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.  

Dangerous Healthcare Worker Jobs

Healthcare workers face many factors that contribute to injuries and illnesses. Many work in environments that involve sick patients who carry transmittable infections and diseases. Additionally, healthcare jobs are often fast-paced, creating a stressful work environment that can contribute to illnesses, such as high blood pressure. Healthcare workers also face the risk of injury from repetitive movements and violence. Some healthcare workers that are especially vulnerable to developing workplace injuries and illnesses include:

• Medical assistants
• Hospital orderlies
• Nurses
• Certified nursing assistants
• Nursing home workers
• Emergency medical technicians
• Physical therapists

Types of Healthcare Worker Injuries

Healthcare workers can develop many different types of workplace injuries or illnesses. Some common types of healthcare work injury and illnesses include:

• Repetitive motion injuries: Healthcare workers can sustain injuries from repeated motions that they perform daily, such as lifting patients. Repeated movements that require workers to overexert themselves can lead to musculoskeletal injuries. Healthcare workers who have an especially high risk for developing repetitive motion injuries include orderlies, nursing aides, and assistants.
• Slip and fall accidents: Slip and fall accidents are incredibly common in the medical industry. Medical facilities require constant cleaning of surfaces to prevent the spread of infections, and hospital cleaning staff need to keep areas sanitary. Slip and fall accidents often result from wet floors from cleaning products. Additionally, areas may be slick from improperly cleaned spills.
• Violence: Tragically, registered nurses are three times more likely to experience workplace violence than other workers. Healthcare workers are at high risk of being attacked in the workplace because of their patients. Healthcare workers often interact with injured criminals as well as patients with psychiatric disorders. Patients who are under the influence of drugs can also be hazardous to healthcare workers. Additionally, patients’ friends and family members can harm healthcare workers. Workplace violence can cause both physical harm and emotional harm to healthcare professionals.
• Lacerations and punctures: Healthcare facilities are full of sharp tools that are used to treat and inject patients. A puncture wound from a needle can also cause serious harm to healthcare workers. Medical professionals can contract bloodborne diseases, infections, and illnesses from sick patients.
• Sprains and strains: Healthcare workers often suffer from strains and sprains because they have to perform physically exerting activities, including moving patients. They can develop chronic muscle strains from repetitive movements, and they can suffer from acute strains from overexerting their muscles on the job.
• Back injuries: Many different healthcare workers have to lift patients or heavy objects on a daily basis. Repetitive lifting can lead to back muscle strains and herniated discs. Additionally, healthcare workers can suffer from spinal cord damage if they experience a slip and fall.
• Workplace illnesses: Healthcare workers are frequently exposed to a variety of contagious illnesses from patients. Contracting an infection, virus, or disease may require extensive medical treatment.

Workers’ Compensation for Healthcare Workers

If you suffer from a workplace injury or illness, you should qualify for workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation awards you benefits to reimburse you for medical bills and rehabilitation associated with your workplace injury or illness. Additionally, workers’ compensation pays for ⅔ of your wages if you’re unable to work because of your condition. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, so you are not required to prove that someone else was at fault in order to receive benefits, and you’re still entitled to benefits even if you were partially or fully responsible for your injuries or illness.

Healthcare workers often suffer from injuries or illnesses due to another person’s negligence, but it’s important to note that you cannot sue your employer for a workplace injury or illness, meaning you cannot receive damages beyond workers’ compensation if your hospital or facility was at fault. If another employee or a patient was at fault for your injury or illness, you can file a personal injury claim against them.

Contact a Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Although receiving workers’ compensation benefits after developing a workplace injury or illness should be an easy process, employers and their insurance companies often make it challenging. Insurance companies may argue that your workplace injury or illness isn’t serious, or they may try to argue that you developed your condition away from work.

If you’re an injured or ill healthcare worker struggling to receive the workers’ compensation you deserve, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. We’ve helped numerous Mississippi residents prove their workers’ compensation claims, and we’ll help you maximize the amount you’ll receive.

Call our Jackson office today at 601-983-2667, or you can schedule a free case evaluation here.

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.