The category of industrial accidents is very broad and covers everything from small cuts and bruises to catastrophes that affect a large number of people.

Annually, about 120 million industrial accidents occur on the job worldwide. Furthermore, about 210,000 of these industrial accidents result in death.

The construction, mining, transportation and agricultural industries have the highest rate of industrial accidents. Of these, construction industrial accidents account for 15% of industrial accidents and 30% of the industrial accidents that result in death.

Personal injury due to industrial accidents can range in seriousness from slight to fatal.

Typical causes of industrial accident are:

Some of the elements that contribute to industrial accidents are poor safety standards, worker's negligence and weariness. Recovery can be either a quick or long process depending on the cause and seriousness of the industrial accident.

Employees who have been injured as a result of a severe industrial accident may never be able to return to their previous way of life, which affects their physical and psychological health. Generally, those who have been in serious industrial accidents may also suffer severe financial loss due to their loss of income.

Some types of industrial accidents are:

Most of the causes of industrial accidents can be placed in two categories: unsafe conditions and unsafe actions.

Unsafe conditions may include elements such as electrical problems, excessive noise, exposure to extreme temperatures, insufficient protection when working with machinery or hazardous materials, poor lighting, slippery flooring, unstable structures or machine malfunction or failure.

Unsafe actions are any action or lack of action by the worker which causes the industrial accident resulting in injury. Although this is generally the result of employee negligence, employers, organizations and product manufacturers may also be liable for this type of industrial accident.

Another type of industrial accident which may occur happens within the occupational environment outside of the worker's capacity.

Some examples of this type of industrial accident can include chemical spills, fires, toxic gas emission or radiation.

In many of these cases the cause of the external industrial accident may be elements such as abnormal operational conditions, human factors, natural forces, organizational errors, software or component failures and outside interference.

There are many ways that an employee can be injured on the job, including industrial accidents. Personal injuries which are the result of an industrial accident may include any of the following: being struck by objects in motion, being trapped in by an object, electrical accidents, exposure to extreme temperatures, falls, overexertion or strenuous physical actions, radiation exposure, slides and cave-ins, structure collapse, and the absorption of harmful chemicals by inhalation or other means.

These types of industrial accidents may result in many injuries such as amputation, concussion, fractures, internal injury, poisoning, infection, sprains and strains, superficial injury and possibly even death.

As you can see, the types and causes of industrial accidents are many. Generally, workers’ compensation insurance and laws protect employers from lawsuits brought by injured employees. However, there are cases where an employer may be held responsible for employee injuries resulting from an industrial accident if they knew about unsafe conditions and/or failed to act in order to prevent the industrial accident injury.

Employees injured by industrial accidents may also be able to gain compensation for their injuries from the manufacturers of faulty or dangerous industrial products and/or equipment.

Employees who have suffered an industrial accident may greatly benefit from consulting a qualified personal injury lawyer experienced in industrial accidents who may be able to advise them of their rights and options in a case.

Typically, industrial accidents are compensated under workers’ compensation insurance and laws. However, if the industrial accident was caused by defective equipment or the negligence of someone besides the employer industrial accidents can sometimes be pursued under personal injury law.

There are many elements in industrial accidents which are used to determine what legal course of action the victim of an industrial accident may take. Employees who have been in an industrial accident must prove that the industrial accident injury was caused by the negligence or illegal action of another party.

Furthermore, due to the fact that industrial accidents are actionable under workers’ compensation industrial accidents cannot be the fault of the employer if compensation for the industrial accident is being pursued through a personal injury lawsuit.

If you were in an industrial accident and feel that the responsibility lies with another party other than your employer, the industrial accident injury may be pursued in a personal injury lawsuit. Industrial accident personal injury lawsuits may compensate you for income losses, medical expenses and other damages.

Because industrial accident personal injury law can be complicated and regulations vary by jurisdiction, an attorney experienced with industrial accident personal injury law will be able to assist you in making determinations regarding your possible industrial accident case.

Additionally, if your industrial accident injury happened due to the negligence of a party other than your employer, you may have a personal injury claim against the negligent party.

For an employee injured by an industrial accident to receive compensation through civil damages in addition to workers’ compensation benefits proof must be offered that the industrial accident was the responsibility of a third party. A third party is an individual or party distinctly separate from the employer.

Because the law regarding industrial accident personal injury law is constantly changing and the circumstances under which third parties are liable for civil damages can be quite difficult to identify, it is important for a worker injured in an industrial accident to speak with a personal injury lawyer experienced in industrial accident law to determine whether an industrial accident lawsuit is warranted.

All industrial accidents should be examined to determine if elements or actions by a third party would allow the injured employee to receive civil damages in addition to workers' compensation benefits for an industrial accident.

Compensation by a third party and an industrial accidents claim is made through settlement with the responsible party, the party's insurance company or by filing an industrial accident personal injury lawsuit. If a third party is responsible for the industrial accident, there may be civil damages or compensation received, such as recovering medical expenses, loss of earnings, loss of future income, property damage or even compensation for pain and suffering.

If you have been severely injured in an industrial accident, you should consult an attorney who can easily handle legal system, the insurance red tape, and the defendants' defense lawyers. You need a personal injury lawyer experienced in industrial accident law.

If you, or a loved one, have been the victim of an industrial accident, please do not hesitate to contact our office for a free consultation and case evaluation.