As top work injury lawyers in Georgia, we help injured workers secure the compensation they deserve to recover. If your future’s been jeopardized by a serious workplace accident, we may be able to help you, too. Contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
Everyone has to work, in one way or another. If you clock in at a physical workplace each day, you deserve to be met with a safe, hazard-free work environment. Unfortunately, companies don’t always take the necessary precautions to ensure their employees’ safety.
Too many workers are forced to navigate potentially dangerous work conditions just so they can bring home a paycheck. When they’re inevitably injured on the job, they may be able to receive workers’ compensation, but depending on the extent of their injuries, it may not scratch the surface of what they actually deserve.
At Joseph Williams Law, we’re proud of our hard-working community, which is why we provide legal support for injured workers in the Statesboro area and beyond. If you suffered physical harm or illness because of a hazardous work environment, you shouldn’t have to deal with the fallout alone. We may be able to help you secure compensation through a work injury lawsuit.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about common types of work injuries, why they happen and how a work injury lawyer can help you explore your legal options.
Has a workplace accident left you too injured or sick to work? Don’t give up the fight without consulting a Georgia work injury lawyer. Call our law firm at (912) 259-6548 to discuss your legal options with a work injury expert.
What Are Workplace Injuries?
A workplace injury is any injury or illness that occurs as a result of a person’s job. In most cases, they arise from unsafe work conditions or on-the-job hazards. These hazards can include defective equipment, dangerous contaminants like toxic chemicals or tasks that require repetitive, potentially damaging physical movements.
Types of Workplace Accidents
Although some types of work are undeniably more dangerous than others, any job can result in workplace accidents—especially when run by negligent leadership. The following are among the most common workplace accidents:
- Falls, including slip and fall accidents
- Electrocutions
- Being struck by an object or equipment
- Explosions and burns
- Exposure to toxic chemicals or other contaminants
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Physical stress, strain or overwork
In the wake of these situations, workers can suffer a wide range of harms. Although some injuries are relatively minor and eventually heal, others can be debilitating.
Most Dangerous Industries
Most people assume that workplace injuries are relatively uncommon, but that’s not true. In fact, data provided by the National Safety Council (NSC) reveals that there were 4,260,000 preventable workplace injuries in the U.S. in 2021.
Research also suggests that preventable injuries were much more likely to occur in certain industries. Some of the most dangerous occupations include jobs in agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, both wholesale and retail trade, transportation, warehousing and utilities.
Your Legal Options after a Workplace Injury
If you were injured in a workplace accident or developed an illness as a result from an environmental hazard, you may be dealing with losses like medical expenses, lost wages and more. Luckily, you do have options to pursue compensation.
Workers’ Compensation
Georgia law requires employers with at least three employees (whether they work part time or full time) to carry workers’ compensation insurance. In order to receive workers’ comp benefits, an employee’s injury or illness needs to have occurred as a result of their employment.
Workers’ comp benefits may cover a variety of losses, including lost wages, medical expenses and rehabilitation. In the event that a workplace injury results in an employee’s death, their surviving dependents may be eligible to receive some form of compensation.
As a Georgia worker, it’s important for you to understand that if your employer has workers’ comp coverage, you are not required to use your own medical insurance to cover work injuries. Be wary of any attempts by your employer to get you to use your own insurance.
Civil Lawsuits for Workplace Injuries
In most situations, an injury victim’s only recourse against their employer is through workers’ comp. However, there are exceptions. You may be eligible to pursue an injury lawsuit against an at-fault party in the following scenarios:
- Your employer doesn’t carry workers’ comp insurance.
- You were injured by a defective product or toxic substance.
- Your employer intentionally injured you.
- You were injured by a third party while performing your job duties.
- Your employer is a different legal entity than the entity who is at fault.
Whereas you don’t have to prove fault or negligence to receive workers’ comp benefits, you will need to prove them if you decide to sue for damages. You can receive workers’ comp benefits just for being injured, but the downside is that it typically doesn’t cover all of your losses, such as compensation for your pain and suffering.
When Is an Employer Considered Negligent?
Employers have a duty to ensure a reasonably safe work environment for their employees. When they fail to do so, they may be considered negligent—particularly when one of their employees suffers serious injuries as a result.
An employer can be considered negligent for a number of reasons, including the following:
- Irresponsible hiring practices. When an employer neglects to do a background check, they may hire someone with a violent criminal history. If your employer has poor hiring practices that result in employing someone who subsequently injures you, a court may find them negligent.
- Poor management. If an employer knows that an employee is mishandling dangerous equipment, they have an obligation to correct that behavior in order to maintain a safe working environment for everyone. When they fail to do so and a worker is injured as a result, the employer may be held liable for those injuries.
- Insufficient training. Employers who fail to properly train their workers on how to operate potentially dangerous machinery or safely conduct work procedures may be considered negligent.
- Lack of supervision. Whether it’s a failure to act on reports of sexual harassment or to monitor employees’ use of equipment, an employer’s lack of supervision can lead to work injuries and leave them vulnerable to lawsuits.
Running a business is a big responsibility, but it also offers substantial rewards. Providing a safe, hazard-free environment for their employees is the least a business owner can do. When employers fail to do the bare minimum and one of their workers is injured as a result, that worker deserves compensation. Luckily, a skilled work injury lawyer can help them pursue it.
Proving Negligence in Work Injury Cases
When it comes to work injuries, identifying negligence is not the same as proving it. You may know that your employer’s recklessness or disregard for your safety is the cause of your injuries, but to prove it in court will require demonstrating a few key elements.
As with most personal injury cases, your work injury attorney will need to present the court with evidence that demonstrates the following:
- Your employer (or another at-fault party) owed you a duty of care.
- They breached that duty of care.
- You suffered a significant work injury as a result.
- The at-fault party’s negligence directly caused or contributed to your injury.
If your work injury lawyer can effectively prove these elements were present, you may be able to receive compensation for damages that are not covered by workers’ comp. Your settlement may compensate you for many different types of losses, providing you with the resources you need—and deserve—to recover.
Joseph Williams Law: Top Work Injury Lawyers in Georgia
It’s hard enough being injured at work, let alone knowing your employer played a role in your suffering. Unfortunately, many workers are forced to do just that, and what’s worse is that they often end up rushing their recovery to avoid missing a paycheck. The work injury lawyers at Joseph Williams Law want you to know that you have other options. Injured workers in Georgia have legal recourse and can pursue compensation through multiple avenues, and we can help them. If you suffered workplace injuries or a job-related illness, you deserve compensation. Contact us online to schedule a free consultation with an experienced work injury attorney today.