Houston, TX, is home to many different types of businesses. Many of these companies are manufacturers, refineries, or factories that use machinery and equipment that can cause injuries to employees. The top six typical causes where work injury attorneys in Houston are needed are as follows:
- Falls;
- Machine/Equipment Related Accidents;
- Transportation Accidents;
- Caught in between objects;
- Struck by Objects;
- Burns.
Explaining the Common Causes of Accidents in the Workplace
Listed are the top six reasons workers get hurt in the workplace. They are unfortunate when it happens. However, it is essential to understand that accidents can still occur. Negligence and fault determine the outcome of the case.
- Falls from rigging equipment: Employees who are required to perform duties on roofs, ladders, rigging equipment, and other high rises are at risk for falls during their employment. This includes roof workers and window washers who must attach themselves to ropes or other devices while working.
- Machine or Equipment Related Accidents: There are several ways machines used in manufacturing and other businesses can cause injuries like loss of limbs and other disastrous events.
- Transportation Accidents: According to research, transportation accidents are the most common type of work-related injury that leads to time off due to illness or injury. These types of accidents vary depending on the type of business. Still, they often include different types of vehicles, trains, or aircraft used by companies for deliveries or shuttling employees around the city.
- Caught in between objects: There are many ways individuals can get injured when working with machinery and equipment. One way is when parts dislodge from machinery unexpectedly, while another is when items become caught in between moving parts that will not disengage while operating. This includes getting your hands in presses, table saws, or other equipment that should be carefully monitored at all times.
- Struck by objects: Employees can get injured when other items, including tools, parts, and other things, fall onto them. This category also includes injuries employees sustain while moving objects like forklifts (getting hit by another vehicle or object).
- Burns: Burns is one of the most common injuries that occur in Houston because it is home to many refineries and petrochemical plants. These businesses usually require employees to deal with machines, parts, chemicals, other hot objects, or liquid at high temperatures, which can cause injury when an employee gets too close or if something malfunctions.
What Can a Work-Related Injury Attorney Do for Me?
A work injury attorney can help you recover compensation for various expenses related to your accident, including medical bills, lost pay, and pain and suffering. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to receive damages that go beyond just money, including changing your worker classification or asking for reassignment with different duties. If the negligence of another company caused your accident, you might be able to file a third-party claim.
What Should I Do if I am Injured at Work?
If you are injured on the job, it is vital that you remain calm and contact emergency assistance immediately. After receiving medical help for your injuries, save any documentation or objects that could help prove liability later on, including photos, videos, and eyewitness accounts. You should then contact an experienced lawyer who can help you compensate for your injury.
How Does an Attorney Prove Negligence in a Work-Related Injury Case?
To prove negligence, your attorney must show that the company was responsible to others who were put at risk by their actions. These are referred to as “reasonable” people by the law. For example, it would be reasonable for an employee of a petrochemical plant not to operate heavy machinery immediately after being exposed to chemicals even though their superiors may have instructed them otherwise.
What Types of Compensation Can I Get?
You can get several types of damages after filing a personal injury claim, including compensation for medical expenses, loss of income due up to 20 years depending on the circumstances, pain and suffering, future medical costs, rehabilitation costs, and more. Punitive damages are also available in particular cases when the defendant acted with malice towards the plaintiff.
Attorneys Versus the Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ Compensation Insurance will sometimes avoid paying the injured party their due compensation. This unfortunate event is when you should seek legal advice and representation. If you have been injured, and your employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance refuses to accept responsibility for the injury, a personal injury attorney can help you resolve the issue.
An experienced attorney will be able to assist you with all aspects of filing a claim for your injuries. This will include how much compensation is appropriate given your situation. They may also be required to pursue legal action against the employer if their workers’ compensation plan does not respond promptly or adequately.
Most injured people at work find that they receive benefits from their employer’s worker’s compensation insurance without much delay. However, some workers suffer from more severe injuries that require medical treatment over a period of many months, which results in long-term disability. These cases would involve little civil litigation, especially if independent witnesses were present when the accident occurred.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance is designed to protect both employers and employees alike, but sometimes it works more like an insurance company than an advocate for its insured’s best interests. In these cases, legal action may be necessary to settle the responsibility for the injury. An attorney will be able to file suit against your employer or their workers’ compensation insurance under certain circumstances.
When an employee suffers from a workplace injury that prevents them from working at their job ever again, they may face financial difficulties or even bankruptcy if they are not fairly compensated for this loss of income through their company’s Worker’s Compensation plan. The same can happen when medical treatment is due to work-related injuries over a long period, and the employee cannot return to work before their treatment is complete.
