Many employees never think twice about climbing a ladder as part of their daily tasks. It might be to reach materials stored on a shelf or to place merchandise on displays or shelving. However, this climb above the floor or ground level can significantly increase the potential for injuries if you lose your balance and fall. So, when you are exploring job opportunities, know that working as a decorator, landscaper, or even as a stock person in a local store, you might be required to climb a ladder during your workday. And that simple task could result in harm that will alter the rest of your life.
Even a short fall of a few feet from a small ladder can cause massive trauma to the body when you land on a concrete floor, a pallet, or other objects that could be near the base of the ladder. In addition, many employers are not investing the time to discuss ladder safety and the precautions you should take when climbing even a foot or two above the ground. This lack of training and safety protocols can result in you suffering injuries that will cause you pain and challenges for the rest of your life.
If you recently suffered an injury due to falling from a ladder while working, please know that you have a superior legal resource just a phone call away. The expert team at Normandie Law Firm can be contacted 24/7 to help you understand your rights as a workplace injury victim and how to open a falling ladder workplace injury worker’s compensation claim. This program provides the help injured workers need after suffering a fall from a ladder or injuries because a ladder they were using fell and dropped them to the ground. Our experts will answer all your general questions on that first call and help you book your free consultation with a seasoned falling ladder workplace injury attorney at Normandie Law Firm.
When you meet with your attorney, you will relate the details of the injury incident to them, and they will help you understand all the benefits offered by California worker’s comp as well as how to open a claim and pursue any other legal action that could provide you with added compensation to cover your losses and expenses caused by your on the job injuries. But we ask that you please reach out to Normandie Law Firm quickly, as there is a time limit for you to open a claim with worker’s compensation and pursue other action that could help you cover the cost of your medical care and other losses caused by a workplace injury.
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Why Is A Falling Ladder So Hazardous?
When you think about the ladder you might use at work, it is not a massive size. But you will be off the ground by at least a few feet. When a ladder falls with a person standing on it, the result is typically the victim landing on the ladder or being flung from it as it topples. As you might imagine, landing on a metal or wooden ladder can be very harmful as can being tossed onto nearby merchandise, shelving, or tools resting on the ground. As the victim of a falling ladder in the workplace, you could suffer one or more of these often serious injuries that require lengthy medical care:
- Broken or shattered bones or compound fractures
- Back, neck, and spinal cord injuries
- Dislocated joints and destruction of the soft connective tissue of the joints
- Severe lacerations and puncture wounds that might also involve damage to internal organs and internal bleeding
- Soft tissue damage and destruction of nerves
- Facial injuries that involve harm to the delicate skin on the face, the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
- Injuries to the head that range from a severe concussion or skull fracture to more worrisome brain bleeds or other traumatic brain injuries
Please always seek a complete medical evaluation even if you feel the harm you suffered due to a falling ladder workplace incident was minor. The shock of these sudden incidents can create adrenaline that masks injuries until you have relaxed and regained your composure. The sooner you get medical care for the harm you sustain, the faster you will recover and the less likely it is that you will do anything to worsen the injuries you suffered while on the job. Then, contact Normandie Law Firm to discuss the process of opening your worker’s compensation claim and the other options that could be used to secure compensation for your losses and expenses.
Am I Covered By California Worker’s Comp?
Unfortunately, not all workers know they have the peace of mind of being covered by worker’s compensation when they get hurt on the job. The program was created to eliminate the challenges and burden of a workplace injury that in the past fell to the injured employee to handle. Most employers were not willing to cover the cost of the medical care required by these injuries, nor did they provide any aid related to the workers’ lost income. The state stepped in and created the California worker’s comp program, which requires all employers to participate and cover the cost of the service for all workers.
If you are hurt while working at your regular job, you have the right to open a claim and seek help from worker’s compensation. Your employer is not permitted to deny you access to the program or to threaten workers with a demotion or punishment for using the benefits provided by worker’s comp. If you face issues getting information related to a claim from your employer or are unsure how to access the program and benefits that are owed to you, please contact Normandie Law Firm for immediate help in securing the benefits that are owed to you for your falling ladder workplace injury.
What Benefits Are Offered By Worker’s Comp?
The California worker’s comp program provides some of the most helpful and robust benefits of any program in the country. Injured workers who open a claim within the allotted time can receive any of the following items that are applicable to their injuries and needs:
- Medical care expenses complete coverage up to $1M per workplace injury incident that is typically paid directly to the healthcare provider with no deductible or co-pay required from the employee
- If your on the job injuries prevent you from returning to work until you are fully recovered, the program will pay you up to 66% of your regular weekly income until you return to work
- If your injuries result in partial or temporary disability, the program will provide long-term payments to help offset your decreased earning potential
- Victims who suffer severe harm and will never be capable of returning to their previous job can receive free vocational training to prepare them to secure a new career after their recovery is complete
Can I Sue My Employer For My Falling Ladder Workplace Injuries?
In most cases, an injured employee is only permitted to use the benefits provided by worker’s comp to cover their losses and expenses. They are not permitted to sue their employer for added compensation. The only exception that Allows a hurt worker to sue their employer is when the incident involved gross negligence on the part of the employer. These cases must demonstrate a complete lack of concern for the safety of the employee by the employer. For example, if you were hurt by a falling ladder after you reported that the ladder you used was damaged and needed to be repaired or replaced, but your employer refused to have the ladder fixed or replaced, you could have grounds for a lawsuit. Please reach out to Normandie Law Firm today if you feel that gross negligence was a factor in the harm you suffered in the clock, and you might wish to sue your employer.
How Long Do I Have To Take Action?
A worker who is hurt while on the clock has only 30 days from the incident to open a worker’s compensation claim. If they fail to contact the program within that time but try to open a claim once the time limit has passed, the request will be immediately denied, and the victim will receive no benefits from worker’s comp. If your injury incident involved gross negligence on the part of your employer, you will have two years from the date of the injury incident to file a claim with the court. This time limit is strictly enforced, and once it has passed, you will lose the right to seek compensation via a lawsuit.
No Added Stress Or Fees At Normandie Law Firm
When you work with Normandie Law Firm, we never require any upfront legal fees or expenses. Our firm is dedicated to providing justice for all injury victims, regardless of their ability to cover these expenses. Our simple payment policy dictates that we only get paid after the case is resolved, and our client has the compensation that includes funds to cover their costs. In addition, if the Normandie Law Firm falling ladder attorney handling your case fails to win and get you the compensation you need, you owe the firm nothing for its time and investment in building the case.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Normandie Law Firm today to learn more about the rights of workplace injury victims, the process of opening a worker’s comp case, and the limited circumstances that might permit you to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer if you were hurt while on the job. But please act quickly, as the time limit to take action is strictly enforced.
