This blog was brought to you by Carabin Shaw – Victoria Accident Injury Attorneys.

Personal Injury Law – Accident Attorneys

If you’ve been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault and suffered a personal injury as a result, contact us now for a free consultation. We handle traffic accident claims, accidents at work, slip-and-fall claims, bike accidents, fatal accidents, and claims involving uninsured and hit-and-run drivers throughout Victoria and the surrounding Crossroads region. You can learn more about our Victoria personal injury lawyers here.

Our firm handles cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. We have experience with substantial compensation claims in virtually every type of workplace, including for people who are self-employed. Contact us for a free consultation, and if we believe you have a viable claim, we’ll take on your case with no upfront cost to you.

Injured in an Accident at Work

If you were injured in an accident at work and believe your employer is at fault, you may be able to make a personal injury claim for compensation. Keep in mind that in Texas, a personal injury claim generally must be filed within two years of the date of the accident. Our Victoria work injury lawyers can evaluate what happened and explain your options. Workplace accident claims we have handled successfully include:

1. Defective or dangerous machinery, including electrocutions
2. Slips or trips on debris, wet floors, or trailing cables and dangerous surfaces
3. Manual-handling injuries from lifting heavy objects with no weight warning or proper training
4. Construction-industry injuries, building-site accidents, and collapsing scaffolding
5. Exposure to harmful or dangerous substances, including chemical burns
6. Injuries from workplace violence, whether from customers, patients, or other employees

Your Employer’s Duty to Keep You Safe

The aim of legal damages is to put you back in the position you would have been in had the accident never happened. Under federal OSHA standards and Texas law, your employer has a duty to provide a reasonably safe workplace, to warn you about known hazards, and to supply proper equipment and training. Employers are expected to assess working conditions for risks and to correct them — not only making the premises generally safe, but addressing details as specific as adequate lighting in a parking area. An employee who is provided a vehicle for work should also be able to expect that vehicle to be roadworthy and safe.

Reporting a Workplace Injury

Any injury at work, including a minor one, should be reported to your employer promptly and in writing. For a Texas workers’ compensation claim, notice to your employer is generally required within 30 days of the injury. Making sure the incident is properly documented creates a useful record if you later need time off or decide to pursue compensation, and it helps your employer identify hazards and prevent future accidents.

Subscriber vs. Non-Subscriber Employers

Texas is unusual in allowing employers to opt out of the workers’ compensation system. If your employer is a “non-subscriber” and its negligence caused your injury, you may be able to sue the employer directly for your full damages. If your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance, your claim generally proceeds through that system, which is overseen by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation. Proving fault and navigating either path requires a solid understanding of the laws and regulations that apply, which is why good legal advice is so important.

We Can Help Put Your Life Back on Track

Despite an employer’s ongoing duties, accidents that cause injuries still happen — leaving you hurt, unable to work, and struggling to keep up with daily life. We can help you move forward without the worry of losing your job. Texas employment is generally at-will, but the law protects you from being fired or retaliated against for filing a legitimate workers’ compensation claim, so victimization following a claim is uncommon. We’ll guide you toward financial assistance or benefits where available, help you get the rehabilitation and medical care you need, and pursue the best compensation possible. Even if you think you were partly, or even wholly, to blame, it’s worth asking an expert. Call Carabin Shaw today at (210) 222-2288 for a free, confidential consultation.