Suffering severe burn injuries on the job is unfortunately common in the United States. According to the National Institute of Health, more than 40 percent of all burn deaths are related to explosions and fires in the workplace, and other studies have found that workplace burn injuries account for a majority of burn injuries nationwide. The American Burn Association reports that nearly half a million people were injured in burn accidents in 2016, with 40,000 being hospitalized. Injured workers are often worried about how they will recover the compensation they deserve. Our team of Houston personal injury lawyers is here to help.
Types of Work-Related Burn Injuries in Texas
The most common types of workplace burn injuries include:
- Thermal burns, resulting from contact with a flame, boiling liquids or steam, or by touching solid hot objects, like engines, tools, or pipes
- Chemical burns, from when soft tissue like the skin, ears, eyes, and internal organs coming in contact with synthetic corrosive substances or compounds including solvents, acids, or oxidizers
- Electrical burns, when the body makes contact with a direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) via electrified water or a functioning electrical wire or socket
These kinds of burns can be categorized in progressing severity as first-degree, second-degree, third-degree, and fourth-degree burns, with fourth-degree being the most severe.
Texas Burn Victims Can Fight Back
When a dangerous working environment leads to burn injuries and other work-related accidents, victims and their families have the right to fight back — especially when their injuries were caused by the negligence of employers, contractors, or owners. Victims should consult with an experienced Houston workers comp attorney at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD to pursue the full value of their claim. You and your family may be legally entitled to financial compensation for your damages.
Workers Comp or Work Accident Lawsuit?
If you’ve been severely injured due to a burn injury on the job, you have a right to pursue legal action. Financial compensation can come from workers’ comp insurance, but that is often insufficient to cover the full value of your damages. A burn injury lawsuit or work accident lawsuit may be required to compel employers to pay what they owe to victims for severe injuries suffered on the job.
Texas law favors employers and large corporations, not the workers who support these businesses. In fact, Texas is the only state in the country that doesn’t require employers to provide coverage for workplace injuries. Because of this fact, nearly half a million workers in the state are left on their own after suffering a burn or other injury at work. Your own employer may not provide workers’ compensation insurance, and if your employer does provide it, there is usually a lot of red tape that makes it hard to claim payments for work-related injuries.
Houston Workplace Injuries
Being injured on the job can be potentially devastating for victims and their families. 5,250 people nationwide were killed in workplace accidents in 2018 alone, a 2 percent increase from the previous year. Those who are unfairly injured on the job need a Houston workplace injury lawyer who will fight for their deserved compensation. The legal team at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD is dedicated to helping those unfairly injured on the job. We believe in holding businesses accountable for negligence, carelessness, and misconduct that results in severe or life-threatening injuries. Give us a call today at 713-840-7200 to see what we can do for you. Your focus should be on your own physical, emotional, and mental recovery so you can return to your normal life.
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