Working in the industrial sector covers many types of hazardous employment, including chemical plants, mining, oil rigs, offshore vessels, refineries, and construction work. Accidents in these workplaces can be especially damaging, leading to catastrophic injuries and even death. A Baton Rouge industrial accident lawyer can help employees and their families recover financially after these devastating accidents and provide essential support.
A dedicated Baton Rouge personal injury lawyer with experience in complex workers’ compensation claims can help employees determine what options they have through the workers’ compensation system and civil court.
At The Lucky Law Firm, PLC, we are proud to provide accessible and compassionate representation to workers who are injured. Industrial accidents must be investigated thoroughly to determine if the negligence of any third parties contributed. Our firm thoroughly investigates the incident and fights for your interests in securing compensation. We have nearly 15 years of experience supporting employees and their families.
In Louisiana in 2020, there were 238,271 employees in high-risk industries for mortality, and the main industries that employed these workers were construction, transportation, utilities, mining, quarrying, oil, and gas extraction. Many different industrial jobs pose unique hazards to employees. There were eight fatal injuries in the manufacturing industry in Louisiana in 2023.
Industrial accidents happen for many reasons, including:
In 2018, there was a severe injury report in Baton Rouge in the industrial valve manufacturing industry, and it resulted in hospitalization. In 2019, there was a severe injury report in the manufacturing of industrial refrigeration equipment in Baton Rouge, also resulting in hospitalization. In 2022, there were three severe injury reports in the state for manufacturing plastics and resin, and one of these injuries occurred in Baton Rouge.
When these injuries happen due to your work duties or while you are at a worksite, you can file with your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Most Louisiana employers are required to carry this insurance.
The compensation you can recover after an industrial accident will depend on how seriously you were injured and the type of claim you can file. For most workplace accidents, you are limited to recovering through Louisiana’s workers’ compensation claim system. This system exists to protect employers from personal liability and provide workers with some compensation without requiring any person to be at fault.
In a workers’ compensation claim, you can recover any of the following damages that you sustained:
Some employees can file a civil personal injury claim. You may be able to file a civil case in the following situations:
If you can file a civil claim, you could recover damages such as the following:
If you can file both claims, you can recover up to the damages you sustained. A civil claim can cover any additional damages not covered by your workers’ compensation claim.
When you navigate your industrial accident claim with an experienced attorney, they can review your specific case and determine what options you have for financial recovery. They can manage each of these claims and negotiate with the insurance providers.
An industrial accident is an incident that causes injury, damage, or death, and it occurs in a workplace that completes industrial work, such as manufacturing, refining, mining, construction, and other areas of employment.
These accidents are typically caused by negligence or misconduct regarding safety and health in the workplace and are unexpected. Employees may be injured by heavy machinery accidents, fires, explosions, building collapses, or other serious accidents. Industrial accidents can also have environmental repercussions.
The amount a lawyer charges from a settlement in Louisiana will vary. It may depend on how complicated your case is, whether you are filing a workers’ compensation claim, a civil claim, or both, and the attorney’s experience in the type of accident you were injured in. Talk with an attorney upfront about their attorney’s fees and how the fee may change if the case goes to court.
If you are an employee injured in an industrial accident in Louisiana, you should file a claim for workers’ compensation as soon as possible. If you have the grounds for a civil claim, this also has a set time limit. However, the window to file a workers’ compensation claim is much shorter if you want to have a successful claim. It’s important to act as quickly as possible.
You should hire an industrial accident attorney if you were injured in an accident to represent your rights and interests. An attorney can be helpful for any injured employee, but there are some cases where an attorney can be especially helpful, including:
You don’t have to manage a workers’ compensation claim alone. While ideally, your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance would make it easy for good faith claims to recover compensation, this doesn’t always happen. When you address your case with The Lucky Law Firm, PLC, we represent you to the insurance provider, make sure your claim is in order, and advocate for your future. Contact our firm today.