If you were hurt at work, you are forced into the middle of a challenging situation. You may be looking at weeks or months off of work.
If you suffered a catastrophic injury, you may not be sure if you can return to work at all. You might be wondering how you will support yourself or contribute to your family’s finances down the road. On top of these worries, you face a growing pile of medical bills. It can be shocking to keep getting bills for the same hospital visit or surgery that you thought you were already fully billed for! At Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC, our work accident lawyers know how frightening and angering this situation is. One day you were just doing your job, and the next, your entire future is up in the air. We are here to help you address this situation, and when possible, fight for compensation.
Our Detroit personal injury lawyers attorneys are highly knowledgeable and skilled in handling third-party liability claims after workplace accidents. When someone from outside of your workplace is responsible for your injuries, you deserve to hold them accountable. You deserve to be able to place the burden on their shoulders instead of your own.
Call us at (313) 462-7979 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation. We will thoroughly investigate your work-related accident to determine if you have a valid third-party claim. If so, we can explain the process of pursuing compensation through a personal injury claim.
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Michigan Work Injury and Fatality Statistics
In 2016, there were an estimated 111,700 occupational injuries and illnesses in the public and private sectors, according to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA).
Of these, an estimated 97,000 were in the private sector, and approximately 91,300 were work-related injuries. In the private sector, manufacturing had the most injuries and illnesses at 23,700 and 3,000 cases, respectively. This was followed by the health care and social assistance sector, which had 19,700 and 1,000 cases of injuries and illnesses, respectively. Retail trade had 11,200 injury cases, accommodation and food service had 6,800 injury cases, transportation and warehousing had 6,000 injury cases, and construction had 3,500 injury cases.
Michigan’s private sector had an estimated incident rate of 3.3 cases per 100 full-time workers, while the public sector had a rate of 4.1 cases per 100 full-time workers. The highest total case incident rate for a major industry in 2016 was for the local government (public) construction industry, with a rate of 10.8 cases per 100 full-time employees.
Michigan also witnesses 162 fatal workplace accidents in 2016, which was an increase from the 134 fatalities the year before, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The private construction industry had the highest number of fatalities with 40. Private agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting accounted for 19 work-related fatalities.
Common Accidents at Work
State and federal authorities have long kept records regarding the most common types of workplace accidents that lead to illnesses, injuries, and fatalities.
Some of the most common harmful incidents at work include:
Construction Accidents
At Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC our job injury lawyers have represented many individuals who were hurt in construction accidents, including vehicle collisions, back-over accidents, falls from heights, exposure to dangerous substances, electric shock, and more. If you were injured at work in the construction industry, do not hesitate to call us. We are here review your case and determine whether you have a third-party injury claim or are qualified for workers compensation in Detroit.
Transportation Accidents
One of the most common incidents that lead to work-related injuries and fatalities are various types of transportation accidents. If you are injured in a car crash or another transportation accident while on the job, call a work accident lawyer at Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC. Our Detroit personal injury firm has experience with truck accidents, boating accidents, bus accidents, motorcycle accidents and many other motor vehicle accidents. Many transportation accidents involve someone from outside of your work. For example, if you were working on the side of a road and were struck by a vehicle, the at-fault driver is not a coworker. In this case, you may have a third-party claim against the negligent driver, and we can help you pursue compensation.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Our workplace injury lawyers have handled many cases in which someone slipped, tripped, or fell at work. A fall from a significant height, such as if you were on a ladder or scaffolding, can lead to serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries (SCI), back & neck injuries, paralysis, and broken bones. If you were hurt in a call and you believe someone from outside of your employer is at fault, such as another business or a pedestrian, go not hesitate to call us at Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC. We can represent you in a third-party injury claim.
Exposure to Harmful Substances
Many industries work with potentially dangerous substances and materials. Before you are exposed to any of them, you should have the proper training and the proper equipment. Without the knowledge and skills you need to handle the substances or materials carefully, and without the proper personal safety equipment, the likelihood of suffering a burn or more severe injury is extremely high. If you suffered harm due to improper exposure to toxic or dangerous substances, call a work injury lawyer today.
Dangerous Machinery and Heavy Equipment Accidents
Depending on the industry you work in, you may be around a great deal of heavy machinery and equipment. To use these items correctly and carefully, you need proper training and personal safety equipment. You also need others who work with these items to do so safely. When another person gets careless or reckless with the machinery or equipment, it can put you in harm’s way. If you were injured by heavy equipment or machinery, and you believe another person was at fault, call a workplace accident attorney at Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC to review your case.
Electric Shock and Electrocution
When you work with vehicles, machinery, equipment, power tools, and wiring, you are also working with electricity. Very few workplaces function without electrical equipment. This equipment should be safe for you to be around and used. If it is not, you are at risk for suffering injuries related to electric shock. If you are electrocuted at work, and you believe another person’s negligence is responsible, do not hesitate to speak with an injury at work lawyer about your rights and legal options.
Violence
Unfortunately, a growing issue in American workplaces is violence perpetrated by others. If you were injured in a workplace shooting or another type of violent attack, call a work injury lawyer immediately.
Common Workplace Injuries
Many professions are inherently dangerous, including commercial and home construction, manufacturing, trucking, logging, fishing, agriculture, trash collection, and more.
These professions are often highly physical, and your job duties require you to be around and work with vehicles, machinery, and large equipment. All of these aspects of the job increase the risk of accidents, and all it takes is for one person to get careless and for you to get hurt. However, you also face a risk of injury in traditionally safe jobs. You may work in retail and not work in potentially dangerous machines or equipment. Yet you could slip and fall outside the store or you could fall 10 feet to the ground because of a defective ladder. The unfortunate truth is that accidents happen in all types of professions and workplaces, and these accidents can lead to injuries such as:
- Lacerations and scarring
- Sprains and strains of muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Bone fractures
- Dislocated joints
- Amputations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Nerve damage
- Paralysis
- Hearing loss
- Vision loss
- Respiratory injuries
I was Injured at Work, Can I Sue?
If you were injured on the job, you should speak with an attorney about your rights and options. Depending on the circumstances, your sole means of obtaining compensation may be through a workers’ compensation claim. When you are covered by workers’ comp and your injuries are the result of your carelessness or a coworker or supervisor’s negligence, then you likely cannot sue. You cannot sue your employer when you are covered by workers’ compensation insurance and will receive wage and disability benefits.
However, if you are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance, or if someone from outside of your work caused you harm, then you may have a third-party liability claim. Without workers’ compensation, you may have the right to sue your employer if a coworker or supervisor was negligent. If someone from another company or someone entirely unrelated to your work caused you harm, then you may have a personal injury claim against that other person or business. In these situations, our workplace accident attorneys at Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC are here to help. We are highly experienced in bringing third-party claims at work-related incidents.
Compensation in Workplace Injury Cases
When you suffer an injury at work, you may have the right to pursue compensation through a third-party liability claim.
This type of claim is available when someone from outside of your job is the reason you are hurt. For example, if you are hit by a vehicle while working highway construction and the at-fault driver was just a regular individual, not a coworker, then you may have a third-party claim against the driver.
If you also have workers’ compensation coverage, then the compensation you seek through a personal injury claim will be in addition to your medical and wage benefits. If you do not have workers’ comp, then it is even more important that you work with a work accident lawyer to gain a financial recover that encompasses all of your economic and non-economic injuries.
Through a third-party personal injury claim, we will fight for you to receive compensation for your:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of relationship with spouse
To discuss the potential value of a work injury lawsuit settlement, call Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC. We have helped many injured workers fight for appropriate work injury settlements. Let us review your case, give you an objective opinion regarding the compensation you may pursue, and then let us fight hard to obtain that compensation for you.
Comparative Negligence After an Injury at Work
If you claim that another person from outside of your job was negligent and caused your injury, then you may face allegations of contributory negligence. The other party, who you say is at fault, may defend themselves by saying that you were also negligent. The other party may claim you were entirely at fault or partially at fault. In either situation, it is important to have a work injury lawyer address the allegations.
Michigan follows a modified comparative fault rule. If a court finds that you were partly at fault, but less than 50 percent responsible, then you may still obtain compensation. However, your financial recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are 51 percent or more at fault, your economic damages will be reduced by your amount of responsibility, and you will not be allowed to obtain compensation for your non-economic injuries, including your physical pain and mental suffering.
My Relative Was Killed at Work, Can I Sue?
If your loved one was killed while on the job, you should speak with an experienced work accident lawyer. Whether or not you have the right to sue depends on who is responsible for the incident and whether your loved one was covered by workers’ compensation insurance. If the matter was entirely internal to your loved one’s employer, meaning the person at fault is employed by the same business, and you can obtain workers’ comp benefits, then you are probably not able to sue. However, if the person at fault did not work for the same employer, call Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC right away. We will thoroughly review the fatal accident to determine who is at fault and who is liable. If it is another company or individual, we can walk you through the process of a Michigan wrongful death claim.
Let Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC Help You After a Work Accident
When you are hurt at work, it is important that you understand all of your legal rights, particularly in regard to third-party claims.
Many workers rely solely on workers’ compensation insurance and are unaware that they may have the right to sue the at-fault party. By failing to pursue a possible third-party claim, you can lose out on a great deal of compensation for your non-economic injuries and your lost wages. Even if you have workers’ comp, the benefits will never cover all of your financial, physical, and psychological injuries.
To discuss filing a third-party personal injury claim after a work accident, contact Davis Injury Lawyers, PLLC at (313) 462-7979 or through our online contact form.