Employment in a factory provides fair wages and steady work, but it can be dangerous. If you get hurt on the job, our experienced workers’ comp attorneys at The Florida Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers could help you pursue a claim for compensation.
An Orlando factory workers’ injury lawyer at Colling Gilbert Wright could represent you in a workers’ compensation or personal injury case. We have earned an outstanding reputation for integrity and excellent results, and other firms refer their clients in need of workers’ compensation representation to us.
Common Factory Worker Accidents
Some types of accidents are common, and anyone could slip and fall at their workplace. However, the conditions at factories can lead to specific types of accidents and often result in serious injuries.
Most factories use heavy machinery in the production process. You may have become entangled in a machine, which caused cuts, fractures, or even an amputation, while electrocution poses an additional risk.
Falling objects are a hazard at many factories, and if you were struck by one, it could have seriously injured you. Manufacturing processes often use sharp tools, and these can also be dangerous to employees.
Injuries That Develop Over Time
Many jobs in factories involve performing the same tasks over and over, which can lead to repetitive stress and overexertion injuries. As well as pain, you might suffer a limited range of motion, tingling and numbness, or weakness in the affected area. Your symptoms could develop suddenly, but often they are intermittent for a period and then become constant and debilitating.
Worker’s compensation claims involving overexertion or repetitive stress injuries can be challenging because the injuries may not be evident on X-rays or other imaging exams. Your employer’s insurer may dispute whether your symptoms are as serious as you claim. If you are a factory worker suffering from this type of injury, we advise you to consult our Orlando attorneys early in the claims process.
Does Workers’ Compensation Cover Exposure-Related Injuries?
Factory work can expose you to conditions and substances that cause health problems with prolonged contact. Workers’ compensation covers exposure-related illnesses and health conditions.
Many factories use dangerous chemicals in their manufacturing processes that can cause diseases such as cancer with extended exposure. Particles in the air can lead to respiratory ailments such as occupational asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or lung cancer. Factories are often noisy, and hearing loss is common among factory workers.
Florida Statutes § 440.185 requires you to notify your employer within 30 days of any work-related health condition. When you get a diagnosis, ask your physician for a written statement of your condition that you can provide to your employer. Our injury attorneys could help you access your benefits after receiving a diagnosis for a medical condition caused by working in an Orlando factory.
Your Benefits for Work-Related Illness and Injury
Most employers must provide workers’ compensation insurance to their employees. Benefits are available from your first day on the job, even if you are a part-time or seasonal employee. The program provides free medical care for work-related injuries and illnesses, a partial wage if your condition causes you to miss work, and disability payments if you suffer a permanent injury.
In return for these benefits, you lose the right to sue your employer if its negligence led to your injury or health problem. You must also receive medical treatment from a provider approved by your employer, and they may limit your rights to change doctors.
During your recovery, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer might try to limit your benefits, force you to return to work before you are ready, or even question the connection between your health problem and your employment. Our Orlando law firm could support you throughout these challenges and help you obtain the benefits for your injuries that you are entitled to as a manufacturing employee.
Third-Party Lawsuits Are Sometimes Possible
Although you cannot sue your employer for a work-related health condition, sometimes a third party could be held responsible. Depending on the circumstances, a company or individual could be liable, such as an equipment manufacturer, an independent contractor, or a landlord. You could sue a third party for your lost wages not covered by workers’ compensation and seek damages for your pain and suffering.
If You Were Injured While Working at an Orlando Factory, Call Our Attorneys Today
Managing the workers’ compensation system on your own is challenging. An Orlando factory workers’ injury lawyer at The Florida Firm Injury and Accident Lawyers could help you pursue the benefits and damages you are entitled to. We do not charge for an initial consultation, and you will only owe a fee when we win. Contact us today to schedule a meeting, and we can review your case.