Most Beverly Hills construction workers who get hurt on the job don’t know they can file two separate claims at the same time: workers’ comp against their employer, and a third-party lawsuit against everyone else.
Workers’ comp covers medical bills and roughly two-thirds of your lost wages, but it pays nothing for pain and suffering. A third-party lawsuit recovers the full value of your losses against a general contractor, subcontractor, property owner, or equipment manufacturer.
The Injury Partners pursues construction site third-party claims from our Beverly Hills office. Omeed Hakimianpour earned the Super Lawyers® Rising Stars distinction in 2025 and 2026, limited to the top 2.5% of California attorneys. Under CCP § 335.1, you have two years to file the third-party lawsuit. Reach out to us today for a free 24/7 consultation. You pay nothing unless we win.
Can You Sue for a Construction Site Accident in Beverly Hills? Workers’ Comp vs. a Third-Party Lawsuit
Yes. But here’s what most injured construction workers miss: why settle for workers’ comp alone when you can file a third-party lawsuit at the same time? Workers’ compensation and a third-party lawsuit are separate claims with separate rules, and pursuing both at the same time is how you maximize your recovery.
Workers’ Compensation
Third-Party Lawsuit
Who you claim against
Your direct employer
Any negligent non-employer party (GC, sub, owner, manufacturer)
Fault required?
No (no-fault system)
Yes (must prove negligence)
What it covers
Medical bills + ~2/3 of lost wages
All medical, full lost wages, diminished earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Not available
Fully recoverable
Recovery cap
Capped by statutory formula
No cap on damages in California
How it works with the other
Your comp carrier has a lien on any third-party recovery
Third-party recovery is reduced by the comp lien, but net payout still exceeds comp alone
What Is the Difference Between Workers’ Comp and a Third-Party Claim?
Workers’ comp is a no-fault insurance program that covers your medical treatment and partial wages regardless of who caused the accident. A third-party claim is a negligence lawsuit against someone other than your employer who contributed to your injury.
Why Trust The Injury Partners for Your Beverly Hills Construction Accident Claim
Construction accident claims pit you against general contractors, property owners, and their corporate insurers, all of whom will point fingers at each other to avoid paying your claim. Sorting out who is actually liable and which insurance policies apply is where these cases are won or lost.
Omeed Hakimianpour cut his teeth at Kirkland & Ellis structuring billion-dollar corporate deals, which is useful when the other side of your construction case is a contractor with a corporate defense team. Daniel Sabet runs the litigation side, drawing on a career focused on personal injury advocacy since completing Southwestern’s accelerated SCALE program.
So far: $1M+ recovered for clients, a 5.00 Google rating, and no fee unless you win. Our office is at 499 N. Canon Dr., Suite B1, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.
Who Handles My Construction Accident Case at The Injury Partners?
Omeed or Daniel personally, which is rare for a construction accident lawyer. You won’t be handed off to a case manager or call center. A founding attorney identifies every liable party, sends evidence preservation demands to the general contractor and site owner before the scene is remediated, and coordinates with medical providers and construction safety experts.
What Customers Say About Our Firm
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Alex Sarraf
I would give more than 5 stars if I could. Omeed and team are very professional.
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Matthew Simino
They were professional and responsive. I truly felt cared for throughout the process and would highly recommend them.
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Aaron Attarzadeh
I was nervous about hiring an attorney, but The Injury Partners made everything easy. They explained my case in simple terms and kept me informed the entire time. Their attention to detail and dedication really stood out. I would absolutely use them again.
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Nathan Manesh
I can’t say enough good things about The Injury Partners. From day one, they made me feel like I actually mattered, not just another case. They walked me through every step, handled the insurance company, and made sure I got the medical treatment I needed. The settlement exceeded my expectations. Highly recommend.
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Nikoli Partiyeli
I had a complicated case and wasn’t sure if anything would come from it, but The Injury Partners proved me wrong. They were persistent, strategic, and extremely thorough. In the end, they secured a great outcome for me.
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Jacob Soroudi
The Injury Partners are exactly what you want in a law firm, sharp, aggressive, and compassionate. They fought hard against the insurance company and didn’t settle for less than what I deserved. I always felt like I had a strong team behind me.
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Ahrya Far
I’ve worked with other attorneys before, but The Injury Partners are on another level. They are organized, transparent, and extremely effective. If you’re injured and need someone you can trust, this is the firm to call.
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Myunghee Sim
Omeed was great to deal with. He’s responsive, professional, and you can tell he takes his work seriously. It’s not hard to see why The Injury Partner’s had such a strong reputation. Definitely people you want on your side.
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matt ghalchi
Omeed got me a settlement that actually helped me out big time. I’m really grateful for that.
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Mazher Zaim
Omeed did an outstanding job on my injury case. From day one, he was professional, detail oriented, and on top of everything. Nothing slipped through the cracks. He took the time to understand every part of my case and built a strong, well thought out strategy.
I had spoken with other lawyers before hiring him, and the difference was clear. Omeed was far more diligent and invested. He stayed organized, pushed things forward, and made sure the case kept moving. The result he delivered exceeded my expectations.
He is also very empathetic and treated my case like it truly mattered. I always felt like a priority, and he made a stressful process much easier to deal with.
If you are looking for the best injury lawyer in Los Angeles, I highly recommend Omeed.
Who Is Liable for a Construction Site Accident in California?
Your employer is off-limits for a lawsuit because workers’ comp is the exclusive remedy against a direct employer under Labor Code § 3600. Everyone else on that job site is fair game.
Potentially Liable Party
When They’re Liable
General contractor
Owes an overall site-safety duty under Cal/OSHA. Responsible for enforcing safety standards across all trades on the project.
Other subcontractors
A different sub’s negligence that injures your crew creates a direct third-party claim.
Property or site owner
Liable if they retained control over safety conditions or concealed a known hazard. See the Privette doctrine below.
Equipment manufacturer or rental company
Product liability for a defective crane, scaffold, power tool, or safety harness. Rental companies can be liable for failure to inspect or maintain.
Architect or engineer
Defective specifications or design errors that create a dangerous condition on site.
The more defendants you identify, the more insurance policies you can access.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Construction Accident Besides My Employer?
Any person or company whose negligence contributed to your injury can be named as a defendant.
Can I Sue the General Contractor or Property Owner?
Often yes, but California law limits when. The Privette doctrine generally shields hirers of independent contractors from liability to those contractors’ employees, but exceptions exist. A premises liability lawyer in Beverly Hills experienced in construction claims can evaluate whether your facts fit.
Common Construction Site Accidents We Handle in Beverly Hills
OSHA’s “Fatal Four” account for the majority of construction fatalities nationwide: falls, struck-by incidents, electrocution, and caught-in/between accidents.
Scaffolding collapses and falls from height. Defective scaffolding, missing guardrails, and inadequate fall protection cause the single largest category of construction deaths. Third-party defendants often include the scaffold supplier, the GC responsible for site safety, and the sub that erected the structure.
Ladder and roof falls. Unsecured ladders and unprotected roof edges violate Cal/OSHA fall protection standards under Title 8 § 1670.
Falling objects and struck-by incidents. Tools, materials, and debris dropped from upper levels strike workers below when overhead protection is missing.
Crane accidents. Mechanical failure, operator error, and overloading produce catastrophic crush and fall injuries.
Trench and excavation collapses. Unshored trenches that violate Cal/OSHA § 1540 cave in without warning.
Forklift and heavy machinery incidents. Operator negligence and mechanical defects cause rollovers, pinning, and crush injuries.
Electrocution and electrical burns. Contact with live power lines, ungrounded equipment, and exposed wiring on active sites.
Fires and explosions. Gas leaks, improper welding, and chemical storage failures.
What Are the Most Common Construction Site Accidents?
Falls lead every dataset, followed by struck-by incidents, electrocution, and caught-in/between accidents.
Who Is Liable for a Scaffolding or Fall Accident?
Liability depends on who supplied the scaffold, who erected it, and who was responsible for inspecting it. The scaffold manufacturer or rental company faces a product liability claim for a structural defect.
The subcontractor that assembled the scaffold is on the hook for improper erection. The general contractor answers for failing to enforce Cal/OSHA fall protection requirements across the site.
Common Construction Accident Injuries
The combination of heights, heavy equipment, high voltage, and unstable ground makes construction injuries among the most severe in personal injury law. A fall from a third-story scaffold doesn’t just break bones. It changes what the rest of your life looks like.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Falls from scaffolding, ladders, and roofs cause closed-head injuries ranging from concussions to severe brain damage. Our Beverly Hills brain injury lawyer team works with neurologists to document the full extent of cognitive and functional loss.
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Falls and crush incidents compress or sever the spinal cord. Spinal cord injury attorneys at our firm pursue lifetime care costs and lost earning capacity in these cases.
Amputations and crush injuries. Machinery entanglement, trench collapses, and falling loads cause limb loss and crush syndrome.
Broken bones and fractures. Pelvic, spinal, and compound fractures from falls and struck-by incidents frequently require surgical repair.
Electrical contact, chemical exposure, and gas explosions produce severe thermal and chemical burns.
Eye injuries and hearing loss. Flying debris, chemical splashes, and prolonged noise exposure cause permanent sensory damage.
Fatal injuries. When a construction accident kills a worker or bystander, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death claim against every liable third party.
Cal/OSHA Violations and the Privette Doctrine: How California Law Shapes Your Case
Two California-specific legal mechanics, Cal/OSHA’s Title 8 standards and the Privette doctrine, separate strong construction accident cases from weak ones.
Cal/OSHA and Title 8. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health sets construction safety standards under Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations. The standards most relevant to construction cases include fall protection (§ 1670 et seq.), scaffolding (§ 1637 et seq.), trenching and excavation (§ 1540 et seq.), and electrical safety (§ 2940 et seq.).
When a Cal/OSHA violation contributes to your injury, it can establish negligence per se, meaning the court treats the safety breach as proof of negligence under California law. Cal/OSHA investigation reports and citations are obtainable through a California Public Records Act request, but you must secure them before the site is remediated and conditions change.
The Privette doctrine. Under Privette v. Superior Court (1993), a party that hires an independent contractor is generally not liable to that contractor’s employees for on-the-job injuries. This rule protects general contractors and property owners in many construction cases.
Two exceptions survive. Under Hooker v. Department of Transportation, a hirer who retains control over safety conditions and whose exercise of that control affirmatively contributes to the injury can be held liable. Under Kinsman v. Unocal, a hirer who knows about a concealed hazard on the property and fails to warn can also be sued.
How Does a Cal/OSHA Violation Strengthen My Case?
A Cal/OSHA violation can trigger negligence per se, turning a disputed fault question into a settled one. If the defendant violated a specific Cal/OSHA safety standard and that violation caused your injury, negligence per se applies. Your attorney still needs to prove causation and damages, but the hardest element is already decided.
Cal/OSHA citations also strengthen your position in settlement negotiations. A defendant facing a negligence per se finding and the possibility of punitive damages for a willful violation has a strong incentive to settle before trial.
What Is the Privette Doctrine and How Does It Affect My Claim?
Privette is the rule that determines whether you can sue the general contractor or property owner who hired your employer. The default answer is no, because California treats independent contractors as responsible for their own workers’ safety.
But if the GC or owner kept control over how the work was done and that control contributed to your injury, or if they knew about a hidden danger on the property, the protection falls away and they become a viable defendant.
Getting past Privette is often the single most important legal question in a California construction accident case. Get it right and your claim opens up. Get it wrong and you’re stuck with comp.
Compensation You Can Recover Beyond Workers’ Comp
Your economic losses in a third-party claim cover all past and future medical expenses (not just what the comp formulary allows), full lost wages and diminished earning capacity (not the two-thirds cap), vocational retraining if you can’t return to your trade, and home or vehicle modifications for permanent disabilities.
California also allows recovery for pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent disability, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement. Workers’ comp pays for none of these.
Punitive damages can apply under Civil Code § 3294 when a contractor or property owner acted with willful disregard for safety, such as knowingly ignoring a Cal/OSHA citation or ordering work to continue in dangerous conditions.
How Much Is a Construction Accident Case Worth in California?
Construction accident case values swing wildly depending on the facts. The amount depends on the severity of your injuries, how many defendants and insurance policies are involved, the strength of the Cal/OSHA evidence, and whether Privette blocks or opens the door to certain defendants.
What separates construction cases from other personal injury claims is the multi-defendant structure. A GC, a sub, and an equipment company each carry separate commercial general liability policies.
Stacking those policies is what pushes serious construction cases into seven-figure territory in Los Angeles County venues. Call (310) 220-0066 for a free evaluation of your case.
What to Do After a Construction Site Accident in Beverly Hills
Construction site evidence disappears faster than almost any other type of accident scene. Scaffolding comes down, equipment gets moved off site, and hazardous conditions are corrected within hours. What you do in the first 24 to 72 hours determines whether your third-party claim has the evidence it needs.
Get emergency medical care. Go to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, or the nearest emergency facility. Tell the treating physician exactly how the accident happened so the mechanism of injury is documented in your records.
Report the accident in writing to your employer and the general contractor. Get the report number and keep a copy.
Photograph the hazard, the scene, and the equipment involved. Capture missing safety protections: no guardrails, unshored trench walls, absent fall protection, exposed wiring.
Identify every company on site. Write down the names of the general contractor, every subcontractor, equipment suppliers, rental companies, and the property owner.
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer. The GC’s carrier and your employer’s comp carrier have different interests, and neither one represents you.
Contact a construction accident attorney immediately. A preservation demand sent to the GC and site owner within the first 48 hours can prevent the destruction of the physical evidence your case depends on.
Deadlines to File a Construction Accident Claim in California
Multiple deadlines apply to construction accident claims, and missing any one of them can bar your case.
Claim Type
Deadline
Authority
Third-party personal injury
2 years from the date of injury
CCP § 335.1
Wrongful death
2 years from the date of death
CCP § 335.1
Government entity involved (public works, city property)
6 months to file a written tort claim
Gov. Code § 911.2
Minor’s claim
Tolled until the child turns 18
CCP § 352
Workers’ comp notice to employer
30 days
Labor Code § 5400
Workers’ comp claim filing
1 year
Labor Code § 5400 et seq.
The six-month government deadline is the most dangerous. Construction projects on city-owned land, public infrastructure, or government-contracted work trigger this shorter window. Many injured workers don’t realize a government entity is involved until the deadline has passed.
Injured Bystanders, Pedestrians, and Non-Workers
Workers’ comp applies only to employees, and The Injury Partners also represents bystanders and pedestrians injured by construction site negligence.
Bystanders hurt by construction activity include pedestrians struck by falling debris or an unsecured load, motorists hit in a construction zone, delivery drivers injured by site hazards, and visitors entering a poorly barricaded area.
Beverly Hills’ dense, high-traffic corridors along Wilshire Boulevard and the Golden Triangle put pedestrians and drivers in close proximity to active construction on a daily basis.
No workers’ comp exclusivity applies, and you recover full damages including pain and suffering.
Can a Bystander or Pedestrian Sue for a Construction Site Injury?
Yes, without the limitations that apply to employees. A bystander has no workers’ comp relationship with anyone on the site, so the exclusive-remedy rule doesn’t apply.
Common examples include a pedestrian struck by materials dropped from a scaffold, a motorist hit by a construction vehicle pulling onto Wilshire Boulevard, or a shopper injured by debris from a renovation project in the Golden Triangle.
Speak With a Beverly Hills Construction Site Accident Attorney at The Injury Partners Today
Construction accident cases have a short evidence window and a long list of potential defendants. The scaffolding that collapsed on you will be disassembled. The trench that caved in will be backfilled. The Cal/OSHA report that proves the violation will be harder to obtain once the investigation closes. Every day you wait narrows what your attorney can recover.
The Injury Partners handles construction accident claims on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay nothing out of pocket. Our founding attorneys are available 24/7.
Your immigration status does not affect your right to file a claim. California law protects injured workers regardless of documentation, and we treat every consultation as confidential.
Reach out online today, call (310) 220-0066 or email info@theinjurypartners.com. Free consultation, no fee unless we win. 499 N. Canon Dr., Suite B1, Beverly Hills, 90210.
