If you were walking by a construction site and you were in a location that was not restricted to pedestrians, then you may receive compensation for your accident injuries. By filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault party, you can recover compensatory damages. You will need to prove negligence on the part of the contractor, property owner, machine operator, or another entity in order to file a personal injury claim. In Florida, you have four years from the time of an accident to file a personal injury claim in the courts.