Long Beach Electrical Vault Explosion Injures 5
An electrical vault exploded in Long Beach in the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 20th, 2018. The vault was being serviced by private contractors when it blew up. The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. The Southern California Edison vault is located at Golden Shore and West Seaside Way.
As a result of the explosion, five of the private contractors were transported to hospitals to be treated for their injuries. The extent of the injuries was not revealed.
Following the incident, a power outage occurred, affecting nearly 100 customers in the area.
Southern California Edison had no comments on the accident.
Compensation for Contractors
Although independent contractors are not covered under worker’s compensation laws, private contractors who are affiliated with a business are likely covered under the company’s injury policies. The client for whom the business is working, though, would likely not be held liable for the damages.
It is important that contractors file any claims they have for any injuries they received on a job. They can file the claim with their parent company. Clients do not assume responsibility for the damages that contractors suffered; the dangers and risks were likely laid out, and it is the parent business’s job to ensure its workers have safe conditions.
Injured workers can legally pursue compensation for their wages if they were hurt during the scope of employment. California allows workers to collect worker’s comp even if they did not cause the accident, and they can receive a portion of their wages from the company. The doctor selected by the company will consider the injuries and determine a disability rating. This will be one of many factors used to work out the compensation amount.
Earnings from a Worker’s Compensation Claim
Injured workers can have different types of damages covered if they file a claim. The most common is the reimbursement of lost wages , which will allow you to recover income. You may also be able to file for disability.
Disability may be temporary or permanent, and it could be partial or total. This refers to the length of time you can receive the disability and the extent of the damages, or how able you are to work. If you are severely injured to the point that you cannot work for a short period of time, your doctor may recommend temporary total disability; for example, if you break a bone or need to go to rehab for some time but you are expected to make a full recovery. However, a permanent injury, such as a severed limb, could result in you needing constant care, or you could not be able to resume your job.
You could also have the medical bills that you accrued paid off. The company can authorize a certain amount of immediate coverage and then have the rest taken care of later. However, in some cases, it is possible that your employer will try to avoid paying such bills.
It is crucial, then, that you contact a worker’s compensation lawyer who can assist you.
Third-Party Lawsuit
There are times when another entity contributed to an accident. If Southern California Edison did not properly set up the electrical vault or if it had dangerous hazards located nearby, the company could be held responsible for the ensuing injuries. High degrees of negligence may be the catalyst for third-party lawsuits accompanying worker’s compensation claims.
Who Choose Normandie
Normandie Law Firm can make sure that you receive the compensation you deserve if you were hurt in an electrical vault explosion accident. Your employer should be held responsible for your injuries; you should not be expected to cover your own expenses if you were hurt because you were tasked with something. Your employer must protect you and ensure that you are not in danger; an accident can mean that he failed in that duty, and as a result, should be held liable for the injuries. We will aggressively work to secure you the maximum compensation for your claim, and we will not stop negotiating until we are satisfied with the result.
Call our offices today to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our expert attorneys. We can answer any questions you have about the legal process and what you will need to do to sufficiently file a worker’s compensation claim. You should always take action as quickly as possible, as worker’s compensation claims have a statute of limitations of 1 year from the date of the injury or discovery of the injury.
If you choose us to represent you, we will give you our zero fee guarantee. This promises that you won’t have to spend a single penny of your own money on our services – we will cover the expenses ourselves, and if we lose, you do not have to pay our attorneys for their efforts. Iff we win, we collect a portion of the settlement as payment.
For more help filing a lawsuit for the electrical vault explosion in Long Beach, reach out to the expert attorneys at Normandie Law Firm in Los Angeles.
