At Welsh & Welsh PC, LLO, we understand how devastating a workplace accident can be– especially one you may not have been responsible for. We understand that injuries can put innocent people in financially stressful and difficult situations. Even if you’re eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, you may not receive enough compensation to fully recover and live a full life. If your work accident was caused by negligence and you are struggling to make ends meet after being injured or are having difficulties getting the benefits you’re owed, our Omaha work injury lawyers may be able to help.
At Welsh & Welsh PC, LLO, our attorneys have plenty of experience in workplace accident law and know what it takes to get a win for our clients. With one of our attorneys at your side, we’ll fight for you to recover damages that can include medical expenses, lost wages, costs of future care, pain and suffering, and more. First, let’s learn a bit about work injuries, why they happen, and what your options are after being injured on the job in Nebraska.
How Do Work Injuries Happen?
Unfortunately, a worksite injury can occur at any workplace when someone exhibits negligence. There are jobs where injuries are more prone to happen, such as on a construction site or in a hospital. Construction workers are all at risk if the person in charge isn’t prioritizing safety and making sure that people get the training they need and the worksite isn’t hazardous. Hospital workers are at risk of falling. But while these fields typically have more accidents, even those with a desk job in an office can be harmed when there’s reckless behavior from another.
A work injury could occur if the environment isn’t kept safe so there are fall hazards all over or the employee is told to do something that they haven’t been trained to do and are unequipped to do so. Those who travel for work, such as truck drivers, are at risk of accidents while on the road. If they are driving a vehicle with faulty parts, they could easily get in an accident that harms a lot of people. Employees that work in a building with faulty pipelines or are near combustible materials could be at risk for burn injuries from an explosion or fire. Restaurant workers may be at risk of slip and falls because there are spilled drinks or other slippery surfaces that haven’t been cleaned up or marked as a potentially hazardous area.
When someone’s actions lead to your injuries, you should be able to get the help you deserve. They need to understand how their negligence caused your accident and what you’re going through is because of them. Our work accident lawyer will look into what happened and find out who acted negligently and how their actions harmed you. Using evidence like medical records, your statements, and any other details of the work accident that we can find, we’ll find the truth and show that you deserve compensation for your wrongful injuries.
What Are the Dangers of Work Injuries?
Work injuries can be serious and sometimes catastrophic, meaning the injury will prevent the person from continuing to be gainfully employed. Some examples could be traumatic brain injuries, third-degree burns, or loss of limb. With injuries like this, the person will have to undergo a major life change. This could include not being able to participate in activities or hobbies they once enjoyed, or everyday tasks suddenly becoming difficult. They may need some form of assistance in completing them. A catastrophic injury could also mean the person requires medical equipment to help them every day—like using a wheelchair for mobility. These injuries can take a long time to heal and the person may never fully recover.
Catastrophic injuries also take a considerable emotional toll as well because the person needs to adjust to their new normal. But that adjustment period may not go as smoothly as they originally thought. During this time, their mental wellbeing may shift. Mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder may develop. Just like a physical injury, these injuries need care as well. Getting the proper mental health care can be expensive, but it’s necessary for the person to be able to live their life. They shouldn’t have to deal with choosing between getting care for physical injuries at the cost of not taking care of their psychological wellbeing.
But even if the on-the-job injury isn’t life-changing, the cost and time it takes to recover can still put a person’s life on hold. Broken bones and concussions do heal but they are not a minor matter. Soft tissue injuries like whiplash or sprains are painful and can also prevent someone from returning to work as quickly as they’d like. These are also tricky because you cannot always see soft tissue injuries. These injuries can take weeks or months to heal and may also require additional treatment like physical therapy.
When someone is looking down the road to recovery, it can feel like they’re at the beginning of a long journey and they don’t know how they’ll reach that final point. It’s easier when there’s a trusted legal professional at their side—an Omaha attorney who will always look out for their best interests.
What Should You Do If You’re Injured on the Job?
It’s your responsibility to file your workers’ compensation claim, not your employer’s. Your actions after an accident can help you and your lawyer with your claim later.
If you are able, report the accident after it happens as soon as possible. You should tell your supervisor or manager at the time and they should have paperwork for you to fill out. This way, you have physical evidence that an accident occurred and you informed someone of it, so it can’t be said later that you’re falsifying claims. You’re going to have the clearest memory of what happened right after the accident happened, so be as detailed and specific as possible. If you can, try to see if there was an eyewitness to your accident who can help corroborate your story.
After you’ve made the report, you need to take care of another major step. You will need to get a medical evaluation from a doctor. Make sure the place you go to is approved by your employer’s workers’ compensation plan. Then you’ll learn the extent of your injuries, receive a treatment plan, and start to get an idea of how long it’s going to take you to recover.
Waiting to see a doctor poses two problems. Your injuries may worsen during this time and it signals that your injuries may not be as serious as you claim. When you wait for your injuries to get worse and then you finally get to the doctor, it may be more difficult to treat your injuries and will require more extensive care than what you would have needed if you had gotten there earlier. This could also mean missing more work than what you would have missed if you had received the earlier care.
Then, there’s the matter of what is covered. If you waited for the injuries to get worse than what the accident originally caused, your compensation may only cover the care that you would have received for the original injuries. Since you waited and allowed them to progress, you may have to pay for that care out-of-pocket. This could be a significant amount of money and possibly cause financial difficulties. Avoid this by getting a medical evaluation as soon as you can.
While you may be worried about the medical bills and the time missed from work, this is where you should contact an Omaha work injury lawyer. We will make sure you get the workers’ compensation you deserve.
One of our personal injury attorneys will be able to use copies of your medical records as evidence of how the accident caused you harm. We’ll also use the accident report and investigate the scene to see if any evidence that can be used is still there. Photographs may capture unsafe work practices or violations that caused your injury.
We’ll do everything we can to make sure that your settlement will be able to help you recover and get back to normalcy as soon as possible.
Welsh & Welsh PC, LLO Is Here for You
While getting hurt on the job is a jarring experience, there are people who can help you secure your rights. We’ll be able to guide you throughout this process and make sure that your best interests are being protected. You won’t have to worry that an insurance company will treat you unfairly because we won’t let that happen.
Our attorneys will defend your rights and help you get the compensation you need. It’s imperative to get started on your case as soon as possible. We’ll work with you every step of the way. Get in touch with us today to schedule a free consultation. You’ll be able to speak with one of our lawyers about what happened to you and discuss your options. You can address your questions and concerns about your case and get a clearer idea of the process. We’re here to listen and provide help in every way we can.
