Injured While Doing Roofing Work

As you might expect, the most common cause of roofing accidents and injuries is the location of the work, which is typically at least ten feet above the ground. Not only are workers required to climb to the roof, but they also need to get all of their tools and supplies to the roof, meaning many are climbing ladders while loaded down with tools and heavy building materials. As you might imagine, this can add to the degree of difficulty and the hazards of the job, and could result in these roofing accidents:

• Tripping or slipping and falling from the roof
• Falling from the ladder
• Being struck by falling objects while climbing the ladder or waiting on the ground to climb the ladder
• Compression or crushing injuries if the materials are being mechanically lifted to the roof, and they fall on the workers
• Injuries from damaged tools or equipment used in the roofing trade
• Hazards because of the electrical service installed on the roof
• Health issues related to the extreme heat when working on the roof in the hot summer
• Damage to the surface of the roof or rotted areas that fail, and the roofer falls through the roof surface

Many people are afraid of heights and refuse to climb onto a roof because of their fear of falling, There is no doubt that is a considerable risk for roofers who spend their entire day elevated on the top of a building with little or no safety gear to prevent them from falling if there is a sudden gust of wind or a slippery area on the roofs surface. Because of the location of this work, roofers are at risk every day of suffering one or more of these very serious injuries when working as safely as possible in this demanding career path:

• Fractured, broken, or shattered bones
• Complete joint dislocations and the destruction of the soft connective tissue of the joints
• Damage to muscle, tendons, and other soft tissue, as well as the destruction of nerve tissue
• Compound fractures
• Severe lacerations and puncture wounds that often involve complications due to damage to internal organs and internal bleeding
• Heat stroke or other heat-related harm
• Severe contact burns from the hot surface of the roof
• Electrical shocks or electrocution due to exposed electrical wiring or components on the roof
• Chemical burns from roof sealants or cleaning processes
• Chemical vapor damage to the respiratory system
• Back, neck, and spinal cord damage
• Partial or complete amputations
• Compression injuries or harm from being crushed
• Injuries to the face can include damage to the delicate skin, eyes, ears, nose, or mouth
• Head injuries can range from a severe concussion or skull fracture to more serious harm, such as a brain bleed or other traumatic brain injuries

When you get hurt at work, you are likely very concerned about the cost of your medical care, how you can pay your bills, and other very basic concerns. Then there are the most weighty concerns, like whether you will make a complete recovery and what you would do if you cannot return to your current job. All of these thoughts are sure to add to your stress level and distract you from your healing and recovery process. Fortunately, the California worker’s comp program offers several benefits that will help you address these challenges and hardships, such as:

• Complete payment of your medical bills related to the care of your on the job injuries with a benefit total of a full one million dollars per injury incident
• If you are unable to immediately return to your job as a roofer, the program will pay you up to 66% of your regular weekly income to ensure you can continue to cover your living expenses
• In cases where the workplace injury victim suffers severe injuries that will cause a temporary or partial disability and decreased earning potential, the program offers disability payments to offset that decline in earning capability
• In cases where the injuries prevent the employee from ever returning to work as a roofer, the program will provide free vocational training to prepare the person for a new career choice once they are ready to return to work

In most cases, an injured worker is not permitted to file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer for on the clock injuries. The worker’s comp program was created to provide medical care coverage and other benefits to help injured workers, but also to protect employers from personal injury lawsuits. Prior to the worker’s comp program, it was common for the employer to file a lawsuit to seek compensation from their employer to cover the losses and expenses created by a workplace injury incident, The legal cost along with the cost of the medical expenses and lost wages often put small businesses in a predicament that caused then to close their doors.

The workers comp program is viewed as a win for all involved and prevents workers from taking legal action in most cases. However, if there is gross negligence involved in the incident, the victim could have the right to seek added compensation from their employer. In this context, gross negligence is defined as a complete lack of concern for or protection of the employee’s safety. For example, if a roofer tells their employer they are using a ladder that is worn out and needs to be replaced for safety reasons, the employer should inspect the ladder and replace it if it is unsafe. However, if the employer refuses to fix or replace the ladder, they could be considered grossly negligent if the ladder later causes a workplace injury because it was too old and failed. If you feel that gross negligence could have been a factor in your incident of being injured while doing roofing work, please reach out to DTLA Law Group to discuss the case with an expert workplace roofing injury attorney.

If you want to use the benefits of the worker’s comp program, you must contact the office and open a claim within 30 days of your roofing injury accident. This time limit is strictly enforced, and once it has passed, you will no longer be permitted to open a claim or receive benefits for this specific workplace injury incident. If there was evidence of gross negligence that caused or contributed to your roofing injury incident, you have two years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit with the court. This time limit is also very closely observed and enforced. Once it expires, the victim loses the right to seek compensation for the losses and expenses caused by their employer’s gross negligence. Please reach out to DTLA Law Group today to discuss your case and the time remaining for you to take action to secure the help you deserve.

When you hire DTLA Law Group to handle your legal matter related to getting injured while doing roofing work, you never need to pay any upfront fees or expenses, Instead, the firm only gets paid after the case is completed and you have the compensation that includes funds to cover your legal expenses and other costs. Finally, if your workplace roofing injury attorney fails to win your case and get you the funds you need for your expenses, you owe DTLA Law Group nothing. Please get in touch with our office team at your first opportunity to learn more about the services and help open to you as the victim of a workplace roofing injury.

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