Industrial Accident Lawyer in Baton Rouge

Louisiana is home to some of the largest petrochemical plants and advanced manufacturing facilities in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Louisiana ranks 2nd in the nation for crude oil production, 3rd in natural gas, and leads in manufacturing and other heavy industries.

These thriving industries bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to our state, which benefits our economy in a number of ways. Unfortunately, these benefits can come at a cost for the hard-working men and women who form an integral part of plant operations.

Too often, refineries and plants focus on increasing productivity and profit, to the decreased safety of their employees. Poor safety protocols, a lack of oversight and training, bad or missing protective equipment, and outdated facilities all contribute to unsafe working environments that can lead to industrial accidents and injuries.

Industrial jobs have some of the highest risk for personal injury and death of any industry. Chemical plant explosions, toxic gas exposure, and heavy machinery injuries are just a few of the dangerous accidents that regularly occur in chemical plants and construction sites. If you or someone you love was injured in one of these accidents, you deserve answers for the damages you’ve suffered.

What Causes Baton Rouge Industrial Accidents?

Baton Rouge is home to nearly a dozen plants, including chemical plants, refineries, plastics plants, and more. These larger industries also support a number of smaller fabrication, engineering, and other support industries, so these plants directly or indirectly employ a large proportion of Baton Rouge’s population.

This means that when there’s an accident at one of these plants, not only will the people directly involved be affected, but their families and everyone who depends on them for support. Tragically, accidents at industrial plants can be caused by a number of different factors, including

• Failure to follow safety protocols
• Failure to properly train staff
• Failure to provide staff with proper protective equipment
• Failure to properly maintain the facility and machinery
• Failure to properly oversee safety-critical processes

When the companies that operate these plants neglect their employees’ safety, they are at greater risk for accidents causing serious injury or even death.

Common Industrial Accidents in Baton Rouge

Injuries in industrial settings are fairly common, due to the nature of the job and proximity to toxic chemicals, heavy machinery, and other dangers. However, it’s the employer’s responsibility to ensure that their workers are not unduly exposed to risk of injury while at work. While no workplace is totally free of risk, plants, refineries, and other industrial workplaces carry greater risks for particular accidents:

• Plant explosions and fires
• Toxic gas exposures
• Toxic chemical exposure
• Machine malfunctions
• and others

Injuries You Could Suffer in an Industrial Accident

Employers can be held liable for injuries their employees suffer while at work, especially if they fail to maintain a safe working environment. In industrial and construction jobs, even minor mistakes can lead to serious injuries, such as

• Slip, trip, and fall injuries from slippery floors or unmaintained safety bannisters
• Overexertion symptoms including strains, sprains, and neck and back injuries
• Crushing injuries, broken bones, and other injuries caused by malfunctioning machinery
• Injuries caused by plant vehicle crashes
• Smoke inhalation, burns and other fire-related injuries
• Catastrophic injuries such as amputations
• Spinal cord injuries that can result in paralysis, the need for ongoing medical care, expensive assistive devices, and more
• Traumatic brain injuries resulting from blows to the head, which can lead to permanent disability
• Eye injuries or hearing loss resulting from improper protective gear or safety practices can lead to blindness and other disability

What Should I Do If I’m in an Industrial Accident?

If you’ve been injured in an accident at work, tell your manager or supervisor immediately. All companies in Baton Rouge and throughout the U.S. are required to have protocols in place for reporting and handling accidents in the workplace. Your employer also has a responsibility to provide you access to medical care and the documentation you need to file a workers’ compensation claim.

While you’re at the scene of the accident, and if you’re able, document as much as you can. Take pictures, note witnesses, and write down your own observations as soon as you can. This information will provide important evidence of your injuries and of the accident later on.

You should also seek medical attention as soon as possible after your accident, even if you initially feel fine. Some injuries’ symptoms can take hours or even days to present, so you could have a major injury without knowing it.

While workers’ compensation is designed to help workers injured on the job pay for medical care and compensate for lost wages, it’s often not enough to cover the full cost of your injuries. If that’s the case, call Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys at 225.888.8888 to pursue compensation for your total damages caused by your employer’s negligence.

Hire a Local Industrial Injury Lawyer for the Justice You Deserve

The team of lawyers at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have 679+ years of combined legal experience representing hundreds of accident victims across the state of Louisiana. We’re located here in Baton Rouge, meaning that we have the familiarity with the plants, the court system, the companies, and the people involved in your case—something that national firms can’t promise.

The Get Gordon team of industrial accident injury lawyers has a deep understanding of the complexities of the oil and gas industries and refining industries. Whatever your injury, we’re confident we can help you get the compensation you deserve to begin healing and moving on with your life.

Give us a call at 225.888.8888 for a free legal consultation. We’re committed to our clients, and you won’t pay a dime until we win or settle your case, that’s the G Guarantee.