For more than a century, this country has undergone an industrial revolution that changed the economy for everyone. Unfortunately, while the industrial revolution has been great for almost everyone, help for workers, in the form of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, was a long time coming.
And even as OSHA prepares to turn 50, many employers continue to neglect to follow the laws and workers suffer.
How the Industrial Accident Lawyers at FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers Will Maximize Your Recovery
To maximize your recovery following an industrial accident, it is your responsibility to prove who was legally responsible for the accident, and the full extent of the harms and losses you have suffered and will continue to suffer because of the industrial accident. There is generally a tremendous amount of work, time, and money that must be invested in an industrial accident case before your recovery will be maximized.
With this investment, your industrial accident lawyer will investigate how the accident happened, identify any and all parties who caused or contributed to the accident, find the sources of recovery that will pay for your compensation, and help you formally prove the full extent of your loss. Doing this the right way can take more than a year.
The Austin industrial accident lawyers at FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers have more than 70 years of combined experience. We will make sure you are well-informed about your rights and options and will work with you to customize a strategy that will ensure your questions are always answered and your goals always met.
Workers Have a Right to Protection from Industrial Accidents
Workers in all sorts of professions perform numerous dangerous tasks in many dangerous jobs throughout the state of Texas. Many work at oil and gas drilling sites or refineries, or chemical plants, or at construction sites and manufacturing plants. We all depend on their hard work, but while they are entitled to the safest possible work environment by the rules and regulations as enforced by OSHA, too often, accidents happen. And because of the environment at many of these job sites, they can be seriously injured or killed. These accidents commonly happen because employers or others choose their bottom line over worker safety.
Industrial work requires a lot of heavy equipment if workers are to be productive and the company profitable. Many worksites require the use of dangerous chemicals, power tools, and other necessary elements, which have the potential to create additional potential safety hazards for workers and others. Regardless of the inherent dangers in the workplace, virtually every employer is required to protect workers from harm.
That means workers must be provided with safety equipment that is adequate and in good condition, proper safety training, and strict equipment maintenance schedules that are always kept and never compromised. OSHA regulations set standards that can never be breached; they place an obligation on the employer that is always enforced. That’s because, when one of these protections is missing, every worker at the site is at greater risk.
Holding Negligent Parties Responsible for Your Injuries
When an industrial accident happens due to the negligence of someone else, the responsible party or parties can and should be held liable for failing to take all of the appropriate measures to protect your safety. The experienced and highly skilled Austin industrial accident lawyers at FVF have experience and the skill to help you protect your rights when you or a loved one have an accident such as the following:
- Fires and explosions at oil and gas drilling sites, storage facilities, or chemical plants
- Drilling rig accidents
- Accidents and injuries caused by defective work equipment
- Slips or trips and falls in the workplace
- Falls from height
- Scaffolding accidents
- Accidents caused by falling objects
- Chemical or gas exposure accidents
- Respiratory injuries, including mesothelioma or lung cancers
- Electrocution accidents
- Broken bones
- Crushed or amputated limbs
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injuries
Many industrial accidents happen due to human and organizational factors, including a lack of oversight, which can include the following:
- Insufficient machine guarding
- A lack of housekeeping, resulting in slippery or sticky floors due to spills
- Inadequate or compromised personal protective equipment
- An inadequate or missing fire prevention plan or a lack of an adequate emergency escape plan
- Improper storage of materials that are combustible or flammable
- Improper ventilation
- Improper operation of heavy equipment or transportation vehicles
- A lack of signage to mark potential hazards
- A lack of communication among and between workers, supervisors, and management
- A lack of safety-related technology
When an industrial accident happens because of carelessness by someone else, there might be an opportunity to seek compensation for your injuries and losses. It is important to talk to an industrial accident lawyer sooner rather than later to see if any urgent action must be taken to protect your rights.
Why Workers’ Compensation May Not Be Sufficient
While most industrial workers in Austin are covered by workers’ compensation insurance and have their medical bills and a lot of their salary paid, there is often a lot more than the immediate medical bills to consider when dealing in the aftermath of a serious industrial accident. While Workers compensation laws are useful and do relieve some of the burden, the industrial accident lawyers at FVF understand the limits of the law. For example, while the law pays your medical bills and most of your salary while you are laid up after an industrial accident, it may make it difficult for you to sue your employer for egregious actions on their part that led to your accident.
On the other hand, not every employer has workers’ comp, and in some cases, other parties may be liable for your injuries. Experienced Texas industrial accident lawyers like those at FVF can do a complete investigation and help you identify them. In many industrial workers’ injury cases, there are multiple parties responsible for the accident. For example, if your industrial accident was caused by a defective piece of equipment, the manufacturer of that equipment, the company that sold your employer that equipment, and the outside vendor that was charged with maintaining that equipment may all be partially at fault, and you may be able to recover from any or all of them.
If you have been seriously injured due to an industrial accident at work, and your employer carries workers’ compensation, you should receive workers’ compensation benefits, but that is only one possible resource for recovery. Of course, medical bills can be staggering, and they can be ongoing for weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime, if you require rehabilitation and ongoing therapy.
An industrial accident can also have a major impact on your loved ones, especially when you consider the loss of your income. You are entitled to get your life back on track, and every negligent party responsible for your accident should be held accountable for their role in your accident. If your employer does not provide workers’ compensation benefits, then you have very strong rights to hold them accountable for your injuries, too.
In many cases, workers who are injured on the job suffer far more than the physical pain of the serious injury, but also the potential for long-term suffering and medical care that is both intensive and ongoing, sometimes for the rest of their lives. The burdens shouldered by the victim of a serious industrial accident can be life-changing, requiring decades of care and the potential for serious harm to the life they had planned for themselves.
Why You Should Hire a Lawyer After an Industrial Accident in Austin
If you have been injured in an industrial accident, you should immediately contact a reputable and experienced industrial accident lawyer. Our accident attorneys have the experience and skill you need to establish the causes of industrial accidents, including equipment malfunctions, inadequate safeguards, and other safety violations and practices that cause workers to be injured.
The industrial accident lawyers at FVF call on some of the best experts in the areas of workplace safety and OSHA regulations, equipment manufacture, and other fields when it comes to building the strongest case possible for our clients. Beyond our high level of experience and skill, we also care deeply about what we do and why we do it.
We don’t think of you as a case file, you’re a person, and we will work hard to help you get well, and we will also help you secure a future for you and your family. If you’re worried about the cost, you shouldn’t be. Our service starts with a free case evaluation and our clients never pay us a dime unless and until we get you a settlement or verdict that provides you with the compensation you are entitled to.