Workplace Injury Attorneys in Mobile, AL

You’re used to working hard, but that does not mean you have to suffer after a work injury. If you have been injured at your workplace — whether a construction site, a harbor or an offshore rig — you have the right to seek compensation to cover your current and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Where you work and how you were injured will determine the process you need to follow to seek compensation.

At Hedge Copeland, PC, we have in-depth experience representing clients who have been injured in all types of workplace accidents in Alabama. Our attorneys focus exclusively on personal injury law, and we have a successful track record with even the most complex cases. We are not one of those firms that takes every client that comes through the door. We take a limited number of cases, and we are dedicated to providing the strong personalized representation our clients need and deserve.

We represent Alabama workers in a variety of industries in cases involving workplace injuries, including but not limited to:

• Construction site accidents
• Workers’ compensation claims and appeals
• Longshoreman claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
• Maritime law and Jones Act claims
• Offshore oil rig accident claims

Different Laws Cover Different Workers

Depending on where you work, different laws may apply to your situation. If you have suffered an offshore injury or are a harbor worker with a longshore claim, it is important to work with an attorney who understands the nuances of these areas of law. We have decades of experience representing injured workers across numerous industries in the Mobile area, and we can help you navigate the claims process particular to your industry. As seasoned trial lawyers, we are committed to fighting for our clients in and out of the courtroom.

Common Injuries that Happen in the Workplace

There are hundreds of thousands of workplace accidents each year. Some workplaces are more dangerous than others, but accidents and injuries can happen in any work environment – regardless of your occupation. Some of the most common workplace injuries include:

• Slips, trips, and falls;

• Being struck by/struck against events;

• Cuts and lacerations;

• Electrocutions;

• Getting caught in between/crush injuries;

• Gas leaks, fires;

• Chemical burn injuries;

• Machinery and equipment accidents;

• Structural collapses;

• Repetitive stress injuries;

• Muscle strains;

• Vehicle crashes and collisions;

• Exposure to toxic substances.

Many of the workplace injuries that occur each year are serious and even catastrophic. These injuries can result in victims being out of work for an extended period of time, if they are ever able to return to work at all. In the worst cases, a workplace injury can turn fatal, leaving families devastated by the loss of someone close to them, and at the same time, putting them in financial hardship because they lost one of the breadwinners in the household.

Recovering Compensation after a Workplace Injury in Alabama

Workplace accidents can result from lack of proper training or supervision, lack of company policies that prioritize safety, and failure to adhere to government safety standards. As we talked about earlier, your avenues for recovering compensation after a workplace accident injury will depend largely on where you work and who/what caused your injury.

The vast majority of Alabama employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. When an employer is covered by workers’ comp, this is usually the first place an employee will go to obtain compensation for their injuries.

Workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” system that provides benefits to employees for work-related injuries or illnesses, regardless of who was at fault. There are a few exceptions to this, such as self-inflicted wounds and violations of company policy, but in general, if the injury is work-related, the employee is entitled to benefits. Workers’ comp provides reimbursement for necessary medical expenses, a percentage of lost wages, rehabilitation and retraining, and permanent disability.

Recovering workers’ comp benefits is not always easy, however. The claims process is complicated and confusing, and some employers and their insurers deny claims without merit in an effort to frustrate employees into giving up on the benefits they deserve. If you are having any trouble obtaining workers’ compensation benefits, give our office a call to take a look at your case.

As a trade-off for being a no-fault system, employees are generally barred from bringing a personal injury lawsuit directly against their employer or a negligent coworker. But there are some exceptions to this rule as well. For example, if your injury was caused by the willful conduct of a coworker, you may be able to bring a personal injury claim against them. These cases can be difficult to win, however, and there is a high burden of proof that is required.

If you are a seaman and you do a significant amount of your work on a ship or boat, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit against your employer under the Jones Act. There is a lower burden of proof needed to win a Jones Act claim, and plaintiffs can recover damages not only for direct economic losses such as medical bills and lost wages, but also for noneconomic losses such as pain-and-suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life.

Finally, if your workplace accident injury was caused by a third party other than your employer, you may be able to bring a personal injury claim directly against the responsible party. Some common scenarios in which a third party could be at fault for a workplace injury include:

• A workplace accident that is caused by a subcontractor who is working nearby the injured employee;

• A motor vehicle accident that is caused by another driver while the employee is driving somewhere on company business;

• A slip and fall accident that happens at an off-site location during a company-sponsored event;

• A defective piece of machinery or equipment that malfunctions and causes injury to an employee.

With every workplace accident, there is a unique set of circumstances. Our attorneys will take an in-depth look at your case and explore every potential legal avenue toward recovering the full and fair compensation you deserve.

Get Help After a Workplace Injury

In order to protect your right to compensation for a workplace accident, it is important to obtain strong legal counsel as soon as possible. The workers’ compensation claims process has specific deadlines, and Alabama also has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits. The sooner you get an attorney involved, the better your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome in your case.

At Hedge Copeland, we are ready to go to work for you. For a free consultation with one of our lawyers, message us online or call our office today at 251-432-8844. We are committed to helping hardworking people in all industries, and we never charge a fee unless we recover compensation for your injury.