Welding is an essential job, but it’s unfortunately also one of the most dangerous professions in Texas. Welders are at risk of serious, permanent and even fatal injuries due to the nature of their jobs. It’s often possible to prevent welding accidents, however, with proper safety measures by employers.
The personal injury lawyers at FVF Law Firm are here to educate you about your rights and legal options after a harmful welding accident in Austin, Texas. We have over 100 years of combined experience and have collected millions of dollars in compensation for workplace accident victims. Our goal is to give our clients the information they need to put their lives back together.
The professionals tasked with welding at construction sites, industrial occupations or oil refineries can be at risk of serious injuries during the process of welding. Welding is the act of joining two pieces of metal together using extreme heat, pressure or both to form a permanent bond.
The most common types of welding accidents and injuries include:
Welding accidents can cause permanent disability, disfigurement, scarring, illnesses and wrongful death. All types of welding can prove dangerous under the wrong conditions, including electric arc, gas, laser, electron beam and plasma arc welding.
Injuries from welding can occur over time, such as musculoskeletal injuries from sitting in a cramped position all day while welding. They can also arise from isolated incidents. Welding accidents can be disastrous and are often preventable in a safe work environment.
Injuries from welding tend to happen when an employer doesn’t enforce important safety rules and protocols. Common causes of Austin welding accidents include:
A company is legally responsible for properly training its employees, offering personal protective equipment and checking welding tools regularly. If an employer violates any federal safety laws regarding welding, it could be held responsible for a subsequent welding accident.
If you get hurt in a welding accident, it can help to know what steps you should take to protect your physical safety and legal rights. Consider the following actions as basic steps you should take after a harmful welding accident in Austin:
Next, contact a welding accident lawyer in Austin to discuss your legal options. The next steps for you will depend on the type of claim your Austin work injury lawyer recommends filing, such as a workers’ compensation claim vs. a personal injury lawsuit.
While money can’t solve everything after a serious welding accident in Austin, it can help you and your family move forward with greater peace of mind about your financial situation. Filing a claim can hold one or more parties accountable for causing your welding injuries.
Common defendants, or parties responsible for welding accidents in Austin, include:
Your legal options after a welding accident will depend on the circumstances, such as what caused your injuries and whether your employer has workers’ compensation insurance. A welding accident lawyer will carefully assess all of your opportunities for seeking justice and making a financial recovery.
A successful welding accident claim could result in compensation for your past and future necessary medical care, hospital bills, surgeries, lost wages, lost capacity to earn, disability costs, pain and suffering, loss of consortium, lost enjoyment of life, and more. The value of your case will depend on the circumstances and is something that you should discuss with an attorney before accepting an insurance settlement.
If you get involved in a welding accident in Austin, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or like everyone is against you. Your employer may be denying liability for your welding injuries, for example, or might not have workers’ compensation insurance available to pay for your losses.
If you’re feeling lost in the aftermath of a welding accident, contact the Austin construction accident lawyers at FVF Law Firm for personalized assistance. We always start our cases with no-cost consultations, where we’ll get to know you and provide information about your specific case with no pressure at all to hire us.
We focus on client education so that accident victims and workers in Texas know their rights and how to protect them. We’ll build a strong case for you while you focus on healing from your serious welding injuries. To talk to a lawyer about a welding accident case in Austin, contact us at (512) 640-2146 or send us a message online and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. We are available 24/7 to take your call.