Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that can poison you at work if enough of it builds up in your bloodstream. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to meet certain standards for CO exposure and to take preventative measures to protect their employees, CO poisoning still happens. 

If you are poisoned from CO at work, you have a right to file a workers’ compensation claim to recover benefits. These benefits are available to you without the need to prove fault. Even if you know the exposure occurred as a result of your employer’s negligence, workers’ compensation was invented to protect employers from being sued. 

For this reason, it’s important to work with an attorney to ensure you get the full benefits from your workers’ compensation claim that you deserve. Even if your employer failed to provide a safe environment, you can only recover compensation through workers’ comp benefits and will likely not be eligible to file a lawsuit for further damages—unless, however, a third party is to blame. 

If you need help filing a workers’ compensation claim or have questions or concerns about liability and recovering further damages beyond what workers’ compensation provides, contact a local Louisiana workers’ compensation law firm. They can review your case and offer you guidance on how best to proceed, ensuring you get the benefits and compensation you deserve for your carbon monoxide poisoning. 

What Workers Are Most at Risk of Suffering from CO Poisoning While on the Job?

Carbon monoxide is a gas that often results from the incomplete burning of materials containing carbon. This can include gasoline, natural gas, kerosene, propane, oil, coal, and even wood. Various workplaces involve the use of machinery and equipment that run on these materials, such as blast furnaces, forges, vehicles, and internal combustion engines. This is why CO poisoning is such a problem in workplace environments and why employers must take measures to mitigate CO exposure. 

Workers who are most at risk of being exposed to carbon monoxide include:

• Welders
• Firefighters
• Mechanics
• Organic chemical synthesizers
• Longshore workers
• Forklift operators
• Diesel engine operators
• Maritime workers
• Tollbooth and parking garage attendants
• Taxi drivers or other types of rideshare drivers

Symptoms of Work-Related Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The danger of carbon monoxide is that it is difficult to detect without special devices because it has no odor, color, or taste. So it’s important for workers to know the signs and symptoms of potential CO poisoning so they can move to a more ventilated area and seek emergency medical attention. 

Common signs and symptoms of CO poisoning in the workplace include:

• A dull headache
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion
• Shortness of breath
• Blurred vision
• Loss of consciousness

If CO poisoning happens often or is left untreated it can result in permanent brain damage, cardiac complications and heart damage, fetal death or miscarriage for expectant mothers, and death. 

How Employers Can Help Prevent Carbon Monoxide Exposure at Work

Employers are required to provide a safe and healthy workplace and to adhere to OSHA standards for CO exposure. If they fail to take preventative measures, it is your right as an injured worker to file a claim for workers’ compensation to cover your medical expenses and lost wages while you recover from CO poisoning. 

Preventative measures that employers should take according to OSHA CO guidelines include:

• Install a working ventilation system
• Stay on top of machine and equipment maintenance to reduce CO formation
• Prioritize electric, battery, or compressed air-powered tools, machinery, and equipment over gas-powered engines
• Provide carbon monoxide monitors for individual employees
• Test air quality regularly for CO levels, particularly in areas where CO is likely to be present
• Provide adequate safety gear such as a breathing apparatus and respirators to those workers most likely to be exposed to high levels of CO
• Properly train and educate workers on CO safety and possible sources of exposure

Connect with an Experienced Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Attorney

If you’ve been poisoned due to carbon monoxide exposure in the workplace, connect with a local Louisiana workers’ compensation attorney for assistance. Though you don’t need to prove fault to be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, it is not uncommon for insurers to deny claims or reduce benefit amounts for various reasons. So it’s helpful to have an attorney on your side who can protect your rights and ensure you are awarded the full amount you deserve. 

It is also possible that a third party could be responsible for the CO exposure. In this case, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the guilty party in addition to filing your workers’ comp claim. Understanding how to navigate these various legal processes, however, can be a challenge and you will need someone to guide you through to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible and works out to your benefit. 

For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Louisiana, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. After-hours visits are available. 

In this blog, we’ll cover what you need to know about shipyard injuries in Mississippi, and some important things to keep in mind when pursuing a claim.

Hazardous Conditions Shipyard Workers Face

Shipyard work is not a safe job. it is a dangerous environment where serious accidents can take place and cause permanent harm or even death. There are a number of hazards workers may face on a daily basis including:

• Exposure to benzene and other toxic chemicals
• Inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers from asbestos insulation products
• Slip and falls
• Electrical accidents
• Fires and explosions
• Forklift accidents
• Heavy machinery injuries
• Equipment collapses
• Ladder accidents
• Winch accidents
• Crane accidents
• Rigging accidents

Many of these accidents can lead to such severe injuries that a person may never be able to return to work. Even if the injury sustained is not permanent, it will likely require a long recovery time.

The Most Common Shipyard Accidents

Many shipyard accidents take place as maintenance is being performed on sea vessels. These duties are extremely dangerous for workers, and companies are expected to take the necessary precautions to ensure their employees’ safety, but they commonly do not. However, even when all workers take the proper safety precautions, accidents still happen. Some common reasons for these accidents include:

• Coworkers’ mistakes
• Exposure to hazardous materials
• Heat, fires, and explosions
• Mechanical failures
• Slip and falls

Keep in mind, these benefits are available on a no-fault basis, meaning you will likely be eligible for compensation even if your mistake caused the accident which led to your injury.

The Most Common Injuries in Shipyard Accidents in Mississippi

As previously stated, shipyard accidents can lead to all kinds of serious injuries. You will need to seek immediate medical attention after sustaining a shipyard injury even if your employer tries to encourage you not to, or to see a company doctor instead. Don’t forget you have the right to choose any doctor you want for medical attention and are not required to see a doctor your employer suggests. Some of the most common shipyard injuries include:

• Broken and dislocated bones
• Burns
• Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Crushing injuries
• Hypothermia
• Hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
• Inhalation and exposure injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Overexertion injuries
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Sprains, strains, and tears

Following medical attention, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible after sustaining a shipyard injury. The steps you need to take will differ based on your specific case, as will the type of benefits you are eligible for, so don’t make a mistake that could potentially jeopardize your recovery.

Contact a Mississippi Shipyard Accident Lawyer Today

As an injured worker, you have a right to claim workers’ compensation benefits, but standing up to a denial on your own can be challenging. In our law firm, our dedicated legal team has years of experience practicing exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation law. We are prepared to take on any case and handle the task of ensuring your benefits are promptly and fully paid. This includes helping you with claim denials and appeals if necessary.

For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Mississippi, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. After-hours visits are available.

However, though new warehouse jobs are generally good for the economy, they are not necessarily ideal work environments for employees. Despite Amazon being a billion-dollar company, they are known for slacking when it comes to the health and safety of their workers.

In general, warehouse work is inherently dangerous and comes with an increased risk of injury. On a daily basis, workers perform numerous tasks that are labor-intensive and work with machinery, equipment, and materials that can put them at risk of sustaining injuries. So when an employer does not do their part to provide a healthy and safe environment, it can increase the number of incidents that occur.

If you sustain a warehouse injury while working for Amazon or any other employer, contact the workers’ compensation experts at Lunsford, Baskin, & Priebe, PLLC. We help injured workers in Louisiana and Mississippi file claims to ensure they get the full amount of benefits they need to cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages.

Amazon is Notorious for High Workplace Injury Rates

Amazon is one of the largest e-commerce retailers in the country, growing its workforce from 33,700 to nearly 1.3 million between 2010 and 2020. Unfortunately, Amazon’s greed for money and speedy supply and demand processes places its workers under significant amounts of stress. As such, Amazon has earned itself a bad reputation for work conditions and now has the highest rate of injuries for warehouse workers.

In 2020, Amazon reported around 5.9 serious injuries for every 100 workers, which is 80% higher than serious injury rates for other warehouse employers. Additionally, Amazon workers who are injured are reported to have been forced off of work while recovering for an average of 46.3 days, which is a week longer than the recovery time for the average injured warehouse worker.

Furthermore, after a four-year analysis, results showed that Amazon warehouses were significantly more dangerous than other comparable employers, such as Walmart. Amazon’s overall injury rate of 6.5 per 100 workers is double that of Walmart’s at 3/100, and the severe injury rate was 2.5 times more.

Common Accidents and Injuries That Occur in Warehouse Settings

Warehouse workers perform a variety of tasks that put themselves at risk daily. Some of the most common warehouse related incidents and injuries include:

• Slip and falls
• Forklift accidents
• Overexertion
• Blunt force trauma
• Hazardous material exposure

Warehouse Injuries and Workers’ Compensation

Injured warehouse workers have a right to file a workers’ compensation claim when they are injured on the job. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, meaning workers are eligible no matter how the incident occurred and without the need to prove fault. However, most warehouse accidents are the result of a negligent employer failing to provide safe conditions.

If you sustain an injury on the job, workers’ compensation can help you receive benefits to cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages. The amount of lost wages you receive will depend on how much money you typically make as well as the extent of your injury. For example, if you are only temporarily disabled and unable to work while recovering from your injury, you could be eligible to receive Temporary Total Disability benefits until your treating physician approves your return to work.

Determining how much a worker is owed both for medical and lost wage benefits can be tricky. It’s also not uncommon for workers’ comp insurers to deny benefits or have them reduced to avoid paying out too much money. This is why injured workers must consult with an experienced attorney. With an attorney on your side, insurers are less likely to take advantage and will pay you exactly what you are owed.

Connect with an Experienced Mississippi and Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Attorney

If you’ve been injured in a warehouse incident while working for Amazon or any other employer, our team of skilled workers’ compensation attorneys is here to help. We understand how intimidating it can be to file a claim against a major company like Amazon, but you have a right to receive workers’ compensation benefits without fear of retaliation or being fired.

It is illegal for any company to punish its employees for filing a workers’ compensation claim. You have every right to file a claim to get the benefits you need and deserve to help cover your medical expenses and lost income.

For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Mississippi or Louisiana, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. After-hours visits are available.

Unfortunately, despite their dangerous nature, forklifts do make transporting large, heavy items around the workplace more convenient, especially in large warehouses. For this reason, it is unlikely that employers will discontinue their use. However, both employers and their staff should take precautions and understand the dangers involved before allowing the operation of such machinery.

If you are injured in a forklift accident in the workplace, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits, no matter who was at fault. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault benefit available to eligible workers without the need to prove that someone was liable or acted negligently. However, filing for workers’ comp benefits is not always easy. Working with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can ensure you receive the full amount of benefits you deserve.

How Do Forklift Accidents Occur?

The exact nature of forklift accidents can vary depending on the individual circumstances. For example, a worker operating the forklift could become injured if they run into something, or a worker not operating the machinery could become injured from an object falling off of the forklift or from the forklift running into them. In general, whenever heavy machinery and the transport of heavy objects are involved, the risk of accident and injury goes up.

Some of the most common reasons forklift accidents occur in the workplace include:

• Lack of training: When an employer fails to adequately train employees how to use machinery and equipment, such as forklifts, it can lead to workplace accidents.
• Reckless forklift operation: Workers who act negligently of their own accord, such as using high forklift speeds, failing to watch where they are going, or failing to communicate to other workers around them, can cause accidents. Often, this is still the result of a lack of proper training and guidance from supervisors.
• Lack of signage: Workplace environments that use heavy and dangerous equipment should have proper signage throughout to warn and alert all workers to the presence of dangerous equipment, such as forklifts. A lack of necessary signage can cause accidents with these vehicles to occur.
• Improper loading: If materials and other items are not properly loaded and secured onto the forklift platform, they can fall off while in transport and injure someone.
• Poor workplace design: If a workplace is not properly set up or structured to accommodate the safe operation of a forklift, it can lead to an accident. For example, cluttered workspace or warehouses with narrow aisles and pathways can make it difficult to maneuver machinery around.
• Malfunctions and lack of maintenance: If a forklift experiences a defect or a malfunction, or if an employer fails to keep up with forklift maintenance, it can cause the operator to lose control and cause an accident.

Common Injuries That Result From Forklift Accidents

Though the injuries sustained in a forklift accident can vary, they tend to be severe and even fatal. For this reason, it is imperative that injured workers file for workers’ compensation benefits and work with an attorney to ensure their benefits are fully and promptly paid. Severe forklift-related injuries often require expensive medical treatments and time off of work. The more permanent and severe injuries may even result in the inability to ever return to work and earn an income.

Common forklift injuries include:

• Neck and back injuries
• Head injuries and traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Bruises
• Lacerations
• Fractured bones
• Crushed limbs
• Amputations
• Damage to internal organs
• Internal bleeding
• Permanent impairments
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Death

Connect with an Experienced Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Forklift accidents can be devastating. The injuries that follow can leave you temporarily or even permanently disabled, drastically altering your quality of life. Furthermore, the treatments required can be expensive, and you may miss extended periods from work or never be able to work again. In these situations, working with an attorney is often best to ensure you are awarded the full amount of benefits you need and deserve to recover and move on.

At Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC, our attorneys have years of experience dealing with traumatic workplace injury cases such as those involving forklifts. We are dedicated and determined to help injured workers get the compensation they deserve.

For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Louisiana, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC.