Randallstown, MD Attorney for Injuries at Work
Being hurt at work could mean being sidelined for days, weeks, or even on a permanent basis. If you are unable to work for any period of time because of work injuries, you could be left without the income you need to support yourself and those who rely on you.
Getting full compensation in a lawsuit against your employer is often blocked, but our injury attorneys can help you fight to get compensation from various at-fault parties and get your damages paid. This means seeking full compensation for your medical bills, the wages you missed, and any pain and suffering related to your injuries.
Call us today at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review with Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ attorneys for injuries at work.
Common Injuries and Accidents for Workers in Randallstown, MD
Randallstown residents and workers might face injuries from all kinds of work accidents. Depending on your industry or the specific job tasks you perform, you could be injured in various ways:
Transportation Injuries
Truckers, delivery drivers, people who work at different job sites throughout the day, and those who travel for work could all be injured in simple car accidents or truck accidents. If you were injured while driving for work, then our attorneys for injuries at work should be able to help you with your case.
Generally, crashes while commuting are not considered “work-related,” but this can actually help open access to the courts. If another driver was at fault for your crash, we should be able to sue them whether the accident was during the scope of your job duties or during your commute.
Construction Accidents
Construction workers face some of the highest risks of injuries of any profession. Injuries from falls, falling objects, electrocution, and dangerous power tools can all leave victims with permanent injuries.
In some cases, independent contractors might be entitled to lawsuits in cases where employees of construction firms would not be able to sue. Nonetheless, our lawyers can examine your case and determine what parties we can file your lawsuit against to maximize compensation.
Assault or Workplace Violence
Victims of workplace violence are typically allowed to sue their assailant – even if that is their employer. This can help you get compensation for medical bills and other damages related to your injury.
This can include assaults by coworkers or assaults from patrons, customers, clients, patients, vendors, or other people. Patients assaulting nurses and other healthcare workers results in a surprising number of injuries. Retail and food service workers are also vulnerable to assault at work.
Equipment Malfunction
If you were hurt by defective or dangerous equipment, you could be entitled to sue the manufacturer instead of your employer. For example, you can often sue for injuries from sparking electronics, safety malfunctions involving heavy machinery, and other dangerous equipment issues.
This should also include injuries caused by ineffective or defective safety equipment that should have protected you. If the personal protective equipment (PPE) you were provided at work did not do its job, that could be the PPE manufacturer’s fault.
Lifting and Carrying Injuries
From office workers to warehouse workers, many workers throughout Maryland face back injuries from lifting and carrying. These injuries might be acute flare-ups of preexisting injuries, but that should not make a difference. All work injuries should be reimbursed for the harm that occurred from that injury, even if it stacks on top of previous injuries or conditions.
Many lifting and carrying injuries occur because employers failed to properly equip staff or because of staffing shortages that make lifting with a partner unavailable.
Suing an Employer for Injuries at Work in Randallstown, MD
Unfortunately, lawsuits against an employer are often blocked for injuries at work in Maryland. Workers throughout the state should be covered by Workers’ Compensation insurance, which prevents injured workers from suing their employers under Md. Code, Lab. & Emp’t Art., § 9-509.. It also puts a limit on damages by allowing only a percentage of lost wages to be paid and blocking all damages for pain and suffering or other “non-economic” damages. However, there are ways to avoid these restrictions and still get injury victims the damages they need.
In many cases, a lawsuit is available against a third party. If the injury was not actually caused by your employer or a coworker, then you typically would not be able to hold them responsible for your work injury in the first place. This can be the best way to get compensation in work injury cases involving auto accidents, defective or dangerous equipment, or assault by a customer.
Intentional injuries are also an exception. That means you could be entitled to sue an employer for an injury they caused you while inappropriately horsing around or if they physically attacked or assaulted you at work.
Additionally, if your employer did not have the insurance they were supposed to, then there is no insurance you can file against. This opens the door to a lawsuit against your employer for any accident they caused you at work.
There are also various other exceptions that do not cover certain employees under Workers’ Compensation, thus leaving their right to sue intact. These include jobs that are solely paid on commission, realtors, certain drivers, and independent contractors. To be an independent contractor for purposes of these rules and retain your right to sue, you need more than just being paid through a 1099. There are many factors to look at involving how much you control your time, place, and manner of work.
Damages for Pain and Suffering in Randallstown, MD Work Injury Cases
As mentioned, pain and suffering damages are not paid through insurance for work injuries. This means that you will often have to find one of the exceptions listed above that applies to you to recover these damages. Our attorneys can help you file your case against the right parties or otherwise find an exception that allows you to sue your employer to recover pain and suffering damages, when applicable.
Call Our Randallstown, MD Lawyers for Injuries at Work Today
Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review with our attorneys for injuries at work.