Crush Injuries

Seattle Crush Injury Lawyer

Caught-In and Caught-Between Construction Accidents

Crush injuries on construction sites can leave workers facing permanent disability, amputation, brain injury, spinal trauma, or fatal harm. These accidents happen when workers are pinned, trapped, pulled into machinery, buried in an excavation, or caught between equipment, vehicles, materials, or collapsing structures.

Bishop Legal represents construction workers and families across Washington in serious injury and wrongful death cases. Many workers are told their only option is an L&I workers’ compensation claim, but a separate civil claim may be available when a general contractor, subcontractor, equipment company, property owner, public entity, or other third party contributed to the unsafe condition.

Workers and families turn to our firm because we bring:

Over 30 years of experience in serious injury and workplace accident cases
Major recoveries for injured construction workers, laborers, and immigrant workers
Washington Supreme Court victories that strengthened contractor liability and worker protections
Experience taking on contractors, public entities, insurers, and corporate defendants

If you or a family member suffered a caught-in or caught-between construction injury, we can help you understand whether you have a third-party claim outside of workers’ comp.

Call (206) 260-3316 or contact us online for a FREE consultation. We are available 24/7 and collect no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you. Se Habla Español.

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Proven Results in Serious Construction Injury Cases

Bishop Legal has secured major recoveries in complex cases involving construction accidents, serious injuries, and unsafe job-site conditions.

$25,000,000 settlement for an immigrant concrete worker who suffered brain injury and permanent disability
$1,000,000 settlement for a drywall installer injured in scaffolding fall
$800,000 settlement for a steel worker injured on a WSDOT project at the Totem Lake overpass
$450,000 settlement for a catastrophically injured construction laborer
$400,000 settlement for a construction fall injury involving a shattered ankle

Our work in the Vargas case also led to a Washington Supreme Court decision strengthening protections for workers on multi-employer construction sites. That experience is directly relevant in caught-in and caught-between cases, where liability often depends on who controlled the worksite, who created the hazard, and who had authority to prevent the injury.

What Counts as a Caught-In or Caught-Between Accident?

“Caught-in” and “caught-between” accidents happen when a worker is trapped, squeezed, pulled, pinned, or crushed by equipment, machinery, collapsing earth, materials, or structural components.

Common examples include:

Workers pinned between heavy equipment and a wall, vehicle, or fixed object
Machinery entanglement involving rollers, conveyors, augers, saws, or rotating parts
Workers crushed by forklifts, loaders, trucks, cranes, or compactors
Trench collapses and excavation cave-ins
Materials, pipes, beams, or panels shifting and trapping a worker
Workers caught beneath collapsed walls, formwork, scaffolding, or temporary supports

These accidents are often tied to preventable failures: poor coordination between trades, inadequate equipment controls, missing machine guards, unsafe trench protection, lack of spotters, poor communication, or failure to enforce basic safety rules.

Workers’ Compensation May Not Be the Full Answer

If you were hurt on the job, you may have an L&I claim for medical care and partial wage replacement. That claim is important, but it is not the same as a civil personal injury lawsuit.

Workers’ compensation generally does not cover:

Pain and suffering
Full lost earning capacity
Loss of enjoyment of life
Emotional distress
The full long-term effect of permanent disability
Certain family damages after a fatal accident

A third-party claim may be available when someone outside your direct employer contributed to the injury. On a construction site, that may include a general contractor, subcontractor, equipment operator, machinery company, property owner, developer, or government entity.

A worker can have both an L&I claim and a third-party civil claim. The key question is whether another person or company helped create, control, or fail to correct the unsafe condition.

Who May Be Liable for a Construction Crush Injury?

Liability depends on how the accident happened and who had responsibility for the work area, equipment, safety rules, or hazard.

Potentially liable parties may include:

General contractors responsible for overall job-site safety and WISHA compliance
Subcontractors whose employees, equipment, or materials created the hazard
Equipment operators and their employers
Equipment manufacturers, rental companies, or maintenance providers
Property owners or developers with control over site conditions
Public agencies involved in government construction projects

These cases require more than accepting the first explanation given by the employer, insurer, or contractor. The job-site contracts, safety plans, equipment records, witness accounts, inspection history, and WISHA issues may all affect who can be held accountable.

Compensation in a Third-Party Crush Injury Claim

Crush injury claims often involve long-term losses. A worker may need surgery, rehabilitation, prosthetics, mobility equipment, or job retraining. Some workers never return to the same trade.

A third-party construction injury claim may seek compensation for:

Medical treatment and future care
Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
Permanent impairment or disfigurement
Assistive devices, home changes, or vehicle modifications
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of consortium for spouses and families
Wrongful death damages when injuries are fatal

Bishop Legal works with medical, vocational, and economic professionals when needed to evaluate the full impact of a serious injury.

How Long Do You Have to File?

Most Washington personal injury claims must be filed withinthree years of the injury. Some cases have additional timing issues.

Claims against cities, counties, state agencies, ports, or other public entities may require formal notice before filing suit. Product liability issues, wrongful death claims, and L&I reimbursement issues can also affect strategy and timing.

If a crush injury involved multiple contractors, equipment, or a public project, it is worth speaking with an attorney early so evidence can be preserved and deadlines are not missed.

Crush Injury FAQ

Can I Sue if I Was Injured While Working Construction?

Possibly. You generally cannot sue your direct employer for a workplace injury, but you may have a third-party claim if another company or entity contributed to the accident.

What if I Already Have an L&I Claim?

You may still have a third-party claim. L&I and civil personal injury claims can proceed separately, though they need to be coordinated because reimbursement rules may apply.

What if I Was Hurt by Equipment Operated by Another Subcontractor?

That is a common third-party claim scenario. The subcontractor, equipment operator, general contractor, or equipment owner may be liable depending on who controlled the work and what safety failures occurred.

Do Undocumented Construction Workers Have Rights?

Yes. Washington workers have rights regardless of immigration status. Bishop Legal has long represented immigrant, undocumented, and Spanish-speaking workers injured by unsafe job-site conditions.

You're Seen. You're heard. We're Here To Help Helping You Rebuild & Overcome

$40,000,000 Jury Verdict | Airport Accident
$25,000,000 Settlement | Immigrant Concrete Worker Accident
$11,000,000 Settlement | Airport Accident
$1,000,000 Settlement | Construction Accident
$800,000 Settlement | Construction Accident
$527,000 Verdict | Insurance Bad Faith

SEE MORE WINS

Speak With a Seattle Crush Injury Lawyer

If you or a family member suffered a serious crush injury in a caught-in or caught-between construction accident, our Seattle attorneys at Bishop Legal can help you understand whether a civil claim may exist beyond workers’ compensation.

Call (206) 260-3316 or contact us online for a FREE consultation. Se Habla Español.

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