Warehouses are essential for storing large amounts of products and inventory for distribution around the country, our modern economy could not exist without them. They are also vital because they provide countless jobs for the community. Unfortunately, these environments often pose significant safety risks, and it is not uncommon for workers to suffer severe and life-changing injuries while working in these massive warehouses.
After sustaining injuries at work, you are likely eligible to collect workers’ compensation. However, the process of filing for benefits can be a frustrating one and most warehouses fight all claims very hard. It is often beneficial to reach out to an accomplished workers’ compensation attorney for help navigating the process. Contact an experienced Middletown warehouse worker injury lawyer at The Law Offices of Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz, and Bhaya for help filing for financial awards if you were in a harmful incident.
Common Warehouse Injuries
There are many ways a person can get hurt in a warehouse. Most injuries are severe and require time off to recover, as well as medical care and follow-up treatment.
A seasoned Middletown warehouse worker injury compensation attorney could review the details of the incident and help file a claim to collect workers’ compensation while they heal. Some of the most common causes of these injuries include:
Forklift Incidents
Forklifts are used in warehouses for moving items around. Yet, it is vital that an employer thoroughly trains their employees prior to clearing them to operate. Simple mistakes can quickly turn into severe injuries for the operator or other workers around them. While forklifts are very useful, if use incorrectly they can seriously injure someone.
Falling Object Injuries
Because warehouses are often full of products and merchandise, they are often stacked high in order to save room. Warehouse workers commonly suffer injuries after falling objects hit them. Blows to the head from a heavy object can cause significant damage, such as spine and neck injuries.
Crush Injuries
Warehouses have numerous kinds of large machinery to break down boxes and containers. Heavy equipment can easily cause crush injuries for workers who use them, which is why employers must adequately train all employees that use, or are in the presence of, powerful machinery.
Workers’ Compensation Protocol
When an individual endures a harmful injury while working in a warehouse, there are strict protocols the worker must follow, or they risk losing coverage. Per Delaware Code Title 19. § 2341, the injured person has 90 days to report the incident to their employer and two years to file for workers’ compensation benefits. If the worker sustained radiation or other industrial disease injuries, they have one year to file a claim for benefits.
Per the state statute, the team member also has the right to see doctors of their choosing for treatment and the employer must pay for all medical care related to the injury. It is in a person’s best interest to reach out to a warehouse injury lawyer in Middletown immediately following a workplace incident. A knowledgeable attorney could ensure that an injured individual follows the process correctly so that they receive the benefits they are entitled to.
Meet With a Middletown Warehouse Worker Injury Attorney
If you suffered a severe injury while working in a warehouse, you may become overwhelmed with the financial and legal aftermath, not to mention trying to focus on your own physical recovery. Sadly, these injuries can have devastating consequences for you and your entire family. However, workers’ compensation protections are in place to help you through this difficult time.
While Delaware follows the no-fault workers’ compensation rule, it can be a complex process for approval. Reach out to a dedicated Middletown warehouse worker injury lawyer to schedule a consultation. Do not waste time and risk losing your right to collect compensation. Call The Law Offices of Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz, and Bhaya today.