Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys Discuss Tree Work Risks

A young man died while he was working to remove trees near power lines in the state of Washington. The accident occurred when a tree that he was removing snapped suddenly. Another tree worker also died recently. Both employees were engaged in special projects aimed at emergency tree removal near power lines, such as dead or dying trees or trees that have been damaged by forest fires. These projects are different from the regular, scheduled maintenance type of tree work that occurs in areas where there are power lines.

All tree work is dangerous, whether it is logging forests, removing trees on private property, clearing dying or dead trees away from power lines, or any other type of project involving trees. In fact, logging consistently ranks near the top of the “deadliest occupations” list that the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles each year. Training and safe work practices are essential to keeping tree workers alive, and investigations into the recent tree work deaths are likely to reveal whether any of those things were lacking in either situation.

The young man who died in Washington had not been doing tree work for very long. He had come to America from Mexico, as many Mexicans do, in search of work that would help him create a good life for his family in Mexico. His friends and family say that he spoke little English, and it is likely that at least some of the investigation into his death will examine the issue of whether he had been trained to do what he was doing and whether he understood the training that he had gotten.

Preliminary information regarding the accident indicates that while the young man was new to the company that he worked for at the time of his death, he had some tree work experience and he was working with an experienced supervisor. He had also received training and orientation, as well as classes to prepare him for work as a “climber.” As the investigation progresses, information is likely to come to light regarding exactly what went wrong and how. There are many ways that tree work accidents can occur, and it is important that each fatality gets treated as the unique case that it is so that the deceased worker’s family, their co-workers, and their employer can get the answers that they need to move forward.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Representing Injured Mississippi Workers

Tree work injury and fatality cases can get complicated. There are often multiple parties involved in an accident, including the company that employed the injured or deceased worker, any company that contracted with that company to have the work performed, the utility company, entity, or the private owner who owns the land where the accident occurred, and more. This aspect of tree work cases alone can make filing a claim for damages complicated and frustrating for accident victims and their families. Fortunately, you do not have to pursue your claim alone. If you got hurt in a tree work accident or you lost a loved one in a tree work accident, get help from a Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorney. Call the Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (601) 790-1505 to learn more.

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Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys Talk about Ladder Accidents

A recent accident at BGF Industries, Inc., a technical fiber manufacturing facility, left an employee with a serious injury. The accident happened when the worker fell off of a short ladder onto the roof of the building. The accident is now under investigation. The company is hoping to learn how the accident happened so that they can prevent similar accidents from happening again.

Ladders are a relatively common piece of equipment implicated in workplace accidents. There are three basic types of accident scenarios that often occur with ladders. One such situation is when workers use the wrong ladder. Another typical ladder accident scenario happens when the ladder fails because it is in bad condition. The third common type of workplace ladder accidents happens when the ladder gets used incorrectly.

Some ladder accidents occur when people hold something in one or both of their hands as they are climbing up or down the ladder. It is essential that you keep at least one hand on a side rail as you climb up or down the ladder. Use a tool belt or some other method to keep your hands free whenever possible.

Did you know that approximately a third of all ladder accident victims were wearing shoes that were greasy, wet, or oily at the time that they got hurt? Check your footwear for wetness or slippery substances on the soles before climbing a ladder. It doesn’t take long to get a rag or a paper towel and dry or clean off your shoes before you climb a ladder, and you may save yourself a lot of pain if you take the time to do it.

In over half of all ladder accident cases that involved straight ladders, the ladders were not secured or braced at the bottom. More than half of the ladders involved in ladder accidents were not secured at the top. Secure your ladder properly before climbing to reduce the risk that you will fall and get hurt.

The majority of ladder accident victims say that they never got trained on how to inspect a ladder for defects before using it. They also said that they never got written instructions on how to use ladders safely. To use a ladder safely, keep at least one hand on a side rail at all times, keep your body centered, keep your body straight, and stay as close to the ladder as you can. As you work from the ladder, move slowly and deliberately. Be careful not to reach too far to the side or too far overhead when you are working on a ladder because overreaching is one of the leading causes of ladder accidents. Also, climb down from the ladder when you need to reposition it. Never move a ladder when there is someone on it.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Help for Mississippi Workplace Accident Victims

If you got hurt in a ladder accident at work, get help from a Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorney right away. Workplace accident attorneys have an in-depth understanding of worker’s compensation law, and they work to help people just like you obtain the financial recovery that they need. To learn more, call the Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (601) 790-1505.

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Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys Discuss Railroad Crossing Accidents

A horrific collision at a railroad crossing killed four people and injured forty others. The rescue effort took over an hour, and rescue workers even had to use metal cutting equipment to free some of the bus passengers from the wreckage. The accident occurred when a freight train crashed into a casino tour bus at a railroad crossing in Biloxi. The train pushed the bus three hundred feet before the vehicles came to rest on the tracks.

Initial reports about the accident mentioned that the design of the crossing might have played a role in the wreck. People who saw the wreck said that the bus seemed to be stuck on the tracks when it got hit by the train. The crossing where the crash occurred is on a steep grade. There is a sign near the crossing to alert drivers of the low ground clearance.

Collisions involving trains and passenger vehicles are often devastating and deadly. Trains are large and cumbersome, and they move fast. Because trains are so massive, they are unable to stop quickly if a vehicle gets stuck on the railroad tracks or crosses the tracks despite a warning signal.

Railroad crossings are designed to keep cars off of railroad tracks when trains are passing through so that collisions do not occur. Unfortunately, all railroad crossings do not provide the same degree of safety. Some railroad crossings prevent accidents better than others do. When a crash happens at a railway crossing, the accident investigation includes a thorough examination of the railroad crossing to assess its design. Crossings that are deemed unsafe get prioritized for repair, but with so many miles of railroad tracks across America and so many railroad crossings, it could be months or even years before unsafe conditions at any given railroad crossing get addressed.

Safety improvements at dangerous railroad crossings can reduce the incidence of collisions between trains and other vehicles. A further reduction in risk can be had by increasing public awareness of the safety risks that are posed by railroad crossings.  If you drive through any railroad crossing on a regular basis, remember that although some trains pass through that crossing on a predictable schedule, not all trains run on fixed schedules. As you approach a railroad crossing, drive carefully. If you see the crossing lights start to flash or the crossing gate begins to lower, stop immediately. Wait for the train to pass all of the way through the crossing, and then wait some more. Do not cross the railroad tracks until the lights stop flashing and the gate, if there is one, is all of the way up. As a final precaution, look both ways before crossing the tracks, even if a train just passed through, because another train could be coming.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Help for Mississippi Accident Victims

Accidents at railroad crossings can cause severe injury and death. If you got hurt or a loved one git killed in a train wreck, contact Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney right away. To learn how a personal injury lawyer could help you recover after a devastating railroad crossing accident, call the Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (601) 790-1505 to arrange a consultation.

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Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys Discuss Cruise Ship Accidents on the Mississippi River

An injured, seventy-one-year-old woman recently got medevacked off of a cruise ship on the Mississippi River. The woman, who had suffered a shoulder injury, and her husband were transported to Venice by a Coast Guard response boat, where they were met by local emergency medical personnel who transported them to the hospital. A couple of weeks earlier, a seventy-six-year-old man had to be removed from the same cruise ship in a similar fashion, by a Coast Guard response boat, when he began experiencing flu-like symptoms and heart problems during a river cruise.

River cruises can be a wonderful way to enjoy good company and take in the scenic beauty of the Mississippi River. Unfortunately, accidents and injuries can occur on board a cruise ship, just as they can happen anywhere else. Sometimes, the medical care that an injured or sick person needs is not available on board the ship, but sometimes more intensive care is required. Fortunately, the Coast Guard can assist in situations like those that mentioned above, so that sick and injured cruise passengers can get the medical care that they need right away.

If you are on board a cruise ship and you or someone who is traveling with you gets hurt or sick, get help from the ship’s infirmary right away. In addition to seeking prompt medical attention at the ship’s infirmary, it is essential to do a few other things as soon after your accident or injury as you can, in order to protect your rights. For example, if you can get treated on board the ship, make an appointment to be checked out by your regular doctor as soon as you can after your cruise.

Other things that you must do as soon as possible include reporting your accident or injury to cruise ship safety officers and crew members. If any other passengers or cruise ship crew members were nearby when you got hurt, obtain their names and contact information. Get copies of any forms that you or cruise ship staff fill out in association with your injury. If you can, take pictures of the part of the cruise ship where you got hurt, and take pictures of your injury, too.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Helping Injured Mississippi Residents to Recover

Cruise ship tickets often contain the information that you will need to know the cruise line’s procedure for filing a claim for damages. You may have a limited time within which to file your claim, so call a Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney right away, before it is too late to file a claim for damages. If you got hurt in a cruise ship accident, a Mississippi personal injury attorney might be able to help you file a claim for damages. To learn more about how a personal injury lawyer might be able to help you, call the Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (601) 790-1505 to arrange a consultation.

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Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys Talk About Left Turn Accidents

A recent deadly crash in Hinds County claimed the life of one person. The accident happened as the driver of one vehicle was turning left and the vehicles collided at the intersection. This tragic wreck is a somber reminder that many accidents occur at intersections, especially when one vehicle is turning left.

When the driver of a vehicle needs to make a left turn, they must wait to do so until they feel as though they can complete the turn safely. If a driver makes a left turn and their vehicle collides with another vehicle before it completes the turn, they are often found at fault for the accident because they did not yield to traffic. In other words, they did not wait until it was completely safe to make the turn before they attempted to do so.

If you get into an accident while you are making a left turn, do not say anything to anyone that would imply that you feel as though the crash was your fault. There are some situations where a driver who gets into an accident while turning left are not at fault for a collision that occurs while they are turning. For example, if the driver who was traveling straight through the intersection ran a red light, that driver is at fault. Also, it is possible for the driver who was going straight through the intersection to be found at fault if they were speeding. You may even be able to assert that you had determined that it was safe to turn and then something unusual happened while you were making the turn that made you have to slow down or stop before you could complete the turn.

As is the case with any automobile accident, make sure that you call for help right away if you get into a left-turn accident. Gather whatever information you can gather safely at the accident scene, and say as little as you possibly can to the other drivers while communicating respectfully and cooperatively with the police. If you are hurt, and even if you don’t think that you are hurt, it is essential that you get medical help right away. The reason why you must seek prompt medical attention after any automobile accident is so that your doctor can examine you and check you for injuries that may be hidden from view yet still dangerous enough to require treatment. For example, head injuries or injuries that involve internal bleeding are not always visible, nor do people always feel them.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Protecting the Interests of Mississippi Automobile Accident Victims

If you or someone that you love got hurt or killed in a left-hand turn accident, you may wonder what to do next. A Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorney can help you recover financially from the crash while you recover from your injuries or help your family through your loss. To learn more, call the Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC, at 1 (601) 790-1505, to schedule a free consultation.

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Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys Talks about Employability

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Workplace accident cases seem to have a language that is all their own. The terms that are used in workplace accident cases often define the outcomes of those cases. Anyone who has gotten hurt at work is likely to find themselves immersed in a sea of unfamiliar words that will be used to determine whether they receive compensation for their injuries and how much compensation they will get.

One recent workplace injury case in Mississippi sheds some light on what it means to be employable. The Mississippi Court of Appeals’ decision in Hathorn v. ESCO Corp., No. 2015-WC-01528-COA (Miss. Ct. App. 11/15/16) tells us that there is a difference between being unable to find a job and being unemployable.

The case involves a man who hurt his hand when he was operating a grinder at a facility that makes steel parts for mining equipment. His injury was deemed compensable, and he was eventually able to return to work with medical restrictions. His doctor told him not to use a grinder or lift more than fifty pounds, so he did janitorial and maintenance tasks, and he ran errands. He worked in this way for over a year, and one day he was asked to operate a forklift, so he did. That evening, his hand swelled up dramatically, and he went to see his doctor. The doctor examined his hand and told him not to do any more work involving forklifts.

A couple of weeks after the man had been told by his doctor to refrain from operating forklifts, his employer asked him to use one again. The man asked whether someone else could do it because he could not, and told his superiors that he was medically unable to operate the forklift. He was placed on leave and given a few days to obtain a note from the doctor to certify that he was medically unable to operate the forklift. When he did not produce the note within the prescribed amount of time, he was fired for insubordination.

As a result, the man looked for work, but he was unable to find a job. The fact that he had been working for over a year, taken together with the fact that he was able to perform a range of different tasks while he was working show that he can do at least some types of work. While this man may not be as employable as a person who has no medical restrictions on the types of work that they can do, the man’s injury does not make him unemployable. It also does not seem as though the man exhausted all of the possibilities during his job search – he admitted that he did not look for security, maintenance, or housekeeping jobs, even though he has the skills and the physical abilities to perform at least some jobs in those fields.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Representing Workplace Accident Victims Across Mississippi  

If you got hurt on the job, it is important that you know that you do not have to learn and apply the language of worker’s compensation all on your own. The Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to guide you through the worker’s compensation claims process while you work on recovering from your injury. Please call us today, at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule a consultation.

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Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys Talk about Accidents Involving Contractors

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The Mississippi Supreme Court recently issued a worker’s compensation decision that addresses a somewhat unusual but not completely unheard of employment scenario – the situation in which a premises owner acts as its contractor. The case involves a man who got severely burned while he was working at the Chevron refinery in Pascagoula. At the time of the accident, Quindon Thomas worked for a company called American Plant Services (APS), with which Chevron had contracted to perform maintenance services at its refinery. In 2012, Thomas was at the Chevron refinery, doing maintenance work, when a Chevron employee that was working in close proximity to Thomas opened a valve which released hot water, steam, and coke onto Thomas, severely burning most of his body.

After he was injured, Thomas collected worker’s compensation from Chevron as was provided for by a 2010 contract between Chevron and APS that established that Chevron would provide workers’ compensation insurance for all APS employees who were working at the Chevron refinery through Chevron’s Owner-Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP).

After Thomas had exhausted the worker’s compensation insurance policy limits, he and his wife tried to sue Chevron over dangerous conditions at the refinery. The circuit court ruled against Thomas, and he appealed the decision to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which recently issued decision NO. 2016-CA-00101-SCT in his favor. That decision allows Thomas and his wife to bring a suit against Chevron for damages that he sustained as the result of dangerous conditions at the refinery. Specifically, Thomas and his wife plan to sue Chevron and the employee who opened the valve for negligence and premises liability.

Chevron had sought immunity from that suit, claiming that it was Thomas’s statutory employer, and, as such that it was entitled to immunity from the lawsuit under the Mississippi Worker’s Compensation Act’s exclusive remedy provision. Specifically, Chevron claimed that Mississippi Code Section 71-3-91 granted it immunity from tort liability because it had acted as its own general contractor in providing worker’s compensation benefits to Thomas. Thomas asserted that premises owners are often employers who carry workers’ compensation insurance and who contract with other people who are not their employees to perform work on their premises. In fact, he references the worker’s compensation coverage contract between Chevron and APS which clearly labels APS as a contractor, thus negating Chevron’s assertion that he was their statutory employee. The Court’s ruling states that Chevron may not obtain immunity from tort liability by voluntarily purchasing worker’s compensation benefits for APS’s workers.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Help for Families Affected by Mississippi Workplace Accidents

If you work as a contracted employee on another company’s premises, Mississippi Supreme Court’s decision in the Thomas case may apply to you under certain circumstances, depending upon the nature of the contracts between your employer and the owner of the premises. This case illustrates that not every worker’s compensation case is simple and straightforward, in fact, they rarely are. If you were injured on the job, it is best not to take any chances when pursuing a claim for compensation. A Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorney understands the nuances of worker’s compensation law, and they can take over the task of pursuing your claim for damages so that you can devote your time and energy to healing from your injury. To learn more, call the Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule a consultation.

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Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney Talks About the Risks Associated With Drowsy Driving

The holiday season is a busy season on Mississippi roads and elsewhere. While winter weather is certainly one thing that drivers must watch out for, there is something else that we all need to be aware of both during holiday travel season and all year long – the dangers of drowsy driving. A recent drowsy driving accident happened in Mississippi when the driver of a tractor trailer fell asleep and drifted onto the shoulder, where it struck an abandoned vehicle. The truck flipped over, and luckily the driver was not hurt.

It’s no secret that Americans are tired, and many of us try to squeeze so many things into each day that we end up sleeping a lot less than we need to. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much of a sleep deficit to dramatically increase your accident risk. Drowsy driving is so dangerous that it has been the focus of a lot of research. Approximately forty thousand people get hurt in drowsy driving accidents each year, and fifteen thousand people die. Some of that research has shown that getting fewer than seven hours of sleep before driving increases crash risk significantly. Drivers who sleep only five or six hours before driving have twice the risk of drivers who get seven hours of sleep of more. Drivers who sleep fewer than five hours have the same accident risk as drivers who drink alcohol before driving. These are frightening statistics, given that if we are honest with ourselves, we can admit that many of us get far less sleep than that on far more nights than we would like to admit.

The reason that lack of sleep increases accident risk is that it affects the body in many of the same ways that drinking alcohol does. It decreases a driver’s overall awareness of their surroundings and their behavior; it impairs judgment, and it slows down reaction time.

Approximately one out of every five deadly crashes involves a drowsy driver. Half of the tired drivers who were involved in accidents just blacked out – they did not exhibit any signs of tiredness before falling asleep. Drivers can decrease the risk that they will be involved in a drowsy driving accident by getting adequate rest, traveling at times when you would normally be awake, and taking plenty of breaks to move around and give your eyes a break from focusing on the road. Choosing light meals and snacks instead of heavy, fatty foods while you are on the road can also help you stay awake. Some people think that coffee and energy drinks can help you stay awake during a drive, but those quick fix strategies don’t work for long and can trick them into thinking that they are more alert than they are, increasing accident risk even more.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Compassionate Counsel for Mississippi Automobile Accident Victims

Automobile accidents caused by drowsy drivers can cause severe injuries, death, and a large amount of property damage. If you got hurt in a drowsy driving wreck or someone that you love died in a drowsy driving accident, you might be able to recover financially for your injury or your loss. To learn more about how to pursue a claim for damages, please call the knowledgeable Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney at Barrett Law PLLC today, at 1 (601) 790-1505 to arrange your free, initial consultation.

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Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys Discuss Plastics Manufacturing Accidents

A recent workplace accident at a plastics manufacturing facility claimed the life of one man and injured two others with chemical burns. The accident occurred on a production line that produces a polymer, and the polymer spilled onto three workers who were performing maintenance on a pump. The accident is described by the facility owners as a rare tragedy, but it does serve as a reminder that plastics manufacturing workplaces, as is the case with all manufacturing workplaces, do contain dangers that can hurt or kill employees.

Plastics manufacturing workers encounter a higher than average level of danger in their work environments as compared to other manufacturing employees who work in facilities that produce things other than plastics. The work in a plastics manufacturing plant involves heavy lifting, heavy machinery, sharp tools, and hazardous chemicals. Workers can get caught in machinery and partially or wholly crushed; they can suffer amputated digits or limbs. Repetitive motions in the manufacturing process can cause employees to develop repetitive motion injuries like strains and carpal tunnel syndrome. Chemical burns and lacerations are also relatively common injuries in plastics manufacturing environments. Plastics molds are heavy, and moving them about the plant takes lots of effort and equipment. Accidents sometimes occur when molds and machinery are being moved, or when machines and molds are old or poorly maintained.

Plastics manufacturing facilities contain plenty of dangers that are common in other workplaces as well. Equipment, cords, and other items on the manufacturing floor can create tripping hazards, and oil, grease, and plastic pellets can make floors slick or treacherous and create slip hazards. The chemicals that are used to make plastics and the chemicals that are used to clean and maintain the equipment are hazardous, and can burn employees, cause respiratory injuries, and even kill employees if they are close enough to them or come into contact with them in large enough quantities.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Helping Manufacturing Accident Victims Across Mississippi  

Sometimes, workers in manufacturing facilities get hurt at work. A workplace injury or fatality at a plastics manufacturing plant can drastically alter the course of the life of a worker or their family. As you work to recover from your injury so that you can return to your job or a family mourns the loss of a loved one, life does not stand still. There are household bills and medical bills to pay, and the worker’s compensation claims process can seem daunting and complicated. Fortunately, workplace accident attorneys are skilled at guiding injured workers or families who have lost a loved one in a workplace accident through the worker’s compensation claims process. You do not need to try to pursue a worker’s compensation claim on your own. The Mississippi Workplace Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are here to help you navigate the worker’s compensation claims process while you concentrate on recovering from your injury or your loss. Please call us today, at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule a consultation.

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Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys Talk about Winter Weather-Related Accidents

A recent accident serves as a reminder to drivers to watch out for winter weather while they are out on the road. A car went down a steep, two hundred yard embankment towards the Mississippi River. The accident went unnoticed for a few hours until someone spotted the wreck from the opposite side of the river. A dramatic rescue involving an airboat brought the injured driver, who was trying to crawl up the embankment, to safety.

While it is unclear whether the weather was a factor in this particular accident, drivers need to know that cold weather increases the risk of wintry road conditions, and it also increases the risk of additional injuries to accident victims from exposure to the cold after an accident occurs. Cold weather is enough to cause injuries like frostbite, but winter storms can cause even more damage as snow and ice make roads slippery and difficult to navigate.

Most drivers in Mississippi and elsewhere know how to drive safely when winter weather hits. However, research has shown that knowing better does not always translate into doing better. This means that other drivers, in addition to ice and snow, are something to watch out for when you drive in the winter. Of course, it is not possible to control the weather, nor is it possible to control what other drivers do. It is possible to decrease your accident risk, though, by implementing safe driving strategies.

Winter driving can be made safer in many ways. In fact, safety can begin before you even get in the car. If it is snowing or icy outside, consider carefully where you are going and whether it is an essential trip or not. Sometimes, choosing not to drive when you have that option available is the safest thing that you can do, especially in severe storms. If you need to travel, checking a weather forecast or traffic website at home before you head out can help you know what kinds of road conditions you might expect and when, and this type of mental preparedness can lead to improved decision-making at the moment if you know what to expect. If you must drive during wintry weather, you can still decrease your accident risk by keeping your speed down, avoiding sudden braking, not using cruise control, and avoiding rapid acceleration. Be sure to clean your car off completely before you head out, and do not forget to wear your seatbelt. Also, be sure to insist that everyone else in your vehicle wear their seatbelt, too. With some preparedness ahead of time and a safety-conscious attitude during your drive, you can increase the chance that you will arrive at your destination safely.

Barrett Law PLLC:  Helping Mississippi Accident Victims and Their Families

If you got hurt or someone that you love lost their life in a Mississippi car accident, a seasoned Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney could help you pursue a claim for the injuries, damages, or loss that you have experienced as a result of the crash. To find out more about how we could help you with your automobile accident case, please call the Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC at 1 (601) 790-1505 to set up an initial consultation.

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