Who is Liable for Independent Contractor Commercial Construction Injuries?

When an independent contractor, or one of their employees, is injured on the job at a commercial construction site, it is common for people to think that the liability for damages and losses falls onto the contractor; however, others believe the liability should fall onto the business owner who contracted the work.

If you are having construction work done to your place of business, it is wise to understand your role in the chance that a private contractor is injured while working. If you are an independent contractor who was recently injured on a commercial job, it is vital that you contact a licensed Indianapolis accident attorney as soon as possible to discuss your options for making a claim.

In the meantime, continue reading to learn who the courts generally find responsible for independent contractor accidents and injuries in Indiana.

Construction Site Accident Claims 317-881-2700

Construction Site Accident Claims 317-881-2700


Legal liability can be quite unclear in the case of an independent contractor accident. The laws of liability vary from state to state, and differ greatly from case to case. It is important to discuss your questions and concerns with a licensed personal injury law firm for professional advice and personalized answers unique to your case.

Gross Negligence

There are some examples of when legal responsibility is less uncertain in the case if an injured independent contractor. A common example is when a business owner is guilty of “gross negligence.” This means that a business owner used unreasonable and/or deliberate misconduct that directly caused the contractor harm.

For instance, a business owner may exhibit gross negligence if they hire a private roofing contractor to inspect their roof, but fails to inform them that the roof is incredibly weak and unstable. As a result, the contractor falls through the roof and suffers serious injuries. In such a case, a court could find that the business owner was clearly and exceptionally negligent by failing to disclose the true nature of the roof.

If a court finds a business owner grossly negligent, the business owner could be liable for the damages and losses incurred by the victim, including hospital bills, medical expenses, unemployment reimbursement, prolonged physical therapy, and much more. Learning the difference between gross negligence and standard negligence can help you better understand this legal concept.

Punitive Damages

In special cases of egregiously offensive misconduct or flagrant negligence, a court could award an injured independent contractor “punitive damages.” Also known as “exemplary damages”, punitive damages are more intended to reprimand the wrong-doer rather than award the victim (although the victim still receives monetary compensation). Learning about the common types of damages awarded for victims of injury will help you understand these kinds of cases and more.

Independent Contractor Licenses and Insurance

In the case that a business owner hires an independent contractor who has a contractor license, the contractor themselves could be responsible for any injuries they (or their employees) sustain on the job. When hiring a private contractor, it is vital to ensure they have a current contractors license by actually viewing the license and/or requesting the license number to look up. Word of mouth is not enough to absolve a business owner’s legal responsibility in the case of an accident.

In some cases, even if a contractor has a license, a business owner could still be liable for injuries sustained by the contractor or their employees. This can happen if a contractor does not carry insurance that covers bodily injuries and workers’ compensation for lost wages. For these reasons, it is important to ensure that a private contractor retains the proper insurance coverage for property damage and bodily injury.

Independent Contractor Injury Claims

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Law Firm
317-881-2700

Call The Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 if you were recently injured on the job as an independent contractor in Indiana. You can speak with a seasoned Indianapolis construction accident lawyer about recovering compensation for your losses and damages. We offer free initial consultations to discuss your claim, and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you!

Am I Liable if My Dog Bites Someone?

If your pooch bites another person or animal, you could be held liable for the damages and losses caused by the accident. Continue reading to learn more about dog bite liability in Indiana, and who to talk to if you were recently injured in a dog attack.

Indianapolis Dog Bite Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Dog Bite Lawyers 317-881-2700


Dog is “man’s best friend”; however, they are still animals, and real-life descendants of wild animals. This means that their behavior can be defensive and unpredictable at times. Even if your dog is well-behaved and has never bitten anyone before, they can still be capable of an attack, especially if they are provoked, frightened, or under certain duress.

As a dog owner, it is important to fully-understand your responsibility to prevent your pet from harming others. If your dog does cause injury to another person or pet, you could be faced with a personal injury claim or lawsuit; and if you do not have the proper insurance coverage, you could be forced to pay the settlement out of your personal funds.

State Liability Laws

Although they differ from state to state, most have established regulations and protocols pertaining to pet owner liability and dog attacks. A person’s liability as a pet owner will differ from case to case depending on many factors, including where they live and where the attack occurred. Overall, there are three fundamental types of legal principles that states have adopted to use in such cases. These include strict liability, one bite rule, and negligence.

Strict Liability – States like Michigan, New Jersey, and California follow the strict liability principle. This means that dog owners are 100% liable for any injuries, losses, and damages caused by their pet. There are virtually no exceptions to this rule, even if a dog has never attacked before and the pet owner took precautions to prevent attacks (fencing, gates, electric collars, warning signs, etc.). The only exceptions are circumstances of intrusion, provocation, or abuse.

One Dog Bite Rule – States like New York, Georgia, and Texas follow the “one dog bite” rule. This rule decrees that dog owners may not be fully-liable for injuries or damages caused by their dog if it was the first time their dog has ever bitten, and there was no reason to suspect that their dog was unsafe or aggressive. It is like a one-time “get out of jail free” card for a pet owner. However, there are many variables that influence a person’s liability under these circumstances, so they differ greatly from case to case. For instance, one exception to this rule could be if a pet owner was somehow negligent in connection to the attack.

Negligence – Every state has negligence laws that pertain to a person’s liability in the case that they cause harm to another person. If a person was negligent in some way, and as a result a person is injured, they can be held liable for any damages and losses caused by the accident. This can apply to dog bite attacks if a pet owner’s negligence gives their dog an opportunity to injure another person. For example, not adhering to local leash laws or failing to maintain the integrity of property fencing. Again, these cases vary greatly from state to state, and depend on a wide range of factors.

Indiana is a “One Dog Bite” State

In Indiana, the law follows a “one dog bite” rule, as well as a negligence rule. Under the first principle, dog owners may not be liable for any injuries, losses, and damages caused by their pet if there is no history of dog bites or attacks. However, if a pet owner exhibits negligence, and as a result, their dog bites someone, they could be held “strictly liable” for all the damages and losses incurred to the dog bite victim as a result of the accident, regardless if it was the first time the dog has ever bitten.

The Indiana Code 15-20-1-3 dictates that no matter what a dog’s history is, if it attacks or bites someone, the owner of the dog is entirely responsible for the accident, as well as, liable for the injured person’s losses and damages.

Were You a Recent Dog Bite Victim?

If you were recently attacked or bitten by a dog, contact a licensed Indianapolis personal injury lawyer right away. In Indiana, victims of personal injury accidents have two years from the time of the accident to legally make a claim and have a court hear their case. Be sure to act within this time-frame in order to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve.

What to Do After a Dog Attack:

Obtain medical treatment for wounds.
Get the names and contact information of the dog’s owners.
Call the police and file a report.
Decide if you need to seek mental health care for trauma.
Call an Indianapolis personal injury law firm for legal representation.

Who to Trust With Your Dog Bite Claim

Personal Injury Law Firm 317-881-2700

Personal Injury Law Firm
317-881-2700

Call The Law office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 to make a dog bite personal injury claim in Indiana. Our seasoned Indianapolis personal injury lawyers are eager to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve. Not only does our law firm offer free consultations, we never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you!

Can I Make a Claim for Laser Hair Removal Injuries?

If you have suffered serious burn injuries from recent laser hair removal treatments, you may have questions regarding liability and recompense. However, it is important to understand that having a valid or invalid personal injury claim against a cosmetic surgery clinic will depend on various factors.

Continue reading to learn more about making a claim for laser hair removal burn injuries in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Burn Injury Lawyers
317-881-2700


Laser hair removal is a cosmetic surgery treatment intended to permanently minimize hair growth by using laser technology to heat and destroy the growth cells inside hair follicles. In most cases, a client will require a series of treatments that each last between 15 and 60 minutes. Although it is an FDA-approved method of permanent hair removal, there are several ways for second and third degree burn injuries to negligently occur. The most common causes for serious burn injuries as a result of laser hair removal are improper application of treatment and defective equipment.

Defective Equipment

An Intense Pulsed Light laser machine is often used to administer laser hair removal treatments. This technology creates high heat at a much faster rate; but at this level of heat intensity, the possibility for second and third degree burns to occur is higher. In cases where the machine was defective, the manufacturer could be liable for any injuries, losses, and damages suffered by a client. To better understand product liability claims, contact a licensed Indianapolis personal injury lawyer for accurate information and professional advice.

Negligence of Administering Professional

In cases where a laser hair removal professional is negligent in a way that causes a client to suffer second or third degree burns, they could be held responsible for the injured victim’s losses and damages. But this would not necessarily be considered a medical malpractice case as these treatments need not be performed by a licensed medical physician.

Instead or in addition, a victim injured by laser hair removal could possibly make a claim for negligence, assault, or a violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. These kinds of cases are complex and vary greatly depending on a wide range of factors. This is why they require the services of a seasoned personal injury law firm.

Obtain Professional Advice Right Away

If you suffered 2nd or 3rd degree burns from a negligent laser hair removal clinic, you may be able to recover compensation for hospital bills, medical expenses, permanent disfigurement, pain and suffering, and more. It is necessary to discuss your options for making a claim with a trusted Indianapolis burn injury lawyer. They have the knowledge, skills, and resources to assess your case and determine which options are available for you.

Seasoned Indianapolis Burn Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for help with your burn injury claim in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our seasoned accident and injury lawyers are eager to recover the full and fair compensation you deserve. We offer free initial consultations and never collect attorney fees unless we recover for you.

A Brief Explanation of Temporary Total, Temporary Partial, and Permanent Total Disability Benefits

If you are injured at work, you may be entitled to disability payments if your injuries are considered an accident under the Worker’s Compensation Act. There are numerous types of disability benefits available for those who are unable to return to work as a result of a workplace injury. Three common disability payments injured workers may qualify for in Indiana include Temporary Total Disability (TTD), Temporary Partial Disability (TPD), and Permanent Total Disability (PTD).

Continue reading to learn more about these benefits, and how to get started on your workers’ compensation claim.

Workers' Compensation Lawyers 317-881-2700

Workers’ Compensation Lawyers 317-881-2700

Temporary Total Disability (TTD)

Temporary Total Disability benefits are payments made available to those who have injured themselves at work, and cannot return to work for a period of time because their injuries has rendered them totally disabled. This can be a result of broken bones, surgery, therapy, or some other form of injury that leaves the worker unable to perform their work-related duties. An injured worker may not be able to perform their duties as a result of the seriousness of the injury, or because their doctor has not yet cleared them for work. In some cases, the treating doctor may release a worker for light-duty work, but there is not light duty work available in their field. This is an example of when Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) may come into play.

Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)

Temporary Partial Disability refers to benefits available for injured workers who are still undergoing a healing process but have reached a point to where they can perform some degree of light-duty or reduced-activity work, whether full or part time. If this amount of work or pay is less than what the worker was receiving before the injury, the employer or workers compensation insurance company may be responsible to pay two-thirds of the difference in pay, in adherence to individual state regulations. For those who can never return to their full load of work or pay, they may be entitled to Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) payments; however, this varies greatly from case to case.

Permanent Total Disability (PTD)

Permanent Total Disability payments are for the most seriously injured workers. These would be employees who are rendered unable to work for an indefinite period of time. Eligibility for these benefits may vary from case to case and may be subject to limitations, so it is important to discuss details with a licensed personal injury lawyer who is well-versed in serious workers’ compensation cases.

Get Help With Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

If you are a victim of a workplace accident, it is important to discuss your case with a seasoned Indianapolis workers’ compensation lawyer who can help you understand the terms surrounding your case and obtain the maximum compensation for your damages and losses. They have the knowledge and resources to carefully evaluate the unique circumstances of your case and recommend viable options for recompense.

Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers 317-881-2700

Call Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 for help with workers’ compensation claims in Indianapolis, Indiana. Here at our personal injury law firm, we are eager to help injured victims recover the full and fair compensation they deserve. We offer free initial consultations and never collect lawyer fees unless we prevail for you. Contact us to get started in your financial recovery, today.