Have You Been Injured at You Work? Speak Up!
Facing an injury while at your work or your employers time can be a scary and devastating experience. You may be afraid to speak up and say something to those in charge out of fear of losing your position or for being blamed for something that was out of your control. Maybe you simply do not want to put your employer in harm’s way if the situation could have been avoided on their end. But it’s important for you to speak up!!
Don’t fear the boss, call us.
In the event that you have experienced a workplace injury at your place of work in Fort Lauderdale or the greater South Florida area, we at Wolf & Pravato, a leading personal injury law firm in Fort Lauderdale, can alert the proper authorities about your workplace injury and take the appropriate steps to ensure that your rights are protected, and that you receive the care and compensation you deserve.
Wolf & Pravato distinguishes itself from the other Florida personal injury attorneys because of decades of experience and the legal resources to handle virtually any case that involves personal workplace injury or injuries to loved ones. Wolf & Pravato guarantees its clients that all cases will be handled by an experienced personal injury workplace attorney, coupled with the most innovative and knowledgeable legal support staff in the profession. Wolf & Pravato has a reputation of being a progressive firm, and is trusted within the legal community, often being called upon to settle cases that other personal injury law firms may not be able to completely handle on their own. Whether by trial or strategic negotiation, Wolf & Pravato wants its clients to be able to safely and quickly return to a normal life, which means their team will spend dedicated time providing tireless legal representation in every aspect of each and every client’s case. We have dealt with hundreds of work-related lawsuit cases.
We at Wolf & Pravato want to make sure that not only are your rights protected and you are taken care of in these circumstances, but we also want to make sure you do not find yourself on the wrong side of the courtroom. In order to avoid being named as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit, be careful that while you are performing tasks at work, you are aware of your surroundings so that if something were to happen, it cannot be construed as negligent. It’s also important to watch what you say when “speaking up” about your injury you received while working, should one occur.
Do not let feelings of sympathy get in the way and make you say things like “I’m sorry” or “It was my fault” as this can be deemed an admission to being responsible for the incident at hand. Lastly, do your homework. Take the time to research all of the laws that govern you and your place of occupation. Wolf & Pravato want you to remember this very important piece of advice:
Do not think that ignorance of the law can protect you.
Our goal at Wolf & Pravato is to empower each of our clients with the knowledge needed to take the proper steps when involved in an accident or experiencing an injury in the workplace. We want to help keep you safe and prevent further incidents from happening in the future.
The biggest thing to remember when involved in an accident at work is that there is a fixed amount of time you have to bring in a lawyer and file a lawsuit in Broward County, Florida. This is referred to a statute of limitations. If you want until after the statute of limitations to file the suit, the court will throw it out. The time frame officially begins at the moment of injury. Wolf & Pravato does not want this to happen to you, which is why we want to stress how important it is to speak up as soon as possible when you have experienced any kind of injury in your workplace.
There are many steps you can take in order to protect yourself and your rights while on the job. By doing your part of take precaution, you can prevent injuries and accidents from being a regular occurance. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupation Safety and Health Administration, commonly known as OSHA, is responsible for establishing guidelines and practices that are meant to be followed in order to keep employees safe. OSHA employer requirements include practices such as communicating with employees about potential hazards on the work site so these can be avoided and prevented, creating a safety manual with training procedures to inform employees of precautions and guidelines, display all OSHA regulations so employees are aware of them, provide employees with safe tools and equipment, remove hazards from the workplace that could cause harm; report potential exposures to hazardous materials and toxins to employees and the proper employee health services.
If you feel that your employer is not properly following OSHA regulations, you can file an anonymous report to have your site inspected for safety conditions. If fear of being fired keeps you from filing a report, do not worry. Although the report is anonymous, it is illegal for an employer to threaten, demote or fire an employee for filing such a report.
If it is found that your employee is in fact not complying with the guidelines, they can be considered negligent if an accident occurs. If you do happen to experience an injury while working, it’s important to know how to go about filing a claim. Before anything else, get the medical treatment needed for your injury while working. Take note that if you have Worker’s Compensation, you must go to the doctor or medical provider listed in your company’s policy. You also should note that in the event that your injury is covered by Worker’s Compensation, it may prevent you from being able to file a lawsuit. An attorney at Wolf & Pravato would still be able to assist you as you go through the process, and explain the next steps. If the worker’s compensation does not cover all of the injury-related expenses, there is a chance you can still bring forth a lawsuit.
After you have received the proper medical treatment for your injury you received while working, make sure to get two copies of a written report from your doctor or medical provider — one to keep for your own records, and one to give to your employer. At this point, you can contact Wolf & Pravato to have one of its attorneys appraise you of your rights, and learn whether you are able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Remember to act quickly so as to not become victim to an expired statute of limitation.
If you are currently in need of a personal injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale or greater South Florida area, Wolf & Pravato is here to help. To schedule an appointment, call 954-633-8270 to schedule a consultation, or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
