Suffering a work injury can affect your life and ability to work for some time, possibly even the rest of your life. If you’ve sustained an injury in the workplace and don’t know where to turn, a work injury attorney can help guide you in the right direction.
How Do Work Injuries Happen?
Work injuries can occur as a result of several types of accidents or incidents. Some of the most common causes of workplace accidents include:
- Falls from heights
- Slip and falls
- Electrocution
- Malfunctioning machinery or equipment
- Getting caught between moving objects
- Being struck by an object
- Exposure to harmful chemicals
Some work injuries can happen even without a traumatizing event or accident. In some cases, when a worker engages in repetitive motions continually, it can result in repetitive motion injuries. A work injury can also include a diagnosis for a serious injury, like cancer, if it was caused by something at work, like exposure to toxic chemicals.
Types of Work Injuries
The type and severity of injuries sustained at the workplace depend on the cause of the injury. Some of the most common types of work injuries include:
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Injuries resulting in the amputation of a limb
- Vision or hearing loss
As stated, work injuries can also include serious medical conditions caused by work conditions, like heart attacks or hernias.
How a Work Injury Attorney Can Help You Pursue Compensation
Ordinarily, if you’re injured at work, you would file a workers’ compensation insurance claim for compensation and benefits.
“Workers’ comp” is a special kind of insurance most South Carolina employers must carry for the benefit of their employees. If an employee suffers a work injury or illness, they can file a claim for available compensation and benefits.
Workers’ comp benefits could include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Compensation for a disability
Because workers’ comp insurance absolves the employer of liability, you won’t be able to file an injury claim against your employer if you receive these benefits. However, you could potentially have other avenues for remuneration available to you.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit May Be an Option
While you can’t sue an employer for a work injury if you’re covered by workers’ compensation, you may have the option to sue a third party.
If you suffer an injury at work and a third party is found to be at fault, a work injury attorney could help you hold this party accountable and pursue compensation from them.
Determining whether a third party may be responsible for your work injury can be challenging, but a skilled work injury attorney will know how to discover the cause of your injury and the identity of the at-fault party.
Consult With a Work Injury Attorney
Lowcountry Law, LLC is ready and willing to help you pursue fair compensation if you’ve been injured at work.
Whether you need help with your workers’ compensation claim, a third-party lawsuit, or both, Matthew Breen and associates can provide the highest-quality legal representation.
We want to help you secure the resources you need to move forward. Contact us today to get started.
