The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) provides regulatory structures that businesses need to follow to safeguard their employees. There are other agencies involved, as well and, in some cases, they are specialized, such as the special branch of OSHA that deals with mine safety. If you’re injured in the workplace, remember the following information.
Training Matters, and Is Required
For some tasks, laws require that employees are adequately trained. For example, if your employer tells you to work in a confined space and you haven’t any confined space entry training, that may be contrary to the law, depending upon your situation. Equipment operators have to be trained and people who work on some types of machinery are required to have special training. The reasons for these regulations and requirements is that people are in real danger to life and limb when training requirements aren’t met. If you’ve been injured at work because an employer told you to take on a job for which you were not trained, talk to an attorney.
Intimidation By Your Employer
Your employer holds your whole livelihood in their hands. They can take away your paycheck or otherwise make your life miserable. If you’re being intimidated out of taking action by your employer, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer. You may be looking at more than a lawsuit over the injury alone. There are specific responsibilities that employers have to their employees and, when they do not uphold them and an employee is injured, the employer may be held to have been negligent in causing that injury.
Talking to an Attorney
Talking to an attorney is always confidential. In fact, client/attorney privilege is one of the most ancient protected relationships in the world. Your employer is not going to find out about you talking to an attorney from that attorney themselves, so be sure you don’t let that intimidate you out of taking action to protect and promote your own interests.
Injuries and Negligence
When someone is negligent in a way that causes you an injury, they are sometimes vulnerable to being sued. When an employer doesn’t live up to the reasonable expectations placed upon them under the law, they are sometimes vulnerable to these types of lawsuits. If you’ve been injured and you’ve been caused pain and suffering, medical expenses and other harm, you should talk to an attorney.
Suing Your Employer
Filing a lawsuit against an employer is a big decision. Make sure you have an attorney at your side that is up to the challenge. Depending upon what company you’re suing, they may have tremendous legal resources with which to defend themselves. To maximize your chances of winning, you need an attorney who will be able to take them on in front of a jury.
If you’re injured in the workplace and end up being offered a settlement by your employer, be sure to contact an attorney right away. Taking the money without asking an attorney first is always a bad idea.