Working with heavy machinery can be dangerous. One Massachusetts worker had to learn this the hard way after he suffered leg-crushing injuries when skid loader he was operating contacted a dump truck. The public works employee was crushed behind the loader’s controls, and it took firefighters nearly 20 minutes to free him from the vehicle. Though the employee’s injuries are considered non-life-threatening, that does not mean that they are not life-altering.
Suffering a work-related injury can be catastrophic for an individual. In addition to the obvious physical pain that accompanies such an injury, he or she may have to go through extensive rehabilitation, miss a lot of work, and incur massive medical debt. When taken as a whole, these damages can leave a victim questioning why this happened to him or her and why he or she must pay the price.
Fortunately, these individuals may not have to handle the burden by themselves. Instead, those who are injured on the job may be able to recover workers’ compensation. Massachusetts employers carry this type of insurance which is meant to help injured workers recover money to help pay medical expenses and recoup lost wages. It is hoped this will allow a worker to remain financially steady while he or she reaches a full recovery and returns to work.
However, sometimes the workers’ compensation claim process can be infected with difficulties. Claims can be denied for various reasons and may leave a worker looking for answers and fairness. An attorney can help these individuals fight for the compensation they deserve by working to show the injury arose out of the worker’s scope of employment. This may mean showing unsafe working conditions, employer negligence, or an occupational disease.
In the end, though, workers who put their lives on the line for their employer should be taken care of in the event of an accident. A lawyer can help fight to ensure that ideal is upheld.
Source: The Boston Globe, “Chelsea firefighters extricate injured worker from excavator,” Catalina Gaitan, May 22, 2014
