Birmingham Work Injury Lawyers

If a negligent party other than your employer caused your injury, you might be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Contact the Birmingham work injury lawyers with Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. at (205) 933-1500 today to discuss your options.

How a Work Injury Lawyer Can Help You

A work injury attorney can guide you through a workers’ compensation claim and help you understand if your case is suitable for a personal injury lawsuit. Although the situation that causes these two claims may be the same, they are very different.

Alabama Workers’ Compensation

A workers’ compensation claim allows you to receive compensation for your lost wages, disability, and medical expenses. The workers’ comp insurance company usually pays your medical costs directly, and you don’t have to worry about those bills at all.

However, there is a limit on how much they will pay in lost wages and disability, including:

It’s best if you can work with a Birmingham workers’ compensation lawyer who can help you file a claim and manage the process in case your employer or the insurance company tries to deny or delay any part of your claim.

Personal Injury Lawsuit

If a third party – other than your employer or a coworker – causes your injuries while on the job, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation.

This may include the manufacturer of a piece of equipment, a property owner, or someone else. Many people and companies can be liable for your injuries.

A work injury lawyer can help you identify everyone at fault. That way, you don’t leave anyone out of your lawsuit. Your entire claim may be dismissed if anyone is left out, even if you have a strong case.

Your attorney can help you:

• File necessary legal documents
• Appear on your behalf in court
• Meet all required deadlines

Even personal injury cases have deadlines in Alabama. If you don’t file your claim within two years of your injury, it may be dismissed. This is called the statute of limitations.

Compensation in Workplace Accident Cases

Injuries on the job will likely have significant losses. A work injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve to cover your damages, including money for:

While every claim is different, these elements generally make up the value of a personal injury lawsuit. A work injury attorney can gather information from you and other sources to determine how much your case is worth.

Then, your lawyer will negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company. You may even be eligible for a lump sum settlement through workers’ comp.

Most Common Workplace Accidents

Workplace accidents are common in Alabama. Each year, there are more than 37,000 nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses and 70 fatalities on the job, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Most of these injuries occurred in manufacturing, and more than half resulted in:

• Days away from work
• Job transfer
• Job restrictions

Some of the most common injuries on the job are caused by the following:

Construction Site Accidents

According to the BLS, construction site injuries and illnesses accounted for about 1,700 of the 2014 workplace injuries in Alabama. These may occur due to:

• Defective equipment
• Negligence of a coworker
• Inadequate safety gear
• Falling objects
• Trucking accidents

Farm Accidents

Farms are unique workplace locations. It is difficult to know how many workplace injuries occurred on farms because such workers are often contractors or self-employed and do not qualify for workers’ compensation, which tracks workplace accidents.

However, as one of the top poultry-producing states in the U.S., Alabama certainly has many workplace accidents on farms.

Vehicle Accidents While at Work

If you are injured while driving to or from work, your injury probably isn’t considered a workplace accident; however, if you were driving somewhere for work during work hours, your injury is likely related to your job.

Suppose a motor vehicle accident caused by another driver while you were in the scope of your employment resulted in an injury. In that case, you may be entitled to recover both traditional personal injury damages from the at-fault driver and workers’ compensation benefits from your employer.

Industrial Accidents

In 2014, there were more manufacturing injuries than any other type of workplace injury. Industrial accidents can be severe and may result in broken bones, cuts and bruises, sprains and strains, head injuries, burns, disability, disfigurement, and even death.

Dangerous Machinery

Nearly every workplace has some form of machinery on site. If there was a flaw in the design or manufacturing of that machinery, it might cause severe injuries.

A machine’s design or manufacturing problems cannot be noticed without professional inspection from lawyers familiar with product liability cases.

How Our Birmingham Work Injury Lawyers Can Help You

An effective lawyer knows the law and understands how to work the legal system to your benefit. When you file a workers’ compensation claim through the Alabama Department of Labor, your attorney should stand by your side until you get back on your feet.

If you need to file a third-party personal injury claim, your work injury lawyer at Belt, Bruner, & Barnett P.C. can help you with the necessary documents and legal process to remove stress from your life. We will make sure you get the compensation you deserve.

Call us today at (205) 933-1500 or use our online contact form to reach out.