Expert Legal Representation for Industrial Accidents
When an industrial accident happens, you need the best possible legal backup to get the maximum compensation you deserve. Our team of expert workers’ compensation attorneys focuses on one thing: securing workers’ rights in Pennsylvania’s industrial sector.
We offer legal representation for industrial accidents that occur across a wide range of workplaces, including manufacturing, construction, chemical plants, and heavy machinery operations. Our experienced lawyers can help injured workers obtain workers’ compensation benefits and fair pay through the workers’ compensation system. We provide a free case evaluation to determine if you have grounds for workers’ compensation claims, OSHA violations, or third-party claims against negligent parties.
Let Us Take a Look at Your Case Today. Call (833) 372-3529
Why You Need an Industrial Accident Lawyer to Fight for You
Industrial accidents can get very complicated, with liability issues that go far beyond standard workers’ compensation claims. While the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system does provide some basic medical benefits and wage loss benefits, you may be entitled to a lot more. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help identify all the liable parties and pursue maximum compensation through both workers’ compensation claims and personal injury lawsuits.
Complex Liability & Beyond Workers Comp: Multiple parties could be responsible for your industrial accident, including equipment manufacturers, contractors, property owners, and safety equipment providers. Our lawyers can help identify all these parties and get you maximum compensation through both workers’ compensation claims and personal injury lawsuits.
OSHA Violations Give You an Edge: If your employer broke serious safety standards, that can make a huge difference in your workers’ compensation claim and give you grounds for extra personal injury claims. Our experienced team does thorough research on OSHA compliance records and safety violations to build the strongest case for our clients.
Get the Compensation You Deserve: Industrial accidents are a lot more severe than standard workplace accidents, resulting in higher settlement amounts to cover those medical costs, long-term disability, and any catastrophic injuries. We’ve seen cases involving traumatic brain injuries, back and neck injuries, and wrongful death settlements running into tens of millions of dollars.
Don’t Get Pushed Around by Insurance Companies: Insurance companies will fight industrial accident claims because they are expensive. They’ll deny your claim, delay your medical treatment, or pressure you to accept an offer that’s way too low. But with an experienced lawyer, you’ve got the power to get the maximum benefits you deserve.
Our Comprehensive Legal Strategy: What sets us apart? Our team of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation lawyers handles both the workers’ compensation process and the third-party claims simultaneously. This dual approach maximizes your financial compensation by securing workers’ compensation benefits while also pursuing personal injury claims for pain and suffering, lost wages, and punitive damages.
Our Industrial Accident Lawyers
Individual Worker Representation
We have helped hundreds of injured workers throughout central Pennsylvania get the compensation they deserved. Our team of experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys will handle your workers’ comp claim from start to finish and ensure you get all the benefits you’re entitled to.
Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim: We handle all the paperwork and filing of your workers’ comp claim so you don’t have to worry about it. Our team also makes sure you get all the entitled medical benefits, wage loss benefits, and disability benefits.
Pursuing Third-Party Liability: When your industrial accident was caused by a negligent contractor, equipment manufacturer, or property owner, we can help you pursue a personal injury lawsuit against those third parties. Those personal injury claims can get you compensation for pain and suffering, full lost wages, and medical expenses you haven’t been covered for.
OSHA Violation Research: Our team thoroughly investigates OSHA compliance records and documents any safety violations that contributed to your accident. This evidence will make your workers’ comp claim and any personal injury lawsuit a whole lot stronger.
Getting You the Right Medical Treatment: We work closely with your medical team to ensure that your medical treatment is properly documented and that you get the medical care you need to recover.
Union & Group Representation
Our Pennsylvania workers’ compensation lawyers also represent groups of workers and unions in complex industrial accident cases involving multiple injured employees or widespread safety violations.
Mass Tort Litigation: When multiple workers suffer from the same industrial accident, such as toxic exposure or chemical releases, we can coordinate mass tort litigation to hold your employer and the manufacturer accountable. These cases often involve a range of serious occupational diseases and illnesses.
Union Contract Disputes: We can help unions resolve contract disputes related to workplace safety and compensation. Our lawyers make sure employers stick to their safety obligations and their promised compensation for employees who get hurt on the job.
Class Action Lawsuits: When an employer has a track record of ignoring safety rules and denying workers’ compensation, we can file a class-action lawsuit to protect the rights of all affected workers. These cases can result in big settlements and significant improvements to workplace safety.
Protecting Whistleblowers: If you report an unsafe condition at your workplace but your employer retaliates against you, we can help you with federal and state whistleblower protections and ensure your workers’ compensation claim isn’t damaged by their retaliation.
Top 10 Types of Industrial Accidents We Handle
Our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys handle a huge range of industrial workplace injuries, from small accidents to catastrophic injuries that leave you with permanent disability or even wrongful death cases.
1. Chemical Burns and Toxic Exposure Incidents: A lot of workers in manufacturing plants, chemical facilities, and industrial sites get hurt from exposure to hazardous chemicals that cause terrible burns & long-term health issues, often due to OSHA violations. When these cases happen, workers may be able to claim workers’ comp and sue the manufacturers or the companies that made their safety equipment.
2. Machinery Accidents and Equipment Malfunctions: You’d be surprised at how often conveyor belts, heavy machinery, and automated equipment can cause severe workplace injuries when they break down due to poor design or bad upkeep. If that happens, workers may have claims against the equipment makers on top of their workers’ comp.
3. Construction Site Accidents: Construction workers are in a very hazardous line of work – they face risks from cranes, scaffolding, heavy equipment & working at heights. These accidents often involve multiple contractors, which can create opportunities for suing beyond just workers’ comp.
4. Explosion and Fire Incidents: Workplaces like refineries, chemical plants, and manufacturing facilities are at high risk for explosions & fires, which can lead to serious injuries, huge medical bills & wrongful death claims. It usually requires experienced legal help to sort out the complicated liability issues.
5. Fall Accidents from Industrial Structures: Accidents from falls off ladders, elevated platforms, scaffolding & other industrial structures can be really bad – often causing head trauma, spinal cord damage & broken bones. These accidents often are due to safety equipment failing or inadequate fall protection systems.
6. Electrocution and Electrical Burn Injuries: When there’s faulty wiring, bad electrical safety procedures, or bad electrical equipment, you end up with electrocution injuries and electrical burns. These cases may involve workers’ comp claims and personal injury lawsuits against the electricians or equipment makers.
7. Repetitive Stress Injuries: Workers on production lines, doing heavy lifting or doing the same motions over & over, can get cumulative trauma injuries to their backs, necks, shoulders & joints. While these can take time to develop, workers’ comp will cover them & they may involve ergonomic safety violations.
8. Transportation and Material Handling Accidents: Forklifts, industrial vehicles, loading docks, and material handling equipment can all cause serious workplace injuries. Sometimes, if equipment is leased or other companies are involved, you may have a third-party liability case.
9. Crushing Injuries and Equipment Collapse: Falling objects, equipment collapse & material handling accidents can be devastating, causing crushing injuries that require long-term treatment & care. These cases often require maximum compensation for lifetime medical bills & loss of earnings.
10. Respiratory Illnesses from Industrial Exposures: Asbestos, silica dust, chemical fumes, and other airborne toxins can cause serious respiratory problems & occupational diseases. These require specialized medical documentation & may involve claims against multiple manufacturers.
Our Process for Industrial Accident Cases
Step 1: Emergency Response & Evidence Preservation
When serious industrial accidents happen, you need immediate legal help to protect your rights and make sure the evidence is preserved before it can be tampered with or destroyed by employers or insurance companies.
Right on the Scene: We rush to the accident scene to document equipment condition, safety violations & any physical evidence while memories are fresh & evidence is still available. We photograph the scene, collect maintenance records & talk to witnesses before they forget.
Making Sure Your Medical Records Are Correct: We work with your doctors to make sure you get the medical support you need and that your records show how your injuries relate to the workplace accident. That’s crucial for both workers’ comp and personal injury cases.
Protecting Evidence: We send out notices right away to make sure the equipment isn’t fixed or replaced so we can get an expert to take a close look at it for court.
Step 2: Thorough Investigation
We dig deep to find out who’s at fault & to build a strong case for workers’ comp by proving safety violations & employer negligence.
Going Through OSHA Records: We get & analyze 5 years of OSHA records, inspection reports & safety complaints for your workplace to see if there were any patterns of safety problems that your employer knew about but didn’t address.
Talking to Experts: These industrial accident cases often need specialized help from safety engineers, medical specialists, accident reconstruction experts & industrial hygienists. We work with people who know the technical side & can explain it simply to judges & juries.
Figuring Out Who’s Responsible: We identify all the people or companies that could be held responsible – it’s not just your employer – it might be the folks who made or maintained the equipment or even the property owner. Sometimes there are multiple sources of compensation beyond workers’ comp.
Step 3: The Strategy Behind the Case
We work on multiple fronts at once, using workers’ comp and personal injury lawsuits to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.
Filing Your Workers’ Comp Claim: We get your workers’ comp claim filed right away to start collecting your medical & wage loss benefits. Our lawyers handle everything to do with workers’ comp, including any court cases or hearings.
Making Sure You Get Your Due: We work with the insurance companies & your employer to get you the benefits you’re owed, and we don’t stop there. We keep working to get you the maximum amount possible for your injuries and any lost income.
Third Party Liability Lawsuits: When Third Parties Caused Your Workplace Injury
When you got hurt on the job because of a negligent third party, we pursue personal injury claims to get you extra compensation for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced, all lost wages, and medical expenses that workers’ comp won’t cover.
Filing OSHA Complaints: Holding Employers Accountable
We file proper OSHA complaints and work with the regulators to make sure your workplace is safer and that employers face the consequences of their negligence.
Step 4: Fighting for You – Aggressive Negotiation & Trial Advocacy
Our Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers battle aggressively to get you the most money possible through tough negotiating and courtroom fighting when settlement talks fall short of getting you a fair deal.
Getting a Good Settlement: We negotiate with multiple insurance carriers and the parties at fault to make sure you get a settlement that covers all of your medical expenses, lost wages, and future care needs. Our lawyers know all the tricks insurance companies use, and we know how to beat them at their own game when they try to lowball us.
Prepping for Trial: When insurance companies refuse to give you a fair deal, we take your case to court, all prepared and ready to go to battle. Our reputation for winning and our trial experience usually get insurance companies to come around and offer you a fair settlement before we ever step foot in a courtroom.
Long-Term Planning: When your injuries are going to require a lifetime of care, we’ll make sure your settlement is set up to give you the financial security you need to live the rest of your life comfortably. This might mean lump sum payments, structured settlements, or working with financial planners to make sure you get all the disability benefits you’re entitled to.
Frequently Asked Questions About Industrial Accident Claims
How Much Compensation Can I Expect to Get?
Industrial accident settlements can vary all over the place – from a few thousand bucks for minor injuries to millions for severe ones. The amount you get will depend on how badly you got hurt, how much medical care you’ll need in the future, how much you lost out on in wages, and how much fault the other parties had.
Workers’ Compensation Covers the Basics: If you’ve got a work-related injury, you’ll be covered by workers’ comp for medical bills and up to 66% of your wages. These benefits will last as long as you’re unable to work.
Third Party Claims Really Add Up: If you can prove that a third party was responsible for your injury, you might be able to get extra compensation for pain and suffering, all your lost wages, and even punitive damages. These claims aren’t limited by the same rules as workers’ comp, so you could end up getting a lot more money.
What Determines the Settlement Amount? It all depends on the severity of your injury, how much medical care you’ll need, how much you’ll lose out on in wages, how much fault the employer had, and who else might be at fault. If you’ve got an injury that’s going to require a lot of long-term care, you can expect to get a bigger settlement.
What If My Employer Says the Accident was My Fault?
Pennsylvania’s a no-fault state for workers’ comp, so you’ll still get benefits even if you made a mistake that led to your injury. The only exceptions are if you were drunk or intentionally hurt yourself – but those cases are pretty rare.
Workers’ Comp is No-Fault: Even if the accident was your fault, you’ll still get workers’ comp benefits. The only exceptions are for injuries caused by your own drunkenness or self-inflicted harm.
Third Party Claims Work Differently: But when you’re suing a third party, it’s a different story. Those cases follow comparative negligence rules, which means you can still get some compensation even if you were partially at fault. Your award will just get reduced by the percentage of fault you had.
Employer Retaliation is Strictly Forbidden: By the way, if your employer tries to retaliate against you for filing a workers’ comp claim, that’s a serious no-no – and we can help you sue them for that too.
How Long Do I Have to File an Industrial Accident Lawsuit?
Pennsylvania’s got strict deadlines for filing different types of industrial accident claims, and if you miss those deadlines, you might be out of luck.
Worker’s Compensation Deadline: You’ve got 120 days to report your injury to your employer and 3 years to file a workers’ comp claim. It’s a good idea to get that paperwork in as soon as possible to make sure you don’t lose any rights.
Personal Injury Lawsuits: For third-party claims, you’ve got 2 years from the date of the injury to file your lawsuit. This deadline is strictly enforced, so it’s really important to get in touch with a lawyer right away if you’ve been seriously hurt.
Occupational Disease Claims: If you have a condition that developed over time, such as a respiratory problem from chemical exposure, the rules are a bit different. You have up to 3 years from the date you were diagnosed or should have known the problem was work-related to file a claim.
Wrongful Death Claims: If someone died in an industrial accident, you’ve got 2 years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. These cases need to get moving quickly, so it’s good to get a lawyer on board right away.
Get Free Advice, No Strings Attached: We’d like to offer you a chance to sit down with one of our lawyers for a completely free consultation; no obligations, no pressure. We’ll take a close look at your workplace injury and let you know exactly how Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation laws might apply to your situation. Our team has done this all before, so we’ll be able to walk you through all the options available to you when it comes to getting the compensation you deserve.
Don’t Wait – Act Fast: With workplace accidents, time really can be against you. If you don’t get moving pretty quickly, you might miss your chance to gather the evidence you need to back up your claim. Protect yourself by getting in touch with us as soon as possible after your accident. That way, we can get started on investigating and documenting everything right away. Whether it’s your workers’ compensation claim or a potential suit against a third party.
Call us today at (833) 372-3529 for your free consultation.