Welding Accidents

Welding Accident Lawyers in Monmouth County

Welding Accident Claims in Monmouth County, New JerseyAccording to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), the US welding workforce experiences over 560,000 welding-related accidents yearly. The risks and dangers inherent in welding occupations are considerable. Below, our highly experienced workers’ compensation and personal injury lawyers discuss these threats, how they occur, and describe common injuries attributed to these hazards and unsafe working conditions. Furthermore, we examine the types of primary claims involving injured welding workers and how either or both may apply to your case. If you have been injured in a welding accident in New Jersey, turn to the knowledgeable workplace accident attorneys at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh for legal guidance, support, and pursuit of the financial compensation you desperately need.

Our distinguished firm has decades of experience fighting for injured workers and their families in Little Silver, Ocean Township, Sea Bright, Red Bank, Freehold, Middletown, Wall, and other Monmouth County communities. Not only do we thoroughly address your workers’ compensation concerns, but if lack of safety precautions, inadequate training, welding equipment malfunction, or security safeguard failures led your or your loved one’s injuries, we investigate and pursue personal injury, premises liability, or product liability claims to recover the complete compensation you are entitled to. Do not forgo justice or assertion of your rights after suffering welding accident injuries or losing a loved one due to a welding accident in New Jersey. Trust attorneys at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh and get started with a free consultation at (732) 440-3950 today.

Risks and Dangers Associated with Welding Occupations

Out of the entire construction industry, welding is the most dangerous occupation with the highest risk, according to the BLS. Some of the safety risks and perils inherent in welding occupations include but are not limited to the following:

Risk of Thermal and Heat Burns

Welding involves working with extraordinarily high temperatures, which can cause severe and even life-altering burn injuries.

Exposure to Harmful Fumes and Gasses

Welding produces harmful fumes and gasses, including ozone, carbon monoxide, and metal fumes. These can cause serious health problems, including lung damage, cancer, and other respiratory illnesses.

Risk of Electric Shock

Welding involves working with electricity, which can lead to electric shock, especially if a job site is not following proper safety precautions. Risk of fire and explosion: Welding can create sparks that ignite flammable materials, leading to fires and explosions.

The Function of OSHA in Developing Safety Standards for Welding Industries and Employees

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates and provides safety standards for welding industries and occupations by specifying and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. On a job site like a construction site where welders frequently work, it is the role of the construction site supervisor to ensure OSHA standards and safety guidelines are being put into effect and met. OSHA has many strict standards and policies designed to create safe working conditions for welders, cutters, brazers, and many other industrial occupations.

As a result of OSHA regulations, welders must: wear appropriate protective equipment, such as welding gloves and a welding helmet, are prohibited from welding in poorly ventilated areas, must use safety screens when welding, and be advised of any conceivable fire hazards. If an individual is injured while welding on the job, OSHA can help by investigating the incident to establish whether there were any safety violations.

Common Injuries Resulting from Welding Accidents

500,000 workers are injured in welding accidents yearly, and the likelihood of fatal injuries is over four deaths for every thousand workers during their careers. To further put into perspective the dangers of welding, the rate of injury in welding is approximately a hundred times more likely than all other workers’ average injury rate. Burns, cuts, lacerations, fractures, eye injuries, hearing loss, tinnitus (a ringing in the ears), lung damage, and related cancers are all common injuries observed in the welding industry.

The following list briefly describes some of the most common welding career injuries.

  •   Manganese/ Welders’ Parkinson’s Disease: The element manganese plays a crucial role in the welding industry. In addition, the element can cause Manganism, a neurological disorder with a strong resemblance to Parkinson’s Disease characterized by incoordination, confusion, trembling and tremors, mood swings, trouble with mobility (walking, grasping, daily tasks), and speaking.
  •   Arc Flash: An arc flash results from an electric current flashover that crosses the air to another conductor or the surrounding ground. The effects of an arc flash can include catastrophic burns, hearing loss, blindness, other ocular injuries, lung damage, other blast injuries, and even death.
  •   Arc Eye: Caused by exposure to the welding arc and related UV radiation, arc eye can cause significant corneal damage and temporary or permanent blindness of varying severity.
  •   Electrical Shock: Injuries from electrical shock come in the form of burns varying in severity, muscle and organ damage, and sadly fatalities are also possible. These injuries can result from defective equipment, unsafe working conditions, or improper safety training of protocols and procedures.
  •   Elevated Area Falls: A welding accident on an elevated structure on a construction site can be extremely dangerous, and the injuries can be severe. Falls often result in broken bones, spinal injuries, and even death.
  •   Lung Damage and Cancer: From a welding career, lung damage, unfortunately, is not uncommon and can originate from breathing toxic gases associated with stainless steel and galvanized metals: cancer and other diseases linked to zinc-related occupational exposure (galvanizing) fumes. Exposure, including inhaling these toxic fumes and chemicals, can lead to various health problems, including heart disease, lung cancer, and kidney damage. Even low levels of exposure (or low levels over prolonged periods) can cause serious health concerns.

How Do Welder Accidents and Injuries Occur?

Many components play a role in the cause of welding injuries. Using different equipment to apply high temperatures (e.g., 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit) to various metals and several additional hazardous activities comprises a welder’s workday, exposing them to a higher risk of accidents and injuries. A factory setting may offer additional safety features and easier access to emergency medical care, but these dangerous tasks are most commonly performed on construction sites.

The increased chance of injuries and health threats occurs if workers are not provided proper personal protective equipment (PPE), welding under unsafe working conditions, or use faulty equipment. Work environments where supervisors do not follow OSHA guidelines or neglect proper safety precautions heighten the potential for injury.

Types of Claims Arising from Work Site Welding Accidents

Injury Law Firm Seeking Compensation for Welding Accidents in Monmouth County, NJTwo types of claims may result from a welding accident involving an injured worker: a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury claim. Workers’ compensation claims are filed with the worker’s employer and typically go through the employer’s insurance company. Such claims provide benefits to employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their job. They are used to recover medical treatment costs, lost wages, income replacement, and even death benefits in certain circumstances.

A personal injury claim is often against a person, company, or entity responsible for a welding accident. For example, a worker may file a personal injury claim if they believe an accident resulted from the neglect or oversight of another party, such as a manufacturer of defective welding equipment. Such claims seek to recover damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses.

In addition, worker’s compensation claim benefits may not cover all medical costs and damages. Further, all parties responsible for the occurrence of an accident and resulting injury should be held accountable. Where applicable, a personal injury lawsuit can help hold appropriate parties liable, fill a gap in compensation and provide additional and often intangible losses.

Contact Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh to Discuss Your Welding Accident Injuries in Long Branch, NJ

If a welding accident at work has left you or a loved one injured and suffering, you have options when seeking recovery for damages and rightfully owed compensation. However, filing a workers’ compensation claim can be a demanding and confusing process, particularly while trying to heal from a work-related accident’s painful and sometimes devastating effects. Likewise, a personal injury lawsuit can seem complex and challenging, but they are not impossible to pursue or successfully achieve. You do not have to navigate these critical decisions, processes, and the legal system alone.

Contact an experienced NJ welding accident attorney at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh who can apply skill and knowledge to your claim and ensure you receive the entirety of your due compensation. Call (732) 440-3950 for seasoned counsel from our Personal Injury lawyers. We represent injured workers in Asbury Park, Eatontown, Colts Neck, Manasquan, Lake Como, Keansburg, and towns throughout Monmouth County and Southern New Jersey.