When working in an environment with high levels of dust, chemical fumes, or other particulate matter in the air, you must wear appropriate personal protective equipment to avoid inhaling harmful materials. Although your employer should provide you with such equipment, there are countless examples of companies in the Lone Star State failing to protect their workers, leading to far too many people sustaining life-changing lung damage.
If you were recently diagnosed with a lung injury after a workplace accident or with a lung disease that you believe is work-related, you should make it a priority to discuss recovery options with a Galveston workplace lung injury lawyer. At Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, our compassionate work injury attorneys have years of experience successfully handling cases like this. Once retained, we could leverage that experience to secure the comprehensive compensation you need.
Acute or Chronic Lung Damage at Work
Depending on your working conditions and on what protective equipment—if any—you have access to, you may be more at risk for certain types of lung damage than others. People who worked in old buildings with asbestos insulation may develop asbestosis and other diseases from inhaling asbestos fibers over many years or decades. Similarly, long-term exposure to certain industrial chemicals, engine fumes, or smoke from burning wood or oil could cause chronic lung problems.
Inhaling extremely hot air can cause high-degree burns and other acute injuries inside the lungs. Certain types of traumatic impacts against the torso could cause a lung to be punctured by a broken rib or by an external object that penetrates the chest cavity. These and many other types of lung injuries could potentially serve as grounds for a workers’ compensation claim and/or civil lawsuit if they occur while you are on shift inside a Galveston workplace, which our attorneys could explain further.
What Evidence Is Needed To Prove a Lung Condition Is Work-Related?
If you are covered by workers’ compensation, there may be straightforward procedures for reporting a lung injury and confirming you were performing a work-related task when you were hurt in order to be eligible for benefits. In contrast, for chronic lung diseases that have developed over many years, you may need extensive documentation indicating when and where you were employed, as well as medical records detailing professional diagnoses and treatments for your condition. A workplace lung injury lawyer in Galveston could help you track down and collect this information.
When it comes to filing civil suit over a lung injury, either against a third party who was indirectly at fault for the injury, or against a “non-subscriber” company, you also need evidence establishing a causal link between your injury and someone else’s violation of a “duty of care.” Once again, our team could provide invaluable assistance with this, regardless of where your injury occurred or who you need to hold accountable.
Contact an Occupational Lung Injury Attorney in Galveston Today
Lung damage can dramatically reduce your working capacity and your overall quality of life, which could serve as substantial grounds for civil litigation if you trace it back to another person’s misconduct. However, if your lung injury or illness stems from conditions you encountered at work, you may have a slightly different and more complex pathway toward civil recovery than usual.
Assistance from a knowledgeable Galveston workplace lung injury lawyer could make a significant difference in how you pursue the compensation you need. Call us today to discover how our personal injury team at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris could assist you.
