Any worker who must weld as part of their job faces dangerous duties involving heavy machinery and hazardous material. Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed general requirements to prevent injuries to welders, many workers still suffer injuries every year as a direct result of welding accidents.
If you suffered injuries due to a welding accident, you might want to contact the legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We can explain how a Los Angeles welding accident lawyer can help you exercise your legal right to receive compensation for your injuries. Call us today at (800) 529-9122 to get started.
Causes of Welding Accidents
Welding accidents occur for many reasons in the workplace. The process of joining two pieces of metal together with substantial heat carries with it some inherent risks. Some of the causes of welding accidents in the workplace include:
- Unsafe construction sites or worksites.
- Failure to handle equipment properly.
- Failure to receive proper training.
- Failure to receive proper and functioning safety equipment.
- Failure to provide proper staffing, resulting in overworked and overtired employees.
- Negligence or recklessness of an employee welding while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Failure of another company or independent contractor to properly monitor, train, or provide functioning safety equipment for its workers.
- Manufacturing defects of the welding or safety equipment.
Types of Welding Injuries
Not only are there many causes for welding accidents, but these accidents also can result in several types of welding injuries. Some of these injuries include:
- Eye injuries, including vision loss, due to looking at the arc (called “Welder’s Flash”).
- Burns from fire, sparks, or flammable materials.
- Infrared radiation exposure.
- Electrocution.
- Skin injuries other than burns.
- Ultraviolet light exposure.
- Inhalation of toxic fumes.
- Hearing loss due to a loud work environment.
- “Welder’s Parkinson’s Disease,” which an article in the journal Neurology states could stem from manganese exposure in welding fume.
For a free legal consultation with a Welding Accidents Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 529-9122
Determining Liability
In some cases, a worker will have the legal right to pursue a workers’ compensation claim following a welding accident at their place of employment. However, there are other circumstances where a victim of a welding accident in the workplace has the right to file a claim directly against another person or entity, including a product manufacturer.
In these cases, a victim will bring either a personal injury case or a product liability case (manufacturing defects) to receive compensation for their injuries and losses.
A Los Angeles welding accident lawyer can help you determine who might be liable for your injuries and fight for the compensation you may be entitled to receive. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a free case review with a team member to see if any of these third parties could be held responsible for your injuries.
Welders
Welders themselves may have personal liability regarding a welding accident to other workers at the job site if the injuries suffered were directly a result of their recklessness, carelessness, or negligence. If a welder attempts to weld at a workplace without proper training, without proper care, without adequate safety equipment, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, their reckless behavior could result in a catastrophic injury or death of another person. In these cases, the welder may be found responsible for their actions and could be held liable for the injuries or losses suffered by the victim.
Independent Contractors or Other Companies
Worksites often bustle with activity, with different independent contractors or companies all working simultaneously to finish a construction or other type of project. In these cases, workers from different companies will work in the same physical area to complete a job.
If one worker suffers injuries due to the negligence or carelessness of a worker from another company or an independent contractor due to their failure to follow OSHA safety guidelines and regulations, the victim has the legal right to file a claim independently against that other person or entity.
Manufacturing Defects
If a manufacturer places a product in the stream of commerce that later harms a victim due to a defect or flaw, the victim has the legal right to pursue a product liability case against the manufacturer.
Often, product liability cases take a considerable amount of investigation and time to prove. If you feel that you suffered any injuries from a welding accident because of a manufacturing defect, you might want the assistance of an attorney to help you pursue a claim against the manufacturer. It is important to note that a victim of a manufacturing defect or flaw does not have to prove negligence by the manufacturer, but simply that a defective product existed in the stream of commerce and caused their injuries.
Los Angeles Welding Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 529-9122
Compensation for Welding Accidents
If you suffered injuries because of a welding accident, you might have the right to receive compensation related to your injuries and losses. You may be facing astronomical medical bills, an inability to work due to your injuries, and continued pain and suffering. You may have the legal right to pursue the following types of compensation:
- Medical bills: This category includes emergency room or doctor visits, diagnostic testing, prescription medicines, surgeries, or physical therapy or mental health treatments. You may also have the legal right to pursue medical bills that a physician indicates you are likely to incur in the future.
- Lost wages: You may be unable to return to the workplace and earn wages, as well as experience diminished earning capacity if you suffered severe enough injuries. This could also impact your ability to earn the same level of wages over the rest of your lifetime.
- Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering can include both physical pain as well as mental anguish.
- Wrongful death: If a loved one died because of their injuries from a welding accident, you might be able to recover damages such as funeral costs, loss of future income, loss of consortium, and more.
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Consider How a Lawyer Can Help You Today
If you suffered injuries related to a welding accident, you might want to learn how a Los Angeles welding accident lawyer can explain your options and who may have liability and responsibility regarding your injuries. You may have the legal right to pursue a personal injury case—or even a product liability case due to a manufacturing defect. You can contact our legal team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 529-9122 today for a free case evaluation.
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