Although you may enjoy your job, and you earn a good living, your working conditions might not be good for your lungs. If you are suffering from a respiratory issue that you believe is work-related, a Katy workplace lung injury lawyer could help you get compensation.
An experienced work injury attorney understands the Texas workers’ compensation system, and knows when you can apply for workers’ compensation and when you can file a non-subscriber lawsuit against your employer. We could fight for your right to compensation, so that you can pay your medical expenses.
Common Causes of Workplace Lung Injuries
Lung injuries do not often occur at one specific time. Instead, they develop over a period of time as the lungs are exposed to harmful substances like smoke, chemicals, exhaust, or small airborne particles.
Construction workers may be exposed to asbestos and silica, while coal miners may be coating their lungs with coal dust. Metal workers and people in the electronics industry or nuclear industry could be breathing in beryllium, which is harmful. Factory workers may be exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals that permanently damage the lungs.
A workplace lung injury lawyer in Katy could look at medical records and investigate work conditions to determine if the workplace could be the cause of the lung damage. It may not be easy to prove that the injury or illness is directly related to the work environment, which is why hiring an experienced personal injury attorney is essential to the success of the lawsuit.
Work-Related Lung Injuries and Illnesses
Here are a few examples of lung injuries or illnesses that may be related to poor working conditions:
- Asbestosis, caused by breathing in asbestos fibers, scars the lungs
- Byssinosis, caused by inhaling hemp, cotton, or flax dust, is an asthma-like syndrome
- Pneumoconiosis, also called black lung, is caused by inhaling coal dust and inflames the lungs
- Silicosis, caused by breathing in crystalline silica, scars the lungs and increases the risk of getting other lung diseases
- Occupational asthma, triggered by poor working environments, can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, caused by the inhalation of various spores, chemicals, or bacteria, can inflame the lung’s air sacs and scar them
Talk to a Katy workplace injury lawyer who understands lung diseases, and find out if there are legal ways to pursue compensation.
How the State’s Non-Subscriber Law Affects Workplace Injury Claims
Texas has a non-subscriber law, allowing employers to choose whether or not they wish to participate in the state’s workers’ compensation system. If an employer does subscribe, then an injured employee files a workers’ compensation claim to seek benefits. They do not have to prove that the employer was negligent or responsible for the lung injury.
If the employer does not subscribe to the workers’ compensation system, then an injured employee has the right to file a lawsuit against the employer. A Katy workplace lung injury attorney could build a case to prove that the employer was negligent in providing a safe workplace, which caused lung damage. The lawsuit could provide the injured employee with compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, among other things.
Get in Touch with a Workplace Lung Injury Lawyer in Katy
Lung injuries are often long-lasting injuries that change the way you live life. While proving that they resulted from poor working conditions can be difficult, it is not impossible. A Katy workplace lung injury lawyer is here to walk you through the process, one step at a time.
Contact Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, LLP for a free case evaluation. We are here to provide hope and justice amidst complex legal matters.
