Do you think that you need the services of a lawyer to help you recover for your injury and damages that you have suffered? Each year there are thousands of persons that lose their rights due to no action taken by them. There are many reasons that you should explore your rights sooner than later. Many states have only a limited time, called a statute of limitations, that you can even bring suit. The sooner you bring suit the sooner evidence can be collected instead of “disposed of” by the other side. Richard J. Plezia is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and can help you with your injury case.

If your hurt on the job read further, or if your injured outside of work, explore this website and call today with your questions. Your call is free.

What Should You Do?

The personal injury lawyers at Richard J. Plezia & Associates welcome your questions about your legal problems.  We are here to listen to you and advise you on your possible options.  We offer experienced, knowledgeable, and relentless representation in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.  Our practice focuses primarily on people who were injured due to negligence or the carelessness of another person. Whether you have suffered an on-the-job injury or any other type of accident that was caused by someone else, we are experienced in handling your case.

If you have been injured on the job there are several crucial important steps that you should always take.

First Steps

If you are hurt on the job, you should follow these simple steps to protect yourself:

Call for medical help.

If you are suffering a medical emergency, get help immediately – but make sure you tell the person treating you that you have a work-related injury.

Report your injury

Your boss or immediate supervisor should be informed as soon as possible of your injury. If the injury is something of an immediate nature, such as a trip or fall, let them know as soon as it happens. If your injury is of a more gradual nature, such as hearing loss or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, let them know as soon as you are aware that it is work-related.

Fill out a accident report form as soon as possible

. Most jobs require that you report an incident immediately.  Follow your employer instructions in reporting the incident, but don’t sign your rights away until you have sought the advice of a lawyer that is experienced in your type of case. It may be worth finding out what rules your job has in place.

Document everything

. It is vital to keep well-documented records of the injury or accident, what witnesses were there, what medical care you received etc. You should also keep copies of all correspondence, including letters, emails etc, from doctors, bosses etc. Keep track of when you missed work and make sure you have a list of all dates – and that they are accurate.

Get a lawyer

. If you feel your needs are not being met by your employer and that you are not getting the right medical care or compensation you need, you might need extra help.  Your not required to only see the doctor that is recommended by the employer.   Many “Company Doctors” are only interested in protecting the company.  You have the right to be seen by a doctor that will be there to help YOU.

Remember, however, that most personal injury lawyers settle out of court, to avoid the hassle and legal fees that a court appearance would entail.

What is Worker’s Compensation?

Also known as Worker’s Comp, these are laws to protect workers that might vary a bit from state to state, but are basically the same. When you are working for your employer or doing something to benefit your employer, you can covered by Worker’s Comp.  If you are covered by Worker’s Comp, that may be the only remedy that you have.  You should speak to a lawyer even if your covered by workers compensation because there may be other recoveries that you are not aware of in your claim.

Not everyone is protected by worker’s comp, however, such as people working for independent contractors, federal workers, railroad workers, Jones Act seamen and those working at sea or at a harbor. Also, you are covered if you do not have a Green Card, and you will not have to show it to apply for compensation.

If your employer says your injury will not be covered by Worker’s Comp, check with a lawyer.  There may be other avenues that can be explored to protect you and your family.

If you have a loved one that is killed by a work related incident, you should not delay getting a lawyer immediately.  Even if an employer has workers compensation, if the death was caused by the gross negligence of the employer, you may be entitled to compensation.

When Only a Lawyer Will Do

If you have been injured because of your employer’s negligence and feel you have not received adequate compensation, you may want to hire a personal injury lawyer. Usually there is a specific time frame in which you can file a lawsuit, which will vary from state to state, so check first to make sure your time has not already run out.

The best rule of thumb is to find an attorney familiar with both the laws of your state and your injuries, then take it from there. Keep in mind, however, that work accidents happen for all sorts of reasons. Maybe someone should have cleaned up that spill on the marble floor immediately, instead of letting it fester until someone slipped in it. With other types of accidents, however, it can be less obvious who is at fault.

The following are all taken from real accident scenarios…

Nursing home orderly Debra was cleaning and changing the sheets on a patient’s bed when she tripped over a cord that was improperly placed by another employee. Who’s at fault?  The nursing home, for not providing adequate training to employees.

Rueben was working in a warehouse and was told to deliver a computer tower rack that weighs several hundred pounds. When offloading the tower, it rolled and fell off the truck taking Rueben with it. Who’s at fault? The employer, for not giving employees training to protect their colleagues.

Don was lashing two barges together. To get to the middle barge the captain made him use an A frame ladder improperly leaned against the second barge like a straight ladder.  The ladder slipped making Don fall hurting his back.  Who’s at fault?   The employer for giving faulty equipment to its employees to get the job done.

Accidents on the job happen all the time, and it can be notoriously difficult to prove who is at fault. If you have been hurt and feel you have a lawsuit against your employer, you may have a legitimate case.   Do not hesitate to  contact us.  Our consultation is free and we can advise you on the best method for proceeding.

We offer free personal injury consultations. We charge you nothing unless your case is won so feel free to call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and let us know how we can help you. You can call us at : 713-800-1151 or fill out a contact form here on our website.