South Carolina On The Job Injury Lawyers

ON-THE-JOB INJURIES

Millions of people are injured at work each year. Sometimes, it is a genuine accident, and other times, the incident occurs because proper procedures were not followed or if there was a mechanical defect or malfunction. In fatal cases, the families of the deceased may also be entitled to compensation. Also, depending on how the incident occurred, the injured party may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim, file a personal injury lawsuit or pursue both options.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were 4.2 million work-related injuries and illnesses and more than 5,700 deaths reported in 2004. Commonly, the cause of fatal injuries are traffic accidents, falls, machinery or homicide. Non-fatal job-related injuries may involve falls or inappropriate lifting or moving of objects.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Often, employees don’t or cannot sue their employers for injuries they sustain while performing their jobs. Usually, the employee’s sole remedy is to pursue a workers’ compensation claim. This is the way most of these cases go unless it can be proved that there was intentional misconduct on the part of the employer, such as concealing the harmful effects of certain materials used on the job at a workplace. The employee may also have a case if there is evidence that the equipment he or she was injured operating was not functioning properly and the employer knew about it. In other cases, the worker may not have had the necessary training to operate certain machinery or equipment.

The workers compensation system is meant to ensure that workers injured on the job receive fixed monetary awards for their work-related injuries or illnesses without having to litigate their claims in court. Almost all employers carry workers compensation insurance to make sure workers receive compensation for on-the-job injuries and illnesses.

THIRD-PARTY CASES

If you have a good case against a third party for your work injury, you may be able to sue for the costs of future medical care, lost wages as well as pain and suffering. This also makes it possible for families of those who died on the job to file wrongful death lawsuits against a third party believed to be responsible for the incident. A third party could be sub-contractors, a company that manufactured the defective product responsible for the accident and the injuries or a property owner who failed to provide sufficient safety features at a work site.

Attorneys at the Louthian Law Firm have years of experience in workplace injury and personal injury law. If you or a loved one has been injured or if you have lost someone in a workplace accident, call us for a free consultation. We will fight for your legal rights, make sure you are treated fairly and that you receive the compensation you rightfully deserve.