Maryland Workplace Toe Amputation Attorney
Certain fields of employment present unique risks for employees, particularly those working in construction or with heavy machinery. After an accident, a worker’s toe might be severed at the scene or surgically amputated later.
Toe amputations after workplace accidents present serious obstacles for injured employees. Not only are they in great pain, but they probably cannot return to work for a long time while they heal. If the toe was severed in the workplace during the accident, the employee might be dealing with psychological trauma from the accident. Although someone less hectic, surgical amputations are also heard to deal with emotionally. On top of the expensive medical bills, pain, and suffering, the employee loses income because they cannot work. All these damages and more can be claimed in a lawsuit against your employer or whoever caused the accident. The use, misuse, or lack of proper safety equipment and protocols may affect liability in a lawsuit.
Our Maryland workplace toe amputation attorneys can help you get compensation to cover your damages and make up for your lost income while you recover from your injuries. For a free case assessment, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.
Workplace Accidents and Toe Amputations in Maryland
A toe amputation might happen in one of two ways. The first way is the toe being severed at the accident scene. For example, if construction workers drop a large piece of sheet metal on a coworker’s foot, it could completely sever one of their toes right then and there. The second way is if a worker’s toe is so badly injured that it must be surgically amputated at the hospital after the accident.
Other workplace accidents might involve running over someone’s foot with heavy equipment. If a farmhand is working in the field when another farmhand drives by them in a tractor, they might run over the first farmhand’s foot, leading to the loss of a toe or more. Forklifts might have the same effect in a factory or construction site.
Injuries to the foot can happen in other fields that do not seem inherently dangerous. Someone working in an office might lose their toe if someone slams a door on their foot or drops something very heavy on it. While inherently dangerous fields are at higher risk, they are not the only places where workplace toe amputations may happen.
Filing a Lawsuit for Workplace Toe Amputation Accidents in Maryland
A lawsuit is a complex endeavor that requires us to identify the person who should be held liable and prove that their negligence caused your injuries. Negligence is a legal term that encompasses four important elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages.
The defendant must have owed you a duty of care or safety and done something to violate or breach that duty. This breach must be the direct cause of your accident, and your damages should be real and not just possibilities. Our Maryland workplace toe amputation lawyers can help you gather the evidence you need to fully establish each legal element of negligence.
Numerous parties might be liable for a workplace injury that leads to a toe amputation. For many, their employer is the liable party because they failed to provide proper safety equipment, establish safety procedures, or train employees on existing safety protocols. A lot of responsibility falls on employers, and there is a good chance they are liable for the accident.
If your employer is not the liable party, others might be liable instead. For example, suppose the manufacturing company that produces the power tools your construction team uses made a defective tool, which caused your toe injuries. In that case, the manufacturing company might be liable in a products liability case. Although suing a manufacturing company is different than suing a person, the principles of negligence generally still apply.
Damages Available After Toe Amputations from Workplace Accidents in Maryland
Your damages include the losses, injuries, and expenses related to your workplace accident and toe amputation. Your specific damages will depend largely on how your accident happened, the extent of your injuries, and what kind of expenses you incurred. Our Maryland workplace toe amputation attorneys can help you assess your damages for maximum compensation.
Medical bills are bound to be high in cases of toe amputations. Whether your toe was painfully severed at the accident scene or later at the hospital, expensive surgery is likely required. To make matters worse, an employee will probably not be able to return to work after having their toe amputated, especially if that employee tends to work on their feet. As a result, injured employees often lose a significant amount of income while taking time off work to recover.
It is important to keep track of time missed from work. Being unable to return to work and losing income creates a lot of complications. Not only is it harder to pay for medical bills and expenses related to the accident, but paying for ordinary expenses, like groceries, the electric bill, and car payments, becomes harder too. Our Maryland workplace toe amputation attorneys can help you get compensation as quickly as possible so you can get back to your normal life.
How Proper Safety Equipment Affects Workplace Toe Amputation Cases in Maryland
Safety equipment and protocols play a big role in workplace accident cases. If your employer failed to provide adequate safety equipment or did not train employees on safety procedures, they can be held liable for your toe amputation. Our Maryland workplace toe amputation lawyers can compare the equipment and protocols in your workplace against the requirements set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) when assessing liability.
Necessary safety equipment will vary from workplace to workplace. In many industries where people work with heavy machinery and power tools and where the risk of injuries is higher, equipment like hardhats, gloves, and steel-toed boots may be important. Steel-toed boots are meant to prevent heavy objects from hurting your feet if dropped. If your employer did not provide you with these boots and your toe was injured and amputated as a result, they should be held liable.
Contact Our Maryland Workplace Toe Amputation Attorneys for Assistance
Losing your toe after a workplace accident might prevent you from returning to work and paying for normal living expenses on top of the damages from your accident. Our Maryland workplace toe amputation lawyers can help you get financial compensation for your injuries. Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.