Types of Burns in Restaurant and Kitchen Work

Simply put, a burn injury is one that is “caused by heat, friction, electricity, radiation, or chemicals”. In addition, burn injuries include scalding injuries, which are burns that are caused by the skin or body coming into contact with extremely hot liquids or steam. Burns are classified into different types of burns, based on severity of the burn injury. A first degree burn is a burn that “causes redness and swelling in the outermost layers of the skin”, while a second degree burn is one that “involves redness, swelling, and blistering” and where “damage may extend to deeper layers of the skin.” The most severe type of burn is the third degree burn. A third degree burn “destroys the entire depth of the skin”. It can also damage fat, muscle, organs, or bone beneath the skin. Significant scarring is common, and death can occur in the most severe cases”.

Burn Hazards in the Restaurant Workplace

Kitchen workplaces are, unfortunately, chock-full of burn hazards. Some of the most common burn hazards in kitchen workplaces include slip and fall accidents, burns that are caused by carrying full or overly-full containers of hot liquids, cooking with hot oils or liquids, using pressurized cooking equipment, being exposed to steam, and operating and cleaning deep fat fryers. In order to protect workers from burn hazards, restaurant and kitchen employers should always make sure that kitchens are safe and that workers adhere to safety rules and regulations.

Legal Help for Injured Workers in Louisiana

If you were injured in a workplace accident in Louisiana and you are seeking legal help, contact the experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC. The experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC offer a free and confidential consultation to learn about your workplace injury and to see if they can help fight to get you workers’ compensation benefits due to you. Contact the experienced Louisiana workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe today and speak to an experienced lawyer about your case for free.

When someone’s negligence causes an accident that results in a Louisiana maritime worker’s injury or death, the victims and their families have a right to financial compensation. In this blog, we discuss some of the most common injuries that maritime workers in Louisiana face, as well as the most common causes of these accidents.

Common Causes of Injuries

Of course, individuals who work on rivers, ports, or the high seas are always exposed to risk due to the nature of their profession. However, these risks are magnified when a business or individual acts negligently. Some of the most common causes of injury for maritime workers include:

• Equipment Failure and Malfunction
• Defective Equipment
• Basket, Plank, and Rope Transfer Accidents
• Fires and Explosions
• Collisions
• Dock and Pier Accidents
• Falling Objects
• Slips, Trips, and Falls
• Falling Objects
• Chemical Exposure

None of these accidents should be taken lightly, as all of them can result in serious injury or even death. The expert attorneys at Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe are here to help. We have the experience required to advocate for your case and help you receive the compensation you deserve after you or a loved one has been injured on the job.

The Most Common Maritime Injuries

Though there is good money to be made in the maritime industry, there are many dangers to be aware of. Many of these dangers can cause lifelong injuries that greatly impact the victim’s quality of life. Some of the most common maritime injuries include:

• Neck and back injuries
• Burns
• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Bone fractures
• Amputations
• Crush injuries
• Chemical poisoning
• Orthopedic injuries
• Eye injuries
• Acoustic trauma
• Paralysis
• Hearing loss

• Cuts, lacerations, and puncture wounds
• Certain types of cancer
• Chemical or radiation exposure
• Respiratory conditions

Get the Help You Need

If you or a loved one have sustained a maritime injury while at work, you mustn’t delay in speaking to an attorney. The sooner you contact a workers’ compensation lawyer, the sooner you can file a claim and start receiving compensation. The compensation you can expect from these cases includes:

• Outstanding, current, and anticipated medical expenses
• Emergency room costs
• Physical rehabilitation expenses
• Medication
• Medical devices, such as wheelchairs and prosthetics
• Lost wages

• Permanent disabilities
• Inability to earn an income
• Pain & suffering
• Mental anguish

If the injuries sustained were so severe that they resulted in the maritime worker’s death, the families of the victims may be entitled to a wrongful death claim against the at-fault party.

Contact a Louisiana Workers’ Comp Lawyer Today!

Workplace injuries can happen at any time and can put a heavy burden on you during a time when you need rest and recovery. You shouldn’t have to worry about your finances while you recover from a workplace injury, so let us help you. We have the experience needed to fight these insurance companies in court, and we want you to receive the compensation you deserve.

For expert workers’ compensation support in Louisiana, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. Our attorneys specialize in workers’ compensation for maritime workers, and we have years of experience helping Louisianans receive the workers’ compensation they deserved. Don’t delay in speaking with an experienced attorney. Call our office at 504-788-2994, or schedule a free case evaluation by clicking here.

There are several obvious reasons why working as a roofing contractor can be dangerous, but none that justify the high level of workplace fatalities within the field. As a roofer, you face dangers every day while performing your job, so if you have sustained a workplace injury, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for roofing contractors. Contact us today to find out how we can help advocate for you and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Causes of Roofing Accidents

According to OSHA, falls consistently account for the greatest number of fatalities in the construction industry. Several things may contribute to roofing accidents and falls. Human error, failure to use protective equipment, and unstable working surfaces are all common contributing factors. Most of the time, roofing accidents occur because of the following:

• Lack of safety equipment
• Lack of proper training
• OSHA violations
• Failure to follow safety procedures
• Negligence such as being intoxicated on the job
• Manufacturer defects
• Insufficient lighting
• Electrocution
• Structural or ladder collapse

OSHA has implemented safety precautions to prevent the common occurrence of construction injuries, but too often employers will cut corners for the sake of profit. By doing this, employers put their construction workers at unnecessary risk. The OSHA regulations that employers are supposed to follow include:

• Covering floor holes
• Using aerial lifts or elevated platforms to provide safer working surfaces
• Using guardrail systems with toeboards and warning lines
• Installing control line systems to protect workers near the edges of roofs
• Using safety nets or body harnesses

Common Injuries 

According to OSHA statistics, falls are the leading cause of construction site accidents and account for 31% of all construction fatalities. Workers on scaffoldings, ladders, or roofs more than 6 feet above the ground are at the greatest risk for serious injury or death. Many other factors may play a role in roofing accidents, but the most common injuries roofing contractors sustain include:

• Broken bones
• Spinal cord or neck injuries
• Damage to the internal organs
• Head trauma
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Loss of limbs
• Lacerations, cuts, and sprains
• Burns
• Puncture wounds

When Can You File for Workers’ Comp?

In all states, workers’ compensation covers job-related injuries for roofers. However, in a small number of states, you may be able to claim benefits for non-job-related injuries. Whether you were injured on the job or you sustained an injury that keeps you from working, you should speak with a lawyer as soon as possible to find out what your options are.

Injured roofers can seek compensation regardless of where on their body they were injured. In almost every state, the process of claiming workers’ comp starts with notifying your employer of your injury. Time is of the essence in these cases, because most states have a time limit on when you must file a claim. To avoid letting your workers’ comp benefits expire, speak with an experienced attorney as soon as you can. 

Contact a Mississippi Workers’ Comp Lawyer Today!

Workplace injuries can happen at any time and can put a heavy burden on you during a time when you need rest and recovery. You shouldn’t have to worry about your finances while you recover from a workplace injury, so let us help you. We have the experience needed to fight these insurance companies in court, and we want you to receive the compensation you deserve.

For expert workers’ compensation support in Mississippi, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. Our attorneys specialize in workers’ compensation for roofing contractors, and we have years of experience helping Mississippians receive the workers’ compensation they deserved. Call our office at 504-788-2994, or schedule a free case evaluation by clicking here.

If you suffer from an excavation or trench injury while working, you have every right to recover workers’ compensation in Louisiana. In this blog, we discuss common injuries that occur from trench and excavation accidents, how construction crews can prevent these accidents, and the workers’ compensation benefits you can receive if you’re injured on the job. 

Injuries Caused By Trench and Excavation Accidents in Louisiana

Employees can suffer from serious or even fatal injuries if their employers don’t take proper safety precautions on their trench or excavation sites. Common injuries that occur due to excavation and trench accidents include:

• Broken bones
• Spinal cord injuries, which can cause paralysis
• Nerve damage
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Disfigurement

Injuries associated with trench and excavation accidents often occur due to preventable safety mistakes, such as falls, cave-ins, faulty or dangerous equipment, and falling loads. 

Additionally, fatal injuries can occur due to trench collapses and accidents at excavation sites. These include: 

• Fatal crush injuries: A cave-in or trench collapse can fatally crush an employee.
• Asphyxiation: After a trench collapse, an employee can suffer asphyxiation due to a lack of oxygen access.
• Poisoning: Excavation accidents and trench collapses can lead to employees inhaling toxic fumes. 
• Burns: Excavation accidents can set off a chain of events that leads to explosives unintentionally combusting.
• Drowning: If the excavation site involves water, employees could drown if there’s a trench collapse or accident. 

Preventing Louisiana Trench and Excavation Accidents

Employers and managers need to take certain actions to ensure the safety of their employees. Take the following precautions at trench and excavation sites:

• Prepare the site: Construction companies need to survey a site both before and during an excavation project. They need to enlist the expertise of someone who can perform soil analysis to prevent collapses.
• Place the equipment properly: One reason why excavation and trench accidents occur is that construction crews and companies place equipment too close to the trench itself. Employers and managers need to ensure that they place work equipment in the proper place to avoid injuries.  
• Prevent cave-ins: When preparing an excavation site, crews need to implement precautions to prevent cave-ins by building supports on trench walls, using trench boxes against trench walls, and sloping trench walls to reduce the likelihood of a collapse. 
• Implement all necessary safety precautions: Before workers enter a site, employers must ensure that they test oxygen levels and check for toxic chemicals.
• Ensure exits are accessible and safe: Construction crews working in trenches usually use ramps to enter and exit a trench safely. Employers need to ensure the trench’s access points are properly maintained to avoid accidents, such as falling in a trench.

Recovering Workers’ Compensation After a Louisiana Trench Collapse or Excavation Accident

If you suffer from an injury while working in a trench or on an excavation site, you have the right to seek workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance employers acquire to pay for employees’ medical bills and lost wages when they sustain an injury or develop an illness while on the job. 

After suffering from an accident, you should be able to recover compensation for all of your expenses related to your injuries, including medical bills, surgeries, physical therapy, in-home care, and more. You should also be able to recover ⅔ of your pre-injury earnings while you’re away from work. If your injuries permanently disable you, you may qualify for permanent disability benefits. 

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, meaning that you do not need to prove that your employer or another employee acted negligently in order to recover compensation. Also, you can still recover workers’ compensation benefits even if you were at fault for your own injury on the job. 

Contact a Louisiana Excavation and Trench Collapse Attorney

Although recovering workers’ compensation after a trench or excavation accident should be a straightforward process, many workers struggle to recover the full benefits they deserve for injuries. Employers and their insurance companies frequently engage in practices intended to underpay or deny employee benefits. For example, companies will often encourage employees to see workers’ compensation doctors. Unfortunately, these doctors can under-evaluate the severity of an employee’s injuries in order to save insurance companies money.

If you’re having trouble recovering the full workers’ compensation benefits you deserve after an injury, you need to contact a Louisiana workers’ compensation attorney to assist you with your claim. Here at Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC, we have years of experience assisting Louisiana residents with workers’ compensation claims, including injuries that occurred due to trench collapses and excavation accidents. Call our New Orleans office today at 504-788-2994, or you can schedule a free case evaluation here.  

Without workers’ compensation, employees may have to pay out of pocket for their medical treatments and recovery. This can be especially financially draining if they’re unable to work while they heal.

Fortunately, workers’ compensation should cover any burn injuries you sustain while on the job, but receiving the full workers’ compensation you deserve isn’t always easy. Employers and their workers’ compensation insurance companies frequently look for ways to deny or underpay workers’ compensation claims in order to save money. If an insurance company unfairly denies your claim, you need to contact a workers’ compensation attorney.

In this blog, we discuss what you need to know about Mississippi workplace burn injuries and recovering workers’ compensation.

Burn Classifications

When suffering from a burn injury at work, employees can sustain a variety of different burns that differ in their overall severity. The following are the different burn injury classifications:

• First-Degree Burns: First-degree burns, also known as superficial burns, only involve the epidermis, which is the skin’s outer layer. These injuries are usually red, dry, and painful when touched. First-degree burns are painful, but they aren’t incredibly serious, and they usually don’t result in long-term tissue damage.
• Second-Degree Burns: Second-degree burns are also called partial-thickness burns, and they impact the thick portion of the skin’s second layer, the dermis. Second-degree burns frequently result in blistering and long-term scarring. These injuries may require victims to receive a skin graft.
• Third-Degree Burns: Third-degree burns are also called full-thickness burns, and they frequently require multiple surgeries and skin grafts. These burns destroy the epidermis and can cause damage deep into your hypodermis, which is the bottom layer of your skin. This can also damage your tendons, muscles, and even your bones. Additionally, these injuries can destroy your nerve endings and cause your skin to appear white.
• Fourth-Degree Burns: Fourth-degree burns destroy every layer of the skin, making them the most life-threatening type of burn. They can also destroy tendons, muscles, and bones. Victims of fourth-degree burns may require their afflicted area to be amputated.

Types of Workplace Burn Injuries

There are four main types of burn injuries employees can suffer from in the workplace. These include UV light burns, radiation burns, chemical burns, electrical burns, and thermal burns.

• UV Light Burns: UV light burns are more frequently referred to as sunburns. These are common for those working outside and only result in first-degree burns. Those working outside for extended hours need to protect themselves from UV light burns through protective clothing and sunscreen. Sunburns can increase one’s likelihood of developing skin cancer.
• Radiation Burns: Those exposed to nuclear radiation can suffer from radiation burns. Employees need to protect themselves from these serious burns by following their workplaces’ safety protocols.
• Chemical Burns: Chemical burns involve exposure to dangerous, corrosive materials, including acids and solvents. These burns can deteriorate the impacted area, which could include the eyes or skin.
• Electrical Burns: Employees working with electric currents can suffer from serious burns. These burns can result from faulty wiring or dangerous electrical equipment.
• Thermal Burns: Thermal burns occur when someone is exposed to heat. They can result from explosions, steam, hot objects, hot liquids, and open flames.

Recovering Compensation From a Burn Injury at Work

Many different types of workers are at risk of suffering from burn injuries, including construction workers, food-service workers, firefighters, mechanics, electricians, radiation workers, and other occupations.

If you’ve suffered from a burn injury at work, you have every right to receive workers’ compensation as long as your employer has workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation covers treatments and expenses related to workplace injuries including doctor visits, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, in-home care, and more.

Additionally, workers’ compensation covers a percentage of your lost wages if you’re unable to return to work after a burn injury. You can receive ⅔ of your pre-injury earnings temporarily while you recover, or you can receive these benefits long-term if your injury permanently disables you. Mississippi employees can receive 450 weeks of lost wages benefits after suffering from a burn injury that keeps them from working.

Contact a Mississippi Burn Injury Lawyer

Although receiving benefits after a workplace injury should be a straightforward process, your employer or their insurance company may attempt to deny or underpay your benefits. If your benefits are unfairly denied or underpaid, you need a workers’ compensation attorney to help you receive the benefits you’re entitled to. For expert legal guidance in workers’ compensation cases in Mississippi, contact the lawyers at Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe, PLLC. We have years of experience assisting Mississippi residents with workers’ compensation claims. Call our Jackson office today at 601-983-2667, or you can schedule a free case evaluation by clicking here.

Numerous businesses across various industries struggle with meeting a greater demand for different products, and warehouse and manufacturing workers often have a sharp increase in physical demands.

The significant work expectations of the holiday season create stressful work environments, which increases work accidents. Additionally, other elements of the holidays increase the risk of injury, such as decoration mishaps. If you were injured while at work, you need to seek workers’ compensation benefits to pay for your medical bills and lost wages.

Increased Work Demands

Many different industries experience sudden increases in workloads over the holidays. Retail suppliers become overwhelmed with holiday shoppers, and delivery service workers have to process and deliver significantly more packages. With an increased workload, employees can often become overwhelmed and fail to act cautiously resulting in injuries. Some employees may even become so overworked that they face serious health risks related to exhaustion.

Even aside from the added workload, employees may face stressors from their personal lives that contribute to workplace accidents. You could have difficulty juggling your work and personal life during the holidays, resulting in less sleep and more fatigue. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, both overworking and working while tired can greatly increase your risk of injury while on the job.

Setting Up Decorations

In addition to overworking and exhaustion, people often become injured at work due to holiday decorations. Many employees become injured from falling from ladders while setting up decorations. Those setting up decorations may also drop ornaments or entire boxes on unsuspecting employees by accident. This can result in bruises and serious lacerations. In addition to the decorating process, employees can also slip and fall over loose wires being used to power holiday decorations.

Something important to note about being injured because of a holiday decoration mishap is that you’re still eligible for workers’ compensation even if you weren’t performing a traditional work task. If you were following your employer or supervisors’ orders by decorating something, you are eligible for workers’ compensation in the event that you become injured.

Fires

Fires caused by decorations are a great concern during the holidays. Even outside of the holiday season, fires are the most common cause of workplace injuries, and this risk increases during the holiday season. When businesses fail to follow fire code guidelines, they put their employees at risk. Employers and employees who decorate should always make sure that they plug electronic devices into appropriate outlets, and they also need to avoid overloading outlets, which can also catch fire if the circuit breaker fails to trip.

Christmas trees can also pose a serious fire hazard. Businesses need to avoid placing Christmas trees near an open flame or another heat source. Additionally, dried-out trees pose a greater risk for catching on fire, so you need to keep the tree hydrated.

Temporary Workers

Businesses typically employ more temporary workers during the holidays than the rest of the year. There’s often a greater workload and many full-time employees take time off during the season to spend time with their families.

Temporary workers often only work for a business for a few weeks during the holidays, and this can lead to improper training. Companies often don’t invest the same amount of time and resources training temporary workers in comparison to the rest of their staff because they know the temporary employees will only be there for a short time. Temporary employees’ lack of adequate training greatly enhances their likelihood to become injured on the job.

If a temporary employee becomes injured on the job, they’re often covered by the workers’ compensation of the temporary work agency, but the business where the injury occurred could bear partial or full liability depending on the situation and the work agreement.

Contact a Workers’ Compensation Attorney For Your Holiday Injury

The holidays are a dangerous time of year for workplace injuries, and if you become injured while at work, you need to seek workers’ compensation so that you’re not paying out of pocket for medical bills and lost wages. Even when you have a solid claim, employers and insurance companies often take evasive measures to avoid paying you the full benefits you deserve, so you need to contact seasoned workers’ compensation attorneys.

Here at Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe PLLC, our attorneys represent victims of workplace injuries across Louisiana and Mississippi. We’ve helped numerous clients receive the compensation they deserve, and we’ll assist you through the entire claims process. For expert legal support, call our Jackson office at 601-983-2667, or call our New Orleans office at 504-788-2994. We also offer free case evaluations, and you can schedule your evaluation by clicking here.

Due to the severe nature of these types of injuries, they often require expensive medical treatments and surgeries in order to recover. In addition to medical expenses, victims may also be unable to work while recovering, which leaves them without a source of income. Some victims may even become permanently disabled and unable to work for the rest of their lives. For this reason, it’s crucial for burn victims and their loved ones to work with an experienced attorney to ensure they receive the full compensation needed to cover all expenses related to the injury.

At Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC, we have experience helping injured victims and workers in Louisiana navigate their personal injury and workers’ compensation claims. We understand how traumatizing a burn injury can be and will do everything we can to guide you through the legal process to ensure you receive adequate compensation for your pain and suffering.

Pursuing Compensation After a Burn Injury

When pursuing a claim for a burn injury, there is no set amount that you will be awarded. Instead, there are several factors that must be taken into consideration before the courts, or an insurance company can determine how much a victim is owed for their injuries and losses. Typically, when someone is injured, they will file one of two types of claims: a personal injury claim or a workers’ compensation claim.

Personal Injury

You would pursue compensation through a personal injury claim if someone’s negligent actions were the cause of the accident and the injury. Negligence is shown by proving that (a) someone owed a duty of care, (b) they failed to uphold their duty, and (c) the injury was a direct result of their negligent actions.

This means that in a personal injury case, fault (negligence) must be proven for the victim to be awarded damages.

Damages that a victim can be awarded compensation for include:

• Medical expenses
• Loss of wages
• Loss of future income if the injury leaves the victim disabled and unable to return to work
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring, disfigurement, and permanent disability
• Emotional anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Workers’ Compensation

You would pursue damages through a workers’ compensation claim if the injury was the result of a workplace incident. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault benefit, meaning you are entitled to these benefits without needing to prove that anyone was at fault. Unlike a personal injury claim, however, with workers’ comp benefits, you are only eligible for compensation to cover medical expenses and loss of wages.

If your injury occurred as a result of a workplace incident and was also a direct cause of someone’s negligent actions, you may be able to file both a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury claim or lawsuit to pursue additional compensation to help cover any necessary expenses. Pursuing one claim can be complicated enough on its own, however, let alone pursuing a second claim or a lawsuit. In these cases, it is essential that the victims work with an attorney who can help guide them through the process.

Types of Burn Injuries

Generally, there are four types of burns that a person can suffer from:

1. Thermal burns: Thermal burns tend to be the most common type of burn injury. They occur when the victim comes into direct contact with flames, steam, hot materials, or hot liquids.
2. Chemical burns: Chemical burns occur when someone’s skin is exposed to toxic or destructive chemical substances.
3. Flash burns: Flash burns occur when the victim is too close to an explosion.
4. Inhalation burns or injuries: Inhalation injuries occur when the victim inhales smoke or other harmful vapors that are released into the air during a fire or when handling noxious chemicals.

Burn Injury Treatment

There are a number of treatment options available to burn victims depending on the type of burn injury they sustained and how severe it is. Treatments can include:

• Mist/Water-based therapy
• Fluids for dehydration
• Pain medications
• Burn creams and ointments
• Antibiotics
• Burn dressings
• Physical therapy
• Surgeries such as skin grafts and plastic surgery

An Experienced Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help

If you have suffered from a burn injury, our attorneys can help. Burn injuries are not something to take lightly and can have lasting and traumatizing effects on a person’s life. Not only that but the financial burden that follows a severe burn injury in the form of medical expenses and lost wages can be additionally difficult to deal with. Let our team of experienced personal injury and workers’ comp attorneys help you file your claim to ensure you are awarded the full amount of compensation you need and deserve.

For help with a Louisiana workers’ compensation claim, contact the workers’ compensation lawyers at Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe, PLLC for a free consultation.