The nearly 40,000,000 residents of California and more than 4,000,000 businesses operating in the state rely heavily on the grid to provide the electricity they need to function. Currently, more than one-third of that power production comes from natural gas generation processes, while solar power accounts for an additional 20%. However, the state always strives to capitalize on energy production processes that are safe for the planet and reliable for residents and businesses. The most promising of these alternative power sources is wind energy, which provides roughly 7% of the power used in the state. The facilities providing wind power include:
- Pomona Energy Storage Facility in Pomona built in 2017
- Beacon BESS 1 in Kern County built in 2018
- Crimson Energy Storage in Blythe built in 2022
- El Centro BESS in El Centro built in 2016
- Escondido Energy Storage in Escondido built in 2017
- Mira Loma Energy Storage Facility in Ontario, built in 2017
- Vista Energy Storage System in Vista, built in 2018
- Gateway Energy Storage in Otay Mesa built in 2020
- Battery Storage Project in Long Beach, built in 2021
- Vistra 500kV in Moss Landing, built in 2021
With the number closing in on a dozen, the demand for qualified employees to work at the wind farms is also increasing at a steady pace. Workers who are willing to learn the necessary skills and safety processes are finding they can earn good wages and enjoy a fast paced and active job in the wind farm service industry. However, the downside to this employment is that the work often takes place hundreds of feet in the air after a long climb up a ladder carrying tools and essential equipment.
If you or a loved one recently suffered a workplace injury while at a wind farm, please know that the dedicated team at Normandie Law Firm is here to help. Our staff can be reached 24/7 to answer your time sensitive questions and help you understand how to open a California worker’s comp claim and the services and benefits it provides to a worker who is hurt while on the clock. In addition, we hope that once you have gotten any medical care needed to treat your wind farm workplace injuries, you schedule a free consultation with a wind farm injury attorney at Normandie Law Firm to discuss the incident and any options you have to seek compensation for the losses and expenses you incur because of harm you sustained while working at your regular job.
Once you have gotten this valuable information, you are free to pursue any action you choose. You are not obligated to hire Normandie Law Firm, nor will you be pressured to pursue legal action. Our only goal is to ensure that all workers who get hurt while on the job understand their rights and the benefits that are available to them to assist in overcoming financial hardships created by a workplace injury. But please reach out to our staff quickly, as the time limit to take specific actions can be more limited than you might expect.
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Common Injuries Suffered By Wind Farm Workers
As you might have discovered already, working on a wind farm can be a challenging and sometime hazardous career choice. However, many workers feel the risk is well worth the rewards of earning a good living and providing a clean power source for the communities in California. So they continue to maintain these facilities and work as carefully as possible to avoid suffering injuries due to one of these common safety hazards that occur in these work settings:
- Workers falling
- Falling objects striking and injuring a worker
- Getting hurt lifting or carrying heavy or bulky objects
- Trip and fall injury incidents
- Slip and fall injury incidents
- Equipment related injuries
The Harm Suffered By Wind Farm Workers
The good news for wind farm workers and their loved ones is that the majority of workplace injury accidents result in minor injuries or certainly harm that is not life-threatening. However, there are cases of severe injuries or even loss of life due to one or more of these severe and life-altering injuries:
- Partial or complete amputations
- Compression injuries
- Back, neck, and spinal cord damage
- Severe lacerations or puncture wounds that can involve damage to internal organs and internal bleeding
- Complete joint dislocations and destruction of the connective tissue of joints
- Contact or electrical burns, shocks, or electrocution
- Broken or shattered bones
- Damage to the delicate skin if the face or the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
Head injuries that can range from a severe concussion or skull fracture to a brain bleed ot other traumatic brain injury
If you are involved in an accident at a wind farm, please seek immediate medical care and a complete evaluation of the harm you suffered to ensure you get the proper medical care as quickly as possible. Then, reach out to Normandie Law Firm to discuss your ability to open a worker’s comp claim and seek other compensation for the harm caused by your workplace injury incident.
Am I Covered By Worker’s Compensation?
It is essential for all wind farm workers to understand that they are covered by the California worker’s comp program and can receive benefits if they are hurt while on the job. The state requires all employers to participate in the program and cover all costs to enroll employees. The program was created to eliminate the added stress and expenses sustained by an employee who is hurt while on the clock. It focuses on providing benefits that help the victim financially so that they can focus on healing and return to work without excess debt created by the harm they sustained at work.
The Benefits Provided By Worker’s Compensation
One of the most worrisome expenses when you get hurt is the medical bills, which can add up quickly. Workers fear returning to work after healing from their injuries only to have thousands of dollars in medical bills that they must pay off. The worker’s comp program has determined that the best way to assist an injured worker is to provide full payment of all medical expenses related to their workplace injuries up to a total of $1,000,000 per injury incident. These funds can be used for hospital and doctor’s bills, prescribed medication, essential medical devices, and much more. In addition, it is common for the medical care provider to bill worker’s comp directly and you are never required to pay any deductible or co-pay for the care you receive.
Lost income is another challenge faced by workers who suffer serious harm and must miss work until their injuries have healed. To offset lost income during recovery, the program will pay you up to 66% of your regular weekly income to offset your living expenses and other bills. In cases that involve severe harm and permanent or partial disabilities, you can receive long-term payments as well. Finally, if the damage you sustained will prevent you from ever returning to your job at the wind farm, you can get free vocational training to help you secure a new job when your recovery is complete. Please reach out to Normandie Law Firm if you need help opening your worker’s comp claim or are being told by your employer that you are not eligible to use this program.
Can I Sue My Employer For A Wind Farm Workplace Injury?
In most cases, employees are not permitted to file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer for getting hurt on the job. They are limited to using the benefits of the worker’s comp program to cover their losses and expenses. However, in cases involving the employer’s gross negligence, there could be grounds for a lawsuit. In these cases, the employer must have completely disregarded staff safety, which caused or contributed to your injury incident. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Normandie Law Firm to discuss your claim and determine if gross negligence was a factor.
How Long Do I Have To Take Action After My Wind Farm Injuries?
Victims of a workplace injury incident must open a claim with worker’s compensation within 30 days of the injury incident. If they wait longer than 30 days to open the claim, the time limit will have expired, and their request will be immediately denied, giving them access to no assistance. If you have grounds for a lawsuit, the time limit to file your claim with the court is two years from the date of the incident. Again, this time limit is strictly enforced, and you will lose the right to seek justice and compensation after the time limit has expired. It is also vital to understand that there are minimal exceptions that would provide the victim more time to file a lawsuit once the time limit has passed. Please get in touch with Normandie Law Firm today to discuss the facts of your wind farm injury incident while on the job and the time remaining for you to seek assistance in covering your losses and expenses.
How Can I Afford To Hire Normandie Law Firm For My Wind Farm Case?
At Normandie Law Firm, we understand that money is likely to be very limited after suffering an injury. You are trying to survive with no income and could face mounting medical bills and other expenses. So, it is typically impossible to consider paying upfront legal fees charged by many law firms to seek help in getting any compensation owed to you. Therefore, the Normandie Law Firm payment policy is simple and client-friendly. We never demand any deposit or upfront payment from our clients. Instead, we only get paid after the case is resolved, and they have the compensation needed to cover their legal costs. In addition, if the Normandie Law Firm wind farm injury attorneys fail to win your case, you owe the firm nothing for its time and financial investment in preparing, filing, and litigating your case. Please reach out to our staff quickly to ensure you understand your options and the time limits for using the services available to you.
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Can I File for Workers Comp if I Leave my Job?
