Find a construction accident lawyer in Tempe: comp, ADOSH and other companies that may pay

Most Tempe jobsite injuries start with workers' comp, filed in writing with the Industrial Commission within one year. Employers must report deaths to ADOSH within 8 hours. If a company other than your employer caused it, sue within one year or the claim can pass to the comp insurer.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (41)

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Road map of Tempe showing Interstate 10 at the Broadway Curve, an ADOT project area running through the city
Sue an outside company within one year or the claim can pass on. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What construction injuries happen in Tempe?

Public pages did not give us a count of jobsite injuries in Tempe. National numbers tell you what to look for. Falls killed 389 of the 1,034 construction workers who died in 2024. The top four killers are falls, being struck, being caught between things, and electrocution. Employers generally must protect workers at 6 feet or higher.

Tempe has steady building and road work. Nearly 230,000 people commute in each day, and ADOT's Broadway Curve work ran through Tempe on I-10. Haulers moving construction waste, fill or excavation material need a city permit, with a route map and a current certificate of insurance. That permit can name the company that owned the truck that hurt you.

What do I do first after a jobsite injury in Tempe?

  1. Get treatment and tell your employer right away, because waiting can cost you benefits.
  2. Write down everyone on site: general contractor, subcontractors, equipment owners, and the names on trucks.
  3. Take photos of the scaffold, trench, ladder or wiring if it is safe to do so.
  4. File the Worker's Report of Injury with the Industrial Commission, 800 W. Washington St., Phoenix, (602) 542-4661. The form comes in Spanish.
  5. Fax or mail private papers to the Commission. It says not to email them.
  6. Check that your employer carried coverage with the Commission's verification tool. If it did not, you may be able to sue it in regular court.

The Commission charges no fee to process a claim. Benefits are paid no matter who caused the accident. Your immigration status does not change your right to report an unsafe job.

Who pays for a construction injury in Tempe?

Who you areWho pays firstCan you sue someone else?
Employee of a contractorYour employer's comp insurerYes, if someone not in the same employ caused it.
Subcontractor's workerComp, and the general contractor may count as your employer.That can block a suit against the general contractor.
Self-employed or paid in cashIt depends on how the job was set upDo not assume you have no coverage. Ask.
ASU worker, including studentsState comp. Early reporting line: 1-800-837-8583, within 24 hours.Outside companies, yes.
City of Tempe workerCity comp through Risk Management, 480-350-8321.Outside companies, yes.
Someone walking or driving pastThe contractor's liability insuranceYes. See the deadlines below.

Comp is usually your only claim against your own employer or co-worker. A claim against an outside company is different and can pay for pain and full lost wages. Think of the crane owner, a subcontractor who left a hole uncovered, or a maker of faulty equipment. Comp benefits continue while you pursue that other party.

How can I look up a Tempe building site and its contractor?

  • Tempe's ePermits site lets you search by site address or contractor license information.
  • Tempe investigates construction without permits and unsafe structures. For an immediate safety issue, call Development Services at 480-350-4311.
  • Building Safety is at 31 E. Fifth St., Garden Level East, and takes email at [email protected].
  • The Arizona Registrar of Contractors investigates licensed and unlicensed contractors.

Who investigates a construction accident in Tempe?

Arizona runs its own safety agency, ADOSH, under a state plan covering private workplaces, with some exceptions. Employers must report a work death within 8 hours, and a hospital admission, amputation or eye loss within 24 hours. Reach the Phoenix office at (602) 542-5795 or (855) 268-5251.

Anyone can file a complaint about unsafe conditions and may stay anonymous. If you were punished for speaking up, your complaint must reach ADOSH within 30 calendar days. The controlling contractor on a site can take on duties under federal standards even when it subcontracts the work.

What are the deadlines after a construction injury in Tempe?

ClaimDeadlineNote
Workers' comp1 year, in writingIndustrial Commission
Against an outside company, as a comp recipient1 year, or the claim passes to the insurerOften the deadline people miss
Bystander against a contractor2 yearsArizona reduces your award by your share of fault.
City of Tempe, as a bystander180 daysCity Clerk, 31 E. 5th Street.

What should I ask a construction accident lawyer in Tempe?

  • Which companies on this site could be liable besides my employer?
  • Will you file against them before the one-year mark?
  • Could the general contractor count as my employer?
  • How will you get the ADOSH file and the site's safety logs?

Questions

Can I sue my employer for a construction accident in Tempe?

Usually not. Comp is generally the only claim against your employer, unless willful misconduct caused it or the employer had no coverage.

What if I am scared to report a Tempe jobsite?

You can file with ADOSH anonymously.

Where do I file for comp if I got hurt in Tempe?

With the Industrial Commission of Arizona in Phoenix, at (602) 542-4661.

How long does a family have after a Tempe jobsite death?

Families use the Dependent Benefits Claim Form, Form 120. A wrongful death suit generally must be filed within 2 years.

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Sources (41)

  1. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “An injured worker must file a claim in writing with the Commission within one year after the injury occurred.”
  2. ADOSH, checked 2026-11-08. “All work-related fatalities within 8 hours following the incident.”
  3. A.R.S. 23-1023, checked 2026-11-09. “by instituting an action within one year after the cause of action accrues”
  4. Industrial Commission of Arizona, ADOSH FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “A complainant may choose to remain anonymous, if so desired.”
  5. Industrial Commission of Arizona, ADOSH FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “must be received by ADOSH within 30 calendar days following the discriminatory action”
  6. OSHA, checked 2026-11-09. “In 2024, there were 389 fatal falls to a lower level out of 1,034 construction fatalities”
  7. OSHA QuickCard, checked 2026-11-09. “The top four causes of construction fatalities are: Falls, Struck-By, Caught-In/Between and Electrocutions.”
  8. eCFR, 29 CFR 1926.501, checked 2026-11-09. “which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling”
  9. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “nearly 230,000 employees commute into Tempe”
  10. ADOT, I-10 Broadway Curve Draft Environmental Assessment, checked 2026-11-08. “The project is located within the City of Phoenix, the City of Tempe, the Town of Guadalupe, and the City of Chandler”
  11. City of Tempe, Transportation Permits, checked 2026-11-08. “emailing the form, map of the route, and current certificate of insurance”
  12. A.R.S. § 23-908(E)-(F), checked 2026-11-08. “the employee shall forthwith report the accident and the injury resulting from the accident to the employer [...] no compensation shall be paid for the injury claimed to have resulted from the accident.”
  13. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Phoenix: 800 W Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85007 - Phone: (602) 542-4661”
  14. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Formulario de informe de lesión del trabajador - 407”
  15. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Instead, FAX such materials to the FAX number below or mail paper copies to a mailing address below.”
  16. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification”
  17. A.R.S. § 23-907(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Employers who are subject to and who fail to comply with section 23-961 or 23-962 shall not be entitled to the benefits of this chapter during the period of noncompliance, but shall be liable in an action under any other applicable law of the state.”
  18. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “The Industrial Commission of Arizona does not charge a fee to process a workplace injury claim.”
  19. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “you receive medical and compensation benefits no matter who caused the job-related accident.”
  20. A.R.S. 23-1023, checked 2026-11-09. “by the negligence or wrong of another person not in the same employ”
  21. A.R.S. 23-902, checked 2026-11-09. “are, within the meaning of this section, employees of the original employer”
  22. ASU, Post-incident Reporting, checked 2026-11-08. “The claim must be made within 24 hours. 1-800-837-8583”
  23. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “processing city employee worker's compensation claims”
  24. A.R.S. 23-1022, checked 2026-11-09. “is the exclusive remedy against the employer or any co-employee acting in the scope of his employment”
  25. A.R.S. 23-1023, checked 2026-11-09. “If the employee proceeds against the other person, compensation and medical, surgical and hospital benefits shall be paid as provided in this chapter”
  26. City of Tempe, ePermits, checked 2026-11-09. “Site Address • Contractor License Information”
  27. City of Tempe, Report a Building Code Violation, checked 2026-11-09. “investigating building code violations (such as construction without permits and/or unsafe structures)”
  28. City of Tempe, Building Safety, checked 2026-11-09. “email: [email protected]”
  29. Arizona Registrar of Contractors, checked 2026-11-09. “investigates alleged violations of licensed and unlicensed contracting laws”
  30. OSHA, Arizona State Plan, checked 2026-11-09. “The Arizona State Plan applies to all private sector workplaces in the state with the following exceptions:”
  31. ADOSH, checked 2026-11-08. “Toll Free: (855) 268-5251”
  32. OSHA Construction eTool, checked 2026-11-09. “The controlling contractor assumes all obligations under the standards, whether or not he subcontracts any of the work.”
  33. A.R.S. 23-1061, checked 2026-11-09. “in writing within one year after the injury occurred or the right thereto accrued”
  34. A.R.S. § 23-1023(B), checked 2026-11-08. “do not pursue a remedy pursuant to this section against the other person by instituting an action within one year after the cause of action accrues [...] the claim against the other person is deemed assigned to the insurance carrier or self-insured employer”
  35. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  36. A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
  37. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “claims must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 180 days after the cause of action accrues”
  38. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Tempe City Clerk's Office 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor Tempe, AZ 85281”
  39. A.R.S. § 23-1022(A), checked 2026-11-08. “The right to recover compensation pursuant to this chapter for injuries sustained by an employee or for the death of an employee is the exclusive remedy against the employer or any co-employee acting in the scope of his employment [...] the injured employee may either claim compensation or maintain an action at law for damages against the person or entity alleged to have engaged in the wilful misconduct.”
  40. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Dependent Benefits Claim Form - 120”
  41. A.R.S. § 12-542(2), checked 2026-11-08. “2. For injuries done to the person of another when death ensues from such injuries, which action shall be considered as accruing at the death of the party injured.”

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