If you are injured in a construction accident in the State of Texas, the law can be extremely complex in regard to attempting to obtain compensation for the suffering you have experienced. You will have to deal with formidable opposition in this type of case, so it is imperative that you have the help of a seasoned Dallas attorney in order to have the best possible chance of achieving a successful result. At The Barber Law Firm, we want to make sure you are informed when it comes to seeking legal representation.

The Role of Workers’ Compensation in Your Case

The Texas Workers’ Compensation Act of 1993 established provisions that helped shield companies from lawsuits filed by workers who have been hurt on the job. If an employee is hurt in a construction accident and his or her employer has purchased workers’ compensation insurance, or is a “subscriber,” that insurance is supposed to take care of the victim’s medical expenditures and a portion of his or her salary. However, in many instances, workers’ comp comes woefully short of providing adequate compensation. When this occurs, your legal representative may need to pursue a third party, such as the manufacturer of a piece of equipment that malfunctioned and led to the accident.

There are other cases, however, where an employer is a “non-subscriber,” or does not have workers’ compensation insurance. Non-subscribers are not protected by the Workers’ Compensation Act, but they hire extremely aggressive defense attorneys who will work to try and place the blame for the accident on you.

What You Need to Do

First, of course, you need to obtain prompt medical attention if you are hurt in a construction accident. Once that has occurred, call an attorney as soon as possible to determine the best plan of action. Contact the Barber Law Firm to find out more about how we may be able to help. If you would like to share your story in regard to a construction accident injury you may have suffered, click on one of the social media icons on this page.

Forklift accidents are not unusual for workers who are using forklifts in confined spaces. Unfortunately, when such an accident occurs, the injuries can often be very serious or fatal because of the weight and size of forklifts. According to recent statistics, over 90,000 injuries per year occur in theU.S.due to forklifts. In addition, about 100 people are killed each year in forklift-related accidents. The large number of forklift-related accidents is due in part to the fact that there are over a million forklifts being used daily in the U.S.

Fortunately, new technologies are being continually developed to help combat this problem. Some of those technologies include audible and visual alarms for forklifts that can warn of movement and infrared beams that sweep the forklift’s area when it’s moving.

In addition to installing new safety technologies, forklift owners or operators should be knowledgeable about forklift safety practices, such as:

• It’s a violation of federal law for anyone under the age of 18 or anyone over the age of 18 who’s not trained in safety procedures to operate a forklift.
• Before driving a forklift, do a pre-use inspection, looking for signs of sparks, overheating, tire pressure issues, controls working smoothly, leaks, and braking or steering issues.
• Make sure that the surface on which you are driving the forklift is smooth and is capable of supporting the load.
• Maintain control of your forklift at all times, and operate it only while you are in the seat.
• Keep a safe distance from other forklifts.
• Don’t allow anyone to walk or stand underneath elevated forks.
• Make sure everything stacked on the forklift is safe and secure.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a forklift accident? If so, you may have a cause of action against the employer. Contact The Barber Law Firm to learn more.