Few industrial jobs pose a greater risk to the employees than others, so employers must adhere to federal regulations and state laws to ensure the safety of their workers. However, sometimes employers end up cutting corners, putting profits over safety, or acting negligently, resulting in accidents and injuries at the workplace.
Ehline Law and our workplace accident attorneys have over 15 years of experience working with injured workers and helping them with their workers’ compensation and personal injury lawsuits. Our attorneys are not afraid to hold employers who fail to adhere to federal regulations and state laws accountable for the damages caused by their negligence or recklessness.
Contact our Los Angeles warehouse accident attorneys to discuss your case and learn more about your rights as an injured worker.
Types of Warehouse Accidents
All types of accidents can happen in a warehouse or an industrial setting, and some of the most common types of industrial accidents include the following.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Warehouses often have smooth concrete floors that can become slippery when wet or when there is debris. Slip and fall accidents can also occur due to poor lighting, loose guardrails, or uneven flooring.
Forklift and Other Vehicle Accidents
Forklifts are commonly used in warehouses to move heavy loads. When the employer fails to train the forklift operator or does not maintain the equipment properly, it can lead to devastating forklift accidents in the workplace.
Besides forklifts, warehouses often have a lot of vehicle traffic, including delivery trucks, powered industrial trucks, and other types of vehicles. Driver’s negligence or lack of floor markings to guide drivers can increase the risk of accidents, leading to catastrophic injuries.
Falling Object Accidents
Warehouses have large shelves where the employees must store the inventory before it gets shipped to the consumers. If these items are not properly secured, they can fall and cause serious injuries to the workers below.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
Warehouse work often involves repetitive motions, such as lifting and carrying heavy items. Over time, these repetitive motions can cause injuries such as tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, back strains, sprains, or other repetitive motion injuries.
Electrical Accidents
Warehouses often have a lot of electrical equipment, including conveyor belts, automated machinery, and power tools. Lack of equipment maintenance, improperly trained workers, or lack of safety gear can increase the risk of electrical accidents at the workplace.
Chemical Accidents
Some warehouses may store hazardous chemicals, which can be difficult to handle, especially if there is a lot of worker traffic at the site. Employees managing these chemicals must properly label, store, and handle them to avoid workplace injuries.
Negligence on behalf of the employee or employer can put the workers and others at risk, leading to workplace accidents.
Common Warehouse Accident Injuries
Warehouse accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, some of which can be catastrophic or life-threatening. The following are some of the most common warehouse accident injuries:
- Back and neck injuries: Lifting heavy items, repetitive motion, or accidents involving forklifts or other machinery can cause back and neck injuries such as herniated discs, sprains, and strains.
- Head and brain injuries: Falling objects or slip-and-fall accidents can cause injuries such as concussions or traumatic brain injuries.
- Fractures and broken bones: Warehouse workers risk suffering fractures and broken bones in accidents involving heavy equipment, falling objects, or slips and falls.
- Burns: Warehouses often store hazardous chemicals or materials that can cause burns if they come into contact with the skin. Workers can also suffer burns from fires or explosions due to a lack of safety gear or negligence at the workplace.
- Amputations: Electrical accidents and accidents involving heavy machinery can lead to the loss of limbs or workplace injuries requiring amputations.
- Eye injuries: Workers can suffer eye injuries from flying debris, chemicals, or other hazards in the warehouse environment.
- Repetitive motion injuries: Over time, the repetitive motions involved in warehouse work can cause injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis.
Accident victims must seek medication attention following their injuries immediately. Prolonging treatment can lead to medical complications and even jeopardize their industrial accident claim.
Can You Recover Damages After a Los Angeles Industrial Accident?
It’s essential for warehouse owners and managers to take steps to prevent accidents from happening, such as adequately training workers, maintaining equipment, implementing safety procedures, and following federal regulations and state laws. Failure to carry out their responsibilities is negligence for which injured workers can seek compensation.
Whether or not you can recover damages after a Los Angeles industrial workplace accident depends on the specific circumstances of your case. If you’ve suffered injuries as a worker while working at a warehouse or an industrial workplace, you may be able to pursue a workers’ compensation claim.
Workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory for all employers in California, including Los Angeles. It is a type of insurance that covers the injured workers lost income and medical bills following their injuries at the workplace.
When receiving such benefits, the injured workers relinquish their right to sue their employer. However, workers’ compensation insurance benefits are typically limited, and they may not fully compensate the injured worker for the damages incurred.
Sometimes a warehouse or an industrial accident can occur due to a third party’s negligence. For example, a delivery truck delivering consignment fails to exercise caution at the warehouse or the industrial site and hits a worker.
In such situations, injured workers can pursue a third-party liability claim against the third party (whether a contractor, subcontractor or any other third party) to recover financial compensation for the damages.
Although workers’ compensation claim after a Los Angeles industrial accident forgoes the workers right to sue the employer, in some situations, the worker may be able to file a personal injury claim against their employer.
Suppose an employer intentionally puts the worker in harm’s way or willingly puts them in a situation where an injury is inevitable. In that case, the worker may have grounds for bringing a civil action.
Suppose you’ve suffered injuries in a Los Angeles industrial accident. In that case, it is crucial to contact an experienced Los Angeles industrial accident attorney who can help you understand your legal rights and options.
An attorney can evaluate the case, determine whether you have valid workers’ compensation benefits or a personal injury claim, and provide guidance on the legal process.
Types of Damages You Can Recover After Los Angeles Warehouse and Industrial Accidents
Depending on the circumstances of the accident case, there are many different types of damages an injured victim can recover following their Los Angeles industrial accident.
Damages Recoverable in Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If injured victims suffer injuries at the workplace, in most situations, they may have valid workers’ compensation benefits that compensate them for the following types of damages:
- Medical and hospital expenses
- Temporary disability and lost wages
- Permanent disability
- Death benefits
Damages Recoverable in Personal injury claims
Unlike workers’ compensation which is typically limited and makes no provision for any non-economic damages, a personal injury claim allows injured victims to recover many different types of damages, including the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Mental anguish, and many more.
Under a personal injury lawsuit, an injured worker may also be able to recover punitive damages. In cases involving egregious or highly reckless conduct, the court may award the injured worker punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter similar conduct in the future.
Injured workers must discuss their case with an experienced personal injury attorney to help assess the damages they are eligible for and calculate the value of their Los Angeles industrial accident case.
Workers Compensation Claims Process
When injured workers suffer injuries at their workplace, they may be able to file workers’ compensation claims in most cases. The claims process is different than pursuing a personal injury claim and typically involves the following steps:
- Notify your employer about the work-related accident.
- Fill out the workers’ compensation form and file it with your employer within 30 days of workplace injuries.
- Go to your predesignated healthcare provider or choose one from your employer’s Medical Provider Network to receive medical treatment.
- Your employer should notify you within 90 days of filing your claim on the status of your claim. An accepted claim means workers’ compensation benefits will cover further medical care. If the claims administrator denies your claim, you can file an appeal and challenge their decision.
An injured worker must work closely with an experienced personal injury attorney to help navigate the legal system, gather evidence to support their claim and advocate for their rights. An attorney can handle the paperwork, manage disputes, and ensure you receive the benefits you deserve.
How Can Ehline Law Personal Injury Law Firm Help with Your Warehouse or Industrial Accident Claim?
Since 2005, Ehline Law has recovered more than $150 million in successful verdicts and settlements for our injured clients. If you’ve suffered injuries in a Los Angeles warehouse or industrial accident, the following are some of the ways our personal injury attorneys can help with your case:
- Providing legal advice and guidance: Our personal injury attorney can investigate the accident to determine whether you have workers’ compensation benefits or a valid personal injury lawsuit. We can guide you through the process and help you understand your legal options.
- Gathering evidence: Ehline Law firm and our personal injury attorneys know which evidence can make or break your claim, as we have successfully handled over 3,000 personal injury cases. We can help you gather evidence to support your claim, including medical records, witness statements, and other necessary documentation.
- Representing you in negotiations: Ehline Law can represent you in negotiations with your employer or the negligent party’s insurance company to help you get the compensation you deserve.
- Appealing a denied claim: If the administrator declines your workers’ compensation benefits, our reputable law firm can file an appeal and represent you in court.
- Protecting your rights: In case of a personal injury claim, we are not afraid to pursue a lawsuit against the negligent party if there is a disagreement over a fair settlement. Our personal injury attorney can protect your legal rights throughout the legal process.
Ehline Law firm has a nationwide reputation as aggressive litigators who won’t stop until we’ve gotten our clients the compensation they deserve. Having our experienced personal injury attorney on your side can make a significant difference in the outcome of your claim. We can help you navigate the legal system and ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Ehline Law’s Top Rated Warehouse Accident Lawyers
If you’ve suffered a workplace injury at a Los Angeles warehouse, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation to discuss your case. You may be able to seek compensation with help from a member of our trustworthy legal team.
