What are the causes of warehouse accidents?
Many companies such as Amazon and Walmart have warehouses in the state. Workers in warehouses are constantly moving product. The job typically involves heaving lifting and performing the same tasks repeatedly. They unload delivery trucks from loading docks, transport product with forklifts, place product on conveyers and stack pallets of merchandise on shelves. In this environment, the risk of injury is high.
Common causes of warehouse accidents include but are not limited to:
- Lifting or carrying heavy loads
- Forklift crashes
- Falling objects
- Slip and falls
- Repetitive motion
- Fires and explosions
- Exposure to hazardous substances
No matter how the accident happened, injured workers are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
What are some types of injuries in warehouse accidents?
There are a wide range of injuries that workers can suffer in warehouse accidents. These include but are not limited to:
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Amputation
- Traumatic brain injury
- Disfigurement
- Carpal tunnel
- Muscle tears and strains
- Burns
- Hearing loss
- Respiratory illnesses
Injured workers may need surgery, hospitalization, medication, physical therapy and multiple follow-up appointments with doctors. It may take weeks or months to recover from their injuries. Some workers are left with a permanent disability.
What should I do if I’m hurt in a warehouse accident?
There are several important steps you should take to protect your health and your rights.
First, get medical attention. If you are injured or sick, it’s important for a doctor to diagnose you and provide treatment as soon as possible.
Be sure to notify your employer that you were hurt at work, as soon as you can. Make this notification in writing so that you have a written record.
Another thing you should do is document your injury. If you have visible injuries, you can take photos. Gather documentation related to your injury or illness and make copies. You can also keep a journal that keeps track of your condition. For example, each day record if you are in pain, or if you are having trouble taking part in any of your usual activities.
One of the most important things you can do is to call an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.
How can a warehouse injury lawyer help me?
You deserve workers’ compensation benefits if you were hurt on the job. This may include lost wages while you get better and all medical expenses for treating your injury or illness. You may also be eligible for additional compensation if your accident resulted in the scars, vision loss, hearing loss or the amputation/loss of use of certain parts of the body.
But employers and insurance companies may dispute your claim. An experienced local attorney will know how to move your claim forward in the workers’ compensation courts in the Lehigh Valley.
Since 1991, attorney Anthony R. Vellner has been fighting for injured workers. He can help you navigate the workers’ compensation process every step of the way. He knows how to gather medical evidence. He can help you find a new doctor if you are not getting the care you need. And if your claim is denied, he will represent you at all hearings in front of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation judges.
If a third party’s negligence was responsible for what happened, you may be able to take legal action and seek additional compensation. Attorney Vellner knows how to build strong cases and fight back against insurance company attempts to minimize your injuries.
Employers and insurance companies have lawyers looking out for their best interests. You need an experienced attorney who is ready to fight for you. If you’ve been injured in a warehouse accident in the Lehigh Valley, call our firm. We have decades of experience handling complicated claims and are ready to help.
Take control of your claim. It’s important to get trusted legal advice as soon as possible after your accident. Contact us to schedule a free consultation at our Allentown or Bethlehem offices. Attorney Vellner can review the details of your accident and go over your option. He can also answer any questions that you have.
