable party and pursue maximum compensation.
