Portland Construction Injury Lawyers

Experienced Construction Accident Attorneys Serving Oregon and Washington

Every construction project depends on workers willing to take on demanding and often hazardous jobs. Although strict safety standards govern construction sites, preventable accidents still occur with alarming frequency across Portland and Multnomah County. A missing guardrail, an improperly supported trench, a defective piece of equipment, or a subcontractor’s careless decision can permanently change a worker’s life in an instant. 

If you’ve been seriously injured on a construction site, you need more than workers’ compensation. You need to know whether another contractor, property owner, or equipment manufacturer may also be legally responsible. A Portland construction accident lawyer at D’Amore Law Group investigates construction accidents from every angle, pursuing all available avenues of recovery so injured workers and their families can focus on rebuilding their lives.

Contact us today at 503-222-6333 to discuss your case and learn how we can help you.

Commercial Construction Accidents Attorneys Portland & Vancouver

The leading causes of construction worker death on job sites are falls, electrocution, and being struck by an object , according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – but there are many ways workers can sustain a catastrophic injury on construction sites. Improperly secured scaffolding, or guardrails, electrocution, defective design (of scaffolding, tools, or construction equipment), improper ventilation, and big machines like forklifts can all cause serious injury or even death. Loud noises may cause deafness, and chemical exposure can be fatal.

What Common Construction Accidents Do We Investigate?

Construction work consistently ranks among the nation’s most hazardous occupations. While OSHA’s “Fatal Four” accounts for many deaths, serious injuries occur in countless other ways, especially on busy commercial and residential projects throughout Portland and Vancouver.

Our firm handles cases involving:

• Falls from roofs, ladders, and elevated platforms;
• Scaffold failure;
• Trench cave-ins and excavation collapses;
• Crane collapses;
• Forklift accidents;
• Electrocution from overhead or underground power lines;
• Structural collapses;
• Falling tools and building materials;
• Fires and explosions;
• Defective power tools and machinery;
• Nail gun injuries;
• Compressor and cutting equipment accidents;
• Chemical burns;
• Toxic exposure; and 
• Confined-space accidents.

Many of these incidents are preventable. OR-OSHA regularly investigates serious construction accidents throughout Oregon and may cite contractors for regulation violations involving fall protection, excavation safety, ladder safety, machine guarding, or electrical hazards. Those findings can become important evidence in a personal injury claim.

Even when OR-OSHA does not issue a citation, our attorneys conduct independent investigations to determine whether contractors failed to follow industry safety standards.

Residential Construction Site Accidents

Many construction workers incorrectly believe that “getting injured” is part of working in construction. However, construction companies and sub-contractors are required to maintain and enforce safety precautions to protect their workers, other contractors’ workers, and the public. Serious, debilitating injuries occur when work sites are unsafe – and are usually the result of negligence.

Portland Construction Accident Lawyer: Workers’ Compensation vs. a Third-Party Construction Claim

Workers’ compensation is not the only option after a job-site accident. In Oregon, that is often only part of the picture. If you were hurt while working on one of the many Multnomah County construction sites, you may have both a workers’ compensation claim under ORS Chapter 656 and a separate third-party construction claim against someone other than your employer.

Understanding Oregon’s Workers’ Comp System

Oregon’s workers’ compensation system is designed to provide benefits regardless of who caused the accident. Medical treatment, partial wage replacement, and disability benefits may be available even if no one intended for the injury to occur. In exchange for these no-fault benefits, employees generally cannot sue their own employer if that employer maintains workers’ compensation coverage. That does not mean everyone responsible is protected.

What Is a Third-Party Construction Claim?

Construction projects routinely involve multiple companies working side by side. General contractors, subcontractors, crane operators, utility contractors, delivery companies, property owners, and equipment manufacturers may all have responsibilities for maintaining a safe work site. When one of those parties contributes to an accident, an injured worker may be able to pursue a third-party construction claim in addition to workers’ compensation.

These claims can provide compensation that workers’ compensation does not, including:

• Full past and future lost income,
• Pain and suffering,
• Emotional distress,
• Loss of future earning capacity,
• Permanent disability damages, and 
• Compensation for loss of enjoyment of life.

Our attorneys evaluate every potentially responsible party instead of assuming workers’ compensation is the only available remedy. That investigation often includes reviewing contracts between contractors, OR-OSHA inspection records, safety manuals, witness statements, construction schedules, and equipment maintenance records.

Whether your accident occurred on a downtown Portland high-rise, a commercial project near the I-5 corridor, or a residential development elsewhere in Multnomah County, identifying every liable party can substantially increase the compensation available to you. 

Oregon’s Employer Liability Law Can Expand Responsibility After a Construction Accident

One Oregon law makes construction accident cases very different from those in many other states.

The Oregon Employer Liability Law (ELL) imposes heightened safety obligations on parties involved in dangerous work. Depending on the circumstances, liability may extend beyond the worker’s direct employer to general contractors or others who exercised control over the work or had responsibility for workplace safety.

Construction sites frequently involve overlapping responsibilities. A subcontractor may employ the injured worker, while the general contractor controls scheduling, site access, fall protection requirements, crane operations, or excavation safety. The ELL recognizes that companies directing inherently dangerous work cannot avoid responsibility simply because another company signed the worker’s paycheck.

Determining whether the Employer Liability Law applies requires a careful investigation of project contracts, safety procedures, supervision, and who controlled the work that caused the injury. Because the law is unique to Oregon, it is one of the first issues our attorneys evaluate after a serious construction accident.

Why Injured Construction Workers in Oregon and Washington Choose D’Amore Law Group

• We Investigate — Not Just Accept the Employer’s Version — Construction companies often blame the injured worker for what happened. Our attorneys conduct thorough site investigations and case analysis to build the evidence needed to hold unsafe contractors and employers accountable.
• We Know the Four Leading Causes of Construction Fatalities — Falls, electrocution, struck-by incidents, and being caught-in or between objects account for the vast majority of construction site deaths. We have deep experience handling cases involving every one of these scenarios.
• We Pursue Every Available Source of Compensation — Workers’ compensation is often just the starting point. We also explore third-party personal injury claims, which can significantly increase your total recovery.
• We Have Won Multi-Million Dollar Construction Verdicts — Among others, our results include a $33 million recovery for a young construction worker who suffered a traumatic brain injury and a $5.2 million recovery for the family of a worker who was fatally injured by a fall due to defective equipment. 
• No Fee Unless We Win — Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless D’Amore Law Group recovers compensation on your behalf

Recent results obtained by D’Amore Law Group construction accident attorneys

• $33 million result for a young construction worker who suffered a traumatic brain injury at a work site. 
• $5.2 million recovery for the family of a worker who was fatally injured by a fall due to defective equipment. 
• $3 million result for two men injured on a construction site when a crane caused a structure to collapse, causing the men to fall from the structure.
• $1.9 million result from an environmental worker seriously injured when flooring of a water tower collapsed, causing the man to fall 47 feet.
•  $1.8 million settlement on behalf of an Oregon construction worker who was severely injured while working on a new residential construction site. Hit by a falling stack of drywall that had been improperly stacked, he was propelled through the temporary guardrail, landing head-first on the floor below.
• Confidential settlement on behalf of a construction worker crushed in a pinch point between a large machine and a wall while working on a commercial job site in Portland. The worker was killed instantly; D’Amore Law Group represented his children in the wrongful death case.

Who May Be Responsible for a Construction Accident?

Construction accidents rarely result from the actions of only one company. On many Portland construction projects, multiple businesses coordinate the same job site. Depending on what happened, responsibility may include:

• General contractors,
• Subcontractors,
• Property owners,
• Equipment rental companies,
• Crane operators,
• Architects and engineers,
• Manufacturers of defective equipment,
• Delivery truck companies, and 
• Utility contractors.

For example, a scaffold failure may involve the subcontractor that assembled it, the general contractor responsible for site safety, and the manufacturer if a defective component failed. Likewise, a trench cave-in may result from inadequate protective systems, poor engineering, or violations of excavation safety standards.

Rather than assuming one company is responsible, our attorneys examine contracts, worksite supervision, inspection reports, maintenance records, and witness testimony to identify all available sources of recovery.

Catastrophic Construction Injuries Often Require Lifetime Care

Construction accidents frequently cause life-changing injuries rather than temporary setbacks. A D’Amore Law Group Portland construction accident lawyer can represent workers and families facing injuries such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI),
• Spinal cord injuries,
• Paralysis,
• Amputations,
• Crush injuries,
• Severe fractures,
• Burn injuries,
• Vision loss,
• Hearing loss,
• Internal organ damage, and 
• Fatal workplace accidents.

These injuries often require multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, assistive technology, home modifications, and long-term medical treatment. Many workers are unable to return to the skilled trades they spent years mastering.

Calculating these losses requires more than adding medical bills. We work to understand future treatment needs, diminished earning capacity, and the full impact the injury will have on your life and your family’s financial security.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Sue My Employer for a Construction Accident in Oregon?

In most cases, workers’ compensation is the exclusive remedy against your direct employer. However, if a third party, such as a subcontractor or equipment manufacturer, contributed to your injury, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against them in addition to a workers’ comp claim. A construction injury attorney can help you pursue both avenues simultaneously.

What Are the Most Common Construction Site Accidents?

The most frequent causes of construction injuries are falls from heights, being struck by falling objects, electrocutions, and caught-in or caught-between equipment accidents. These are called the ‘Fatal Four’ by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Many accidents result from inadequate safety training, missing guardrails, or failure to follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

Can I File Both a Workers’ Compensation Claim and a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Construction Accident in Oregon?

Yes. While workers’ compensation generally prevents lawsuits against your own employer, you may still pursue a third-party construction claim if another company’s negligence contributed to your injuries. Common defendants include general contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, or property owners.

What Is Oregon’s Employer Liability Law and How Does It Apply When a General Contractor’s Negligence Injured Me?

Oregon’s Employer Liability Law (ELL) imposes heightened duties on parties responsible for dangerous work. Depending on who controlled the work site or safety procedures, a general contractor or another company may be legally responsible even if they were not your direct employer. This law is unique to Oregon and can significantly affect construction accident cases.

How Long Do I Have to File a Third-Party Construction Accident Claim in Oregon?

Most third-party personal injury claims arising from construction accidents must be filed within two years. However, different deadlines may apply to product liability claims, wrongful death actions, or claims involving public entities. Speaking with a Portland construction accident attorney promptly helps preserve evidence and ensures important deadlines are not missed.

What If I Was Partially at Fault for My Construction Accident?

Even if you believe you may have contributed to the accident, you should speak with an attorney before assuming you cannot recover compensation. While workers’ compensation benefits are generally available regardless of fault, different rules may apply to third-party personal injury claims. An investigation can determine whether another contractor, property owner, equipment manufacturer, or other party failed to meet its legal obligations.

What If the General Contractor Wasn’t My Employer?

Many construction workers are employed by subcontractors rather than the general contractor overseeing the project. Depending on the facts of your case and Oregon law, the general contractor or another company may still be legally responsible for unsafe working conditions. An attorney can evaluate contracts, site supervision, and safety responsibilities to determine whether additional claims are available.

Discuss Your Construction Accident Case with D’Amore Law Group

Construction accidents often involve far more than a single mistake or a single responsible party. Determining what happened requires a careful review of the work site, safety procedures, contracts between contractors, and the actions of everyone involved in the project. At D’Amore Law Group, we conduct that investigation so our clients understand every avenue of recovery available under Oregon law. 

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured on a construction site in Portland, Vancouver, or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, contact us for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.

Our highly-skilled Portland personal injury attorneys handle other types of personal injury cases as well, including:

• Catastrophic Injury
• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Bus Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Medication Errors
• Wrongful Death
• Medical Malpractice
• Sexual Abuse
• Nursing Home Abuse
• Bad Faith Insurance
• Birth Injuries
• Product Liability
• Spinal Cord and Head Injury

For more information on how we can help you recover from your construction injury or whether you have a case, contact our Portland construction injury attorneys today for a free consultation.

 Legal References Used to Inform This Page

To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Fatal and nonfatal falls, slips, and trips in the construction industry.
• OSHA Outreach Courses, OSHA Fatal Four Hazards: What To Know In 2026.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Commonly Used Statistics.
• State of Oregon, OR-OSHA Construction Rules.
• Workers’ compensation, Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 656.001-656.990.
• Protection and safety of persons in hazardous employment generally, Or. Rev. Stat. § 654.305 (1997).
• Actions for certain injuries to person not arising on contract, Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110 (1987).