Charlotte Electrician Worker Injury Attorney

Charlotte Electrician Worker Accident Lawyer

If you work as an electrician, then you are well aware of the dangers that come with the job. Working with electrical equipment can pose serious hazards, such as shocks that are life-threatening. If you find yourself injured while doing electrical work in Charlotte, then you need to reach out and contact a Charlotte electrician worker injury attorney as soon as you can. Your attorney can fight to ensure that you are fairly compensated for your suffering.

Our team at The Bollinger Law Firm, PC, is dedicated to standing up for Charlotte electricians. While your workers’ compensation is there to protect you, the system can often get complicated, and you might not end up getting all of the financial support you need. Bobby L. Bollinger Jr. is a board-certified specialist in NC workers’ compensation law and can guide you through the legal hurdles during this difficult time.

What Risks Do Electrical Workers Face?

Working in construction can be rewarding and fruitful, but it is important that you are also aware of the ways you could get harmed on the job. There are all sorts of electrical injuries that might leave you temporarily or permanently injured. They might even threaten your life. For instance, all of the following are potential risks you face:

• Electrocution: One of the main risks you face when you work with electrical equipment is an electrocution accident. If you are exposed to a live electrical circuit, the current can circulate through your body and cause serious damage. Depending on the severity of your electrocution injuries, you might experience cardiac arrest, nerve damage, and even death.
• Arc Flashes: If you work with electrical equipment, you might be hurt by a sudden burst of light and heat, which is called an arc flash. If you are exposed to one, you might experience severe burns, skin damage, respiratory problems, hearing loss, and more.
• Burns: When working with heated electrical items, it is quite common for construction workers to experience painful burns. Even minor burns can cause long-term damage and disability.
• Respiratory Damage: Like other construction workers, electricians are exposed to a lot of debris and dangerous airborne particles that can cause harm to your respiratory system. These conditions can appear years after your exposure and cause long-term, irreversible damage or disease.
• Falls: You might sometimes need to work at dangerous heights if you are an electrician. This can be dangerous, especially if the equipment to reach those heights is not adequately monitored and stabilized. If you fall while at work, you might experience injuries to your head, bones, and other body parts that are difficult or near impossible to fully recover from.

What Causes Electrical Accidents in Construction Work?

Even in the safest working environments, working with electrical equipment can cause all sorts of dangerous accidents. For instance, all of the following factors can play a role:

• Lack of Protective Equipment: When you work with certain electrical equipment, you need to protect yourself. If your tour site lacks protective equipment or your protective materials are not sufficient, you might end up getting hurt.
• Malfunctioning Equipment: It is vital that everything works properly to keep you safe in electrical work. If, for example, ground fault circuit interrupters are not working properly, you could become the victim of a workplace injury.
• Poor Risk Assessment: When any electrical work is being done, it is important for any hazards to be noted and addressed before beginning the project. If this is not done, then you run the risk of getting hurt on the job.
• Hazardous Environment: If your workplace is not kept up to safety standards, you might find yourself in an electrical accident. For example, when you work with electronics of any kind, it is critical that they are kept dry to reduce your risk of electric shock. In the event that your work area is damp or wet, you could get injured.

What to Do If You Are Hurt in an Electrical Accident in Charlotte, NC

If you are a construction worker in Charlotte, NC and you find yourself injured in an electrical accident, it is important that you take the steps below to protect your health and your rights. The right accident lawyer can help guide you through them, ensuring that you do not miss any steps and receive the damages you deserve.

• Get Medical Attention:

  First things first, you need to seek help from a medical professional as soon as you can after a workplace injury. Even if you do not think you are severely injured, these types of accidents can cause serious internal injuries, so it is in your interest to get checked out by a doctor to make sure you are truly okay. Do not delay this to finish a project or attend to any other responsibilities, as time is of the essence.

  Going to see a doctor immediately after your injury is also important so that there are official medical records about the injuries you endured as a result of your accident at work. This can help you receive the compensation you need to pay your medical bills and be used as evidence in any legal complications that you may experience when you seek compensation.

• Alert Your Employer:

  It is vital that you let your employer know what happened to you. They need to be informed about your welfare so that they can get you medical attention if necessary and so that they can appropriately document the event. This documentation can help make sure that your workers’ comp claims get filed in a timely and effective manner. If you fail to alert your employer or delay notifying them, you could see serious setbacks in your claim process.

• Get in Touch With an Accident Attorney

  After you are injured, you have a right to file a workers’ compensation claim to seek financial support. While you do not technically need an accident lawyer for this process, it can be confusing, and it is essential that you follow all necessary steps in order to receive your funds in a timely manner.

  If any complications arise, your Charlotte electrician worker injury attorney will also be a vital asset. For instance, your attorney can also help you with the following things:

  • Appealing a Denial: If your workers’ comp claim is denied, it can be discouraging. However, with a workers’ injury attorney focused on your case, you do not have to give up. Your attorney can give you the needed guidance to file a strong appeal that motivates a close review of your case. If your appeal is successful, you can still secure the funds that you need.
  • Pursuing More: If you receive workers’ comp benefits but they are not enough to cover your medical expenses, rest assured that your lawyer is here to help. Workers’ compensation attorneys specialize in helping clients fight for the maximum compensation.While no amount of money may account for the emotional impact of your injury, you deserve to receive damages that make your life simpler during this tough time. Especially if you have a severe injury or permanent disability that will require long-term rehabilitative care, your workers’ comp package might not be enough. Your attorney can highlight your needs to the court and fight for more.
  • Addressing a Third Party: If there is a third party who is liable for your accident, your lawyer can assist you with understanding your legal options. Trying to navigate this complex path alone is tough, and you are unlikely to hold everyone accountable for their role all by yourself.When you put your trust in your accident attorney, you can be sure you have a knowledgeable professional working to pursue justice on your behalf and working to get you an injury settlement.
  • Resolving Disputes: If any disputes arise about your case or about the seriousness of your injuries, your lawyer can help smooth things over. For instance, your lawyer can help secure sufficient evidence and argue on your behalf if you need to prove the severity of your injuries.
  • Providing Advice: After an injury at work, you likely have a lot of questions. While your employer might be a source of information, you will need an attorney who is familiar with the ins and outs of the Charlotte legal system to get the most specific advice about your legal options.

How Electrical Injury Cases Work in North Carolina

Not all states have the same approach to injuries at work. If you are injured in an electrical accident at work in North Carolina, then you will be able to seek compensation no matter who was at fault. However, if there were external parties liable or if your benefits do not cover your injuries, then your attorney can help you determine your legal options.

For example, if the manufacturer who made a device that hurt you failed to provide adequate warning on their product, then you might be able to file a lawsuit against them to secure additional compensation. Your personal injury attorney can review all of the facts of your case to determine if such action is possible and can take care of all of the necessary steps involved in the process.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Every employer in the state of North Carolina is legally required to provide workers’ compensation to their injured workers. Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that gives you financial benefits after injury or illness at work. For example, if you are electrocuted at work or develop a respiratory illness as a result of exposure to hazardous chemicals at work, your workers’ compensation benefits can help pay your related bills.

North Carolina is what is called a no-fault state, so if you are hurt at work, you do not need to prove someone else’s negligence caused your injury in order to get sufficient workers’ compensation. If you have questions about your specific case and whether or not you can seek compensation, your attorney can help guide you.

Who Is Exempt From Workers’ Compensation in Charlotte, North Carolina?

While most part-time and full-time employees are eligible for workers’ compensation in Charlotte, there are a few exceptions to this that you should be aware of. For instance, if any of the following applies to you, your employer might be exempt from workers’ compensation benefits after an electrical injury. If this is your situation, then get in touch with a Charlotte electrician worker injury attorney to discuss your options. 

• If you work for an employer with three or fewer employees
• If you are an independent contractor
• If you work for an agricultural employer with fewer than ten employees
• You work for a company that employs domestic workers
• You are working for a sawmill employer
• You are an employee in the logging industry

If your employer is not exempt from workers’ compensation but does not offer it, then they can receive serious fines. It can be tough to know for sure if your company is exempt, so if you are confused about whether you have the right to take legal action, you should get in touch with an attorney. The right lawyer will closely review the facts involved in your case and the circumstances of your employer to determine what you can do.

What Can You Get Financial Support For After an Electric Accident?

If you are hurt at work, you might think that you can only receive compensation for your doctor’s bills. This is not the case. You are actually able to fight for compensation for much more, depending on your precise circumstances. For example, you might be able to secure compensation for all of the following:

• Medical Bills: As you might anticipate, if you were hurt at work, you have the right to seek monetary support to cover all of your medical bills. Even the simplest procedures and tests can sometimes be costly, and you do not deserve to bear this burden.In the event that your workers’ comp package does not cover the cost of your medical bills, get in touch with a workers’ injury attorney, who can assist you with providing the necessary steps and navigating the necessary legal hoops to secure a better injury settlement.
• Pain and Suffering: In addition to the medical bills, the state of North Carolina recognizes that you have to endure pain and suffering when healing from an injury or disability. While money cannot take away this pain, it can help you adjust to the healing process and potentially pay for services that help alleviate your pain.
• Short and Long-Term Disabilities: In the unfortunate event that you are left temporarily or permanently disabled from your electrical injury, you might receive compensation to address that. Depending on your situation, you might be given a sum that correlates with an impairment rating, a rating given to an injury such as the loss of a limb.
• Emotional Distress: The state also recognizes that when you get injured at work, there is a significant emotional impact. Not being able to work or use your body the way you once did can take a severe toll on your mental health. In particular, in the case of significant electrical injuries, you might experience disfigurement from burns, and pursuing compensation for the emotional impact can provide some support as you adjust and recover.
• Loss of Income: Injuries from electrical accidents are often severe and can take a significant amount of time to recover from. As a result, you might not be able to work for a while and thus lose income. Depending on how much time you are unable to work, you are typically entitled to the income you lose until you are recovered.
• Wrongful Death: Unfortunately, serious electrical injuries like electric shock can be fatal. If you have lost a person you love to an electrical injury at their work, you have the right to seek compensation. While no amount of money can bring them back, seeking compensation can help hold those involved accountable and help you cover expensive costs like that of the funeral.

A Dependable Electrical Injury Attorney in Charlotte, NC

When you are seeking compensation after a serious injury at work, you want an injury attorney who specializes in exactly what you need help with. Here at The Bollinger Law Firm, PC, we focus on representing construction workers who have been hurt at work and need professional guidance through the resulting legal procedures. We are happy to answer any questions you might have.

We know what a painful and stressful time this can be for you, and we want to do everything we can to make it easier for you. No matter what aspect of your case you need help with, big or small, we are happy to assist you. If you are ready to find out how we can help you with your case, get in touch with our office today or at your earliest convenience.