Explosions can cause catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. The long-term consequences of an explosion accident can change a worker’s life forever. Suppose you or a loved one sustained injuries because of an explosion at work. In that case, having an experienced Savannah workers’ compensation attorney on your side can make a difference in the outcome of your workers’ comp claim.
Understanding the Basics of Explosion Accidents at the Workplace
Workers within the blast zone can sustain various injuries when a blast occurs. The primary explosion can cause damage to the body from the blast wave moving through the body, including damage to your ears, brain, eyes, lungs, and internal organs. However, the primary blast from an explosion accident is only the first round of injuries.
Secondary blast injury occurs when debris and shrapnel hit a worker’s body. Tertiary blast injuries are caused when the worker is thrown through the air because of the blast wind, or the explosion causes a building to collapse, and the worker is caught beneath the rubble.
Quaternary blast injuries include all other injuries not caused by the primary, secondary, or tertiary blasts. These injuries are caused by exposure to fire, radiation, toxins, dust, fumes, and other dangerous substances. It also includes the psychological trauma of the explosion accident, including PTSD, chronic anxiety, and major depressive disorder.
Impact of Explosion Accidents on Workers: Physical and Psychological Consequences
Explosion accidents cause catastrophic injuries to workers. Common injuries caused by explosion accidents include:
- Severe burns, including fourth and fifth-degree burns
- Respiratory injuries from breathing superheated and/or contaminated air
- Concussions, skull fractures, and traumatic brain injuries
- Eye and ear injuries, including loss of vision and hearing
- Broken, crushed, and fractured bones
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Abdominal injuries and organ damage
Seek immediate medical treatment after a blast. Even though you might not sustain outward injuries, you may have sustained internal injuries or experience delayed injury symptoms. Prompt medical treatment is essential for your health and a workers’ comp claim or third-party injury claim.
Common Causes of Explosion Accidents in Georgia Industries
Explosions and fires occur in many industries, including chemical plants, nuclear facilities, oil refineries, and gas plants. Other industries at risk of explosion accidents include construction, demolition, plastic manufacturers, food processing plants, metal foundries, and automobile assembly lines.
Explosion accidents occur for many reasons. Common causes of explosion accidents in Georgia industries include, but are not limited to:
- Human error and negligence
- Machinery and equipment failures
- Mishandling chemicals and hazardous materials
- Lack of training and/or supervision
- Unsafe work practices
- Faulty manufacturing
- Waste buildup
- Improper ventilation
- Flammable gases and liquids
Determining the cause of an explosion accident is important. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. Therefore, you do not need to prove wrongdoing to receive workers’ comp benefits. However, if another party’s negligence or wrongdoing caused your injuries, you could have a third-party claim in addition to your workers’ comp claim.
Rights and Protections for Victims of Explosion Accidents Under Georgia Law
If you are injured on the job in an explosion accident, you should be covered under Georgia’s workers’ compensation system. Workers’ compensation provides benefits for injured workers as they recover from work-related injuries.
Generally, injured workers cannot sue their employers for work-related injuries covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Georgia personal injury laws may provide another source of compensation for Savannah explosion accidents. The injured worker could have a claim under negligence, strict liability, product liability, intentional torts, or other personal injury laws against a third party.
Potential third parties that could be liable for explosion accidents include gas utility companies, manufacturers, property owners, suppliers, government entities, and contractors. Our Georgia workers’ compensation lawyers investigate the cause of the explosion accident to determine if you are entitled to compensation in addition to workers’ comp benefits.
The Role of Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation in Explosion Accidents
Workers’ compensation benefits for explosion accidents include medical treatment. The workers’ comp insurance company should pay for all reasonable and necessary medical bills.
If you are out of work for more than seven days, you can receive weekly income benefits for a workers’ comp claim. If your injuries prevent you from returning to work for over 21 days, you are paid for the first seven days of missed work.
Workers’ comp also pays long-term disability benefits if you sustain a permanent injury because of an explosion accident. If a worker dies in an explosion accident, the family can apply for death benefits under Georgia workers’ compensation.
Navigating Through the Complexities of the Workers’ Compensation Claim Process After an Explosion Accident
The workers’ compensation system should be easy to navigate for injured workers. It is intended to provide prompt benefits for injured workers to assist them as they recover. However, a workers’ comp claim can be complicated, especially when it involves catastrophic workplace accidents like explosion accidents.
The appeals process can be time-consuming and challenging if the insurer rejects your workers’ comp claim. Furthermore, there are strict deadlines for filing a workers’ comp claim appeal. Contact our Savannah workers’ comp lawyers immediately if you receive a denial notice for a workers’ comp claim.
Even if your workers’ comp claim is approved, your case could have challenges. For example, your employer may try to make you return to work before you are physically ready to do so. The workers’ comp insurance company may terminate income benefits before you reach maximum medical improvement.
If you sustain a permanent impairment or disability, you could be entitled to permanent disability benefits. However, you may be required to undergo an independent medical evaluation (IME) ordered by the insurance company. The IME confirms your doctor’s prognosis and disability rating. Insurance companies downplay permanent injuries to avoid paying maximum disability benefits.
A Savannah workers’ compensation attorney guides you through the claims process. Your lawyer diligently pursues maximum benefits, including a fair settlement for a permanent or disability.
Reach Out to Skilled Savannah Workers’ Compensation Attorneys for Actionable Assistance After an Explosion Accident
Were you or a loved one injured in an explosion accident in Georgia? If so, you deserve to be compensated fairly for your injuries and damages. Call our offices in Atlanta and Savannah to schedule a free consultation with one of the experienced explosion accident lawyers at Parsons Law Group.