Articles Posted in Workers Comp

An Atlanta work accident lawyer can help workers and their families after a work injury causes financial loss. Many people need costly and invasive medical treatment after workplace injuries. For some workers, life never returns to normal and going back to work is impossible. While workers’ compensation benefits are supposed to take care of those who have been damaged due to workplace incidents, many families still struggle financially and permanent injuries can also have a significant impact on quality of life.

Preventing workplace injuries should always be the top goal in order to help make sure as few people as possible have their lives torn apart due to injuries on the job. Unfortunately, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is not able to do nearly enough inspections to prevent work injuries from occurring. Safety News Alert reported on one OSHA area director who made candid comments about the challenges associated with trying to do enough inspections.

Atlanta Work Injury Prevention Efforts Hurt By Lack of Inspections

Many employees face risks associated the the temperature in their workplace. Some employees work in hot indoor or outdoor environments and face the potential danger of developing heat stroke. Other workers have to work outside in chilly weather, or even indoors in cold environments. For those who work indoors in refrigerated areas or chilled spaces, safety precautions must be taken just as when any worker faces temperature extremes in his work environment.

Unfortunately, the risks associated with working in cold environments indoors are often overlooked. If you work inside of a cold space and you sustain an injury on-the-job, a work accident lawyer in Atlanta can help you to understand the laws protecting you and can provide assistance in making a workers’ compensation claim to receive coverage for work injury losses.

Atlanta Workplace Accidents Can occur in Cold Inside Environments

Remodeling is one of the most common tasks of construction workers in Georgia. Construction professionals may be hired to remodel and update both commercial and residential buildings. Unfortunately, whenever a construction employee is doing his job in an older building, that construction employee faces the significant risk of exposure to many types of dangerous toxins and chemicals.

If a construction employee gets sick as a result of exposure to any chemicals on-the-job, the construction worker should be entitled to workers’ comp coverage. Workers’ comp claims based on workplace illness can be complicated, especially if illness develops a long time after the initial exposure. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer should be consulted to provide help when this exposure happens and construction workers get sick.

Atlanta Construction Worker Risks from Remodeling

Falls are one of the top causes of workplace injuries and of workplace fatalities. There are already many rules aimed at preventing falls on-the-job, but workers still continue to get hurt. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has now updated its slip and fall rules by putting new requirements into place. Hopefully, this new regulation can help to make a difference in keeping people safe from harm.

If a fall does happen at work, the injured victim could be entitled to workers’ comp coverage. If the fall is a fatal one, dependents can also get death benefits through workers’ comp under Georgia law. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer can provide assistance in pursuing a benefits claim and seeking coverage for medical bills and other costs after a work injury.

OSHA Updates Rules to Prevent Atlanta Workplace Fall Accidents

Recently, Safety BLR reported on a troubling trend in which workers are getting sick more frequently. Safety BLR was specifically reporting on the rise in black lung disease, and indicated that one in 10 coal miners is now identified as having the condition. In some particular areas of the country, as many as one in five workers have evidence of black lung, which is the highest level that has been recorded in the past 25 years.

While this troubling report focused on one particular industry, the reality is that employees in almost any field could be exposed to toxins at work that make them sick. Whether it is miners exposed to high levels of dangerous coal dust or construction workers exposed to asbestos in old buildings or office workers exposed to unsafe levels of mold in poorly ventilated and badly maintained office spaces, there are ample examples of situations in which workers could come into contact with toxins at work and get sick because of it.

If you or someone you love develops an illness that you believe is connected to your workplace, it is important that you take appropriate legal action. An Atlanta workers’ comp lawyer can help you to understand your rights, prove your illness is work related, and make a claim for benefits so you should contact an attorney as soon as you get sick.

When an employee sustains a serious injury on the job, that employee should receive full coverage for all medical treatment through workers’ compensation. This includes medical care that a licensed physician believes is necessary to provide for the needs of the injured worker. An Atlanta worker’s comp lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC can help those who have been hurt at work to make a claim to get this medical coverage, as well as other benefits that they may be entitled to.

After a worker has been badly hurt, he or she often ends up depending upon family to provide a significant amount of assistance and care. Spouses and other close relatives routinely provide unpaid assistance with normal activities of daily life after someone suffers a permanent or debilitating injury. Being a caregiver for someone who has been profoundly and permanently disabled due to a workplace accident can be life-changing and it is a daunting responsibility. It is in the best interests of the injured worker for this family caregiver to be mentally prepared to take on the role that fate has placed him in. As a result, one recent case looked at whether the spouse of a seriously injured worker should be entitled to have counseling covered by workers’ compensation.

Should Workers’ Compensation Medical Benefits Cover Counseling for Caregivers?

Creating a safe worksite is one of the most important and fundamental responsibilities of any employer. Unfortunately, there are many circumstances in which employers fail to fulfill their basic responsibilities and make sure that employees don’t face an unnecessary risk of harm. In fact, Safety News Alert reported recently on an OSHA case study of why some companies choose to prioritize increasing productivity, even at the expense of making sure the work environment is safe for staff members.

If an employee gets hurt at work, regardless of whether an employer made efforts to reduce injury risks or not, the employee should be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. An Atlanta work injury lawyer can help those who have been hurt at work to take appropriate action to make a benefits claim and get the compensation that they need.

Why Some Companies Risk Worker Safety to Increase Productivity

After most accidents, you can file a lawsuit if someone was negligent or hurt you as a result of a failure to fulfill a legal obligation. For example, if you get into a car accident, you could sue the driver. Likewise, if an accident or a legal failure causes a loved one to die, surviving family members could usually make a wrongful death claim and go to court to get compensation. When an accident at work happens, however, the rules are different.

Most workers are surprised to find that they are not allowed to sue their employer after they suffer an injury at their workplace. Instead, they must make a workers’ compensation claim. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer can help with this process. While workers’ comp provides important protections to those who are hurt or whose loved ones die due to work tasks, the benefits available may not provide as much compensation as a personal injury or wrongful death case. As a result, it is important to understand that there are a limited number of situations where you actually can sue after an Atlanta workplace injury. Your lawyer can help you to explore whether your case falls into one of these special situations.

When Can You Sue After an Atlanta Workplace Injury?

Can a company be focused on profitability, productivity AND prevention of Atlanta workplace accidents? Recent research from the McCombs School of Business at University of Texas Austin says the answer to this is no. As Safety News Alert reports, researchers believe it is “unrealisticto be good at profitability and safety simultaneously.

This is troubling news for employees who depend upon their employers to create a safe work environment. When employers fall short in taking steps to make a worksite safe, workers could be badly hurt or even killed due to the company’s failures. An Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer should be consulted for assistance in seeking benefits so workers don’t face financial loss because of a company’s inability to keep a dual focus on profitability and safety.

Atlanta Workplace Accidents Occur Due to a Shift Away from Safety

It is a natural assumption to believe economic growth is good for the lives of workers. After all, if the economy is good, workers are usually earning more money. Workers typically have more job flexibility and the option to find work they like in situations when the economy is good. Workers who get paid more during a booming economy can also enjoy life by buying more goods or taking more vacations.

Unfortunately, it is not all good news when there is economic growth. In fact, according to Safety News Alert, death rates can substantially rise due to workplace illness and injury if there is lots of economic growth going on.

If you or someone you love is hurt due to workplace illness or injury, you should understand what options you have available to you under the law. An Atlanta work injury attorney at Van Sant Law, LLC can provide guidance on what your options are for pursuing a case for compensation for occupational injuries that occur due to a booming economy.