Virginia Workplace Accident Lawyers Seek Compensation for Employees
Occupational injury attorneys handle workers’ compensation and personal injury claims
If you’ve been hurt on the job, you’re not alone. In the United States, workplace accidents injure almost three percent of all workers each year. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system for reimbursing employees who are injured on the job or become ill due to workplace conditions. At the law firm of Pikrallidas & Probasco in Fairfax, Virginia, we provide aggressive representation for injured workers to make sure they get the reimbursement for medical costs and lost wages they need and deserve. Moreover, if another party may be responsible in any part for an accident or illness, we can work to hold them liable. If you suffer an accident or illness at work, we’re ready to enforce your rights and obtain full and fair compensation.
Common types of workplace accidents and illnesses
The leading causes of occupational injury and illness include:
- Slips and falls — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that about 25 percent of workplace injuries are due to slip-and-fall accidents.
- Falls from heights — Among the most injurious workplace accidents are falls of six free or more.
- Strikes by object — Getting hit by stationary or moving objects can produce traumatic injuries, from bruises to broken bones and crush injuries.
- Overexertion — Excessive physical effort can lead to such injuries as sprains and strains.
- Repetitive motion injuries — RMIs are injuries to various body parts, such as nerves, muscles and tendons. The can affect workers from the assembly line to the office, where keyboard operators can suffer carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Electric shock — This can occur on construction sites where electrical cords can be run over or severed. Shocks can also result from failure to ground electrical equipment properly.
- Entanglement — Contact between workers and mechanical devices can lead to entanglement and subsequent injury.
- Motor vehicle accidents — Vehicle collisions injure workers on the open road as well as on construction sites.
- Toxic exposure — Exposure to caustic chemicals and particulate matter can cause burns as well as diseases.
- Workplace violence — The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there were 392 workplace homicides and 37,060 nonfatal assault injuries in 2020.
Certain industries are more dangerous than others, workers in most industries are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.
Workers’ compensation rights in Virginia
Employees in Virginia are eligible for workers' compensation benefits from their first day on the job. These benefits include:
- Medical treatment
- Partial wage replacement for temporary and permanent disability
- Rehabilitation and job retraining
- Death benefits
You must file your workers' compensation claim as soon as you realize you are injured.
Injuries from workplace accidents and occupational illnesses
Injuries sustained on the job range from minor to catastrophic to fatal. Certain accidents and illnesses result in chronic conditions that worsen over time. To maintain your right to workers’ compensation benefits, you should always report an injury to your employer as soon as possible. You should also see a doctor to get an independent diagnose.
Can you bring a separate lawsuit over a workplace injury?
In most cases, your legal remedy against your employer is limited to workers’ compensation, which does not compensate you for all losses. But in certain circumstances, you can sue a third party for negligence. For example, a contractor working on the employment premises may have contributed to the accident. A third-party suit allows you to recover the entirety of your damages from the accident, including pain and suffering. A personal injury at our firm can investigate your case and evaluate your right to sue.
Contact our Fairfax attorneys for a free workplace accident consultation
Pikrallidas & Probasco in Fairfax represents victims of workplace accidents and illnesses in Virginia and Washington, D.C. If you believe you have been denied the full workers’ compensation benefits you deserve, call us at 703-267-2600 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.
