If you or a loved one were injured on the job in Dundalk, MD, it’s important to understand your legal rights. You may have a right to compensation under workers’ compensation laws, personal injury laws, or both. An experienced Dundalk workplace accident lawyer at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Between us, our lawyers have over 80 years of experience in personal injury law. We’ve represented clients in situations that are similar to yours–and we’ve helped our injured clients recover tens of millions of dollars over the years.
If you suffered a workplace injury in Dundalk, Maryland, contact our law offices at (410) 970-3080 to schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can help with your case.
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How WGK Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Workplace Accident in Dundalk, MD
Our team at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers is made up of three generations of personal injury lawyers. At our firm, we treat our clients like family. You can count on us to do everything we can to recover the maximum compensation possible for you and your loved ones.
When you hire our Dundalk personal injury attorneys, you gain an experienced advocate who can:
- Provide sound legal advice and guidance
- Conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of your accident
- Help you file a workers’ compensation claim and handle all paperwork
- Determine the fair value of your case
- Protect you if your claim is denied or the insurance company tries to pay less than you deserve
- Retain experts when needed to prove your case
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for fair compensation
Our Dundalk personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so there’s no reason to wait to get legal representation. Just call for your free consultation today.
How Common Are Workplace Accidents in Maryland?
Employers in the State of Maryland reported about 58,300 non-fatal workplace injuries to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2021. Of those, 36,400 were serious enough to create a need for days away from work, a job transfer, or job restrictions.
Unfortunately, according to BLS statistics, 80 workers in Maryland were killed on the job in 2021.
Of course, some industries are more dangerous than others.
In 2021, most deadly workplace accidents in Maryland occurred in the following industries:
- Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations
- Production, transportation, and material moving occupations
- Administrative and waste services
Any workplace can be dangerous if someone is careless. If you were injured in a work accident in Dundalk, don’t hesitate to reach out to our lawyers today. We can help you understand your legal rights and options for recovering financial compensation.
What Is My Dundalk Workplace Accident Case Worth?
The value of any accident case depends on the unique facts of the case. In cases involving work-related accidents, your case’s value will often depend on whether you can file a third-party personal injury claim or are limited to workers’ comp benefits.
Nearly every employer in Maryland is required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance, which provides benefits to help with the financial cost of an injury.
The value of your workers’ compensation benefits depends on:
- The severity of your injury and the cost of your medical care
- Your average weekly wages before the disability
- Whether you are totally or partially disabled
- Whether your disability is permanent or temporary
- The length of your recovery
Workers’ compensation wage replacement benefits are limited to about ⅔ of your average weekly wages before the accident. Under Maryland law, your benefit check is also subject to a statewide cap. The cap changes from year to year. If your accident happened in 2023, the weekly cap is $1,402.
The amount of your check will be less if you are able to perform light duty during recovery. If you can work in some capacity, your check will be equal to 50% of the difference between what you earned before the disability and what you can earn during recovery.
Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
You may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit if your employer was not responsible for your injuries. You cannot sue your employer for damages except under limited circumstances. You can, however, generally sue third parties who caused your injuries.
You may have a valid third-party claim against a:
- Negligent driver in a car accident
- Manufacturer of defective work tools or equipment
- Government agencies
- Property owners who failed to maintain your work site in a safe condition
- General contractors, suppliers, or vendors
Your personal injury case value may be higher than your workers’ comp claim. Additional factors are relevant in the valuation process, including emotional trauma, physical pain, and damage to your quality of life.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Workplace Accident Victims in Dundalk, MD?
Several different types of benefits are available under Maryland workers’ compensation laws. Injured workers are entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses, including rehabilitation costs.
Depending on the nature of your injury, you may receive:
- Temporary total disability benefits
- Permanent total disability benefits
- Permanent partial disability benefits
- Temporary partial disability benefits
- Death benefits for surviving family members
Different types of compensation are available in personal injury cases. If you can file a third-party claim, you can seek compensation for your non-economic damages in addition to your financial costs.
If successful, you may recover compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- The full amount of your lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
In rare cases, you may also recover punitive damages to punish the defendant for causing your injuries.
Do you need help filing a personal injury lawsuit? Contact a Dundalk workplace accident attorney at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation today.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Partly Responsible for a Workplace Accident in Maryland?
Possibly. You can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits even if you caused your own accident and injuries. The no-fault system provides benefits regardless of how the accident happened.
Under Maryland personal injury laws, you’ll be barred from recovering compensation if you share any blame for the accident.
Our Maryland Workplace Accident Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries
Our lawyers will fight to recover fair compensation for all of your injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Back injuries
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injuries, including herniated discs and nerve damage
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Hearing loss
- Eye injuries
- Burns
- Organ damage
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
If you lost a loved one in a catastrophic workplace accident, we can also help you file a lawsuit for wrongful death.
What Causes Most Workplace Accidents in Dundalk, Maryland?
It’s common to wonder why so many accidents happen in the workplace.
Some of the most common causes of workplace accidents include:
- Failure to follow OSHA safety regulations
- Lack of proper safety equipment or fall protection
- Failure to properly train workers or offer adequate supervision
- Dangerous property conditions
- Repetitive motions and physical strain
- Falling objects
- Fires and explosions
- Unsafe work equipment or defective equipment
- Exposure to live power lines
- Slip and fall accidents
- Negligent drivers
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Failure to communicate
- Negligent security and workplace violence
Our lawyers in Dundalk handle all types of work accident claims, including:
- Construction site accidents
- Motor vehicle accidents in Dundalk
- Scaffolding accidents
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Accidents involving cranes, forklifts, and heavy machinery
- Roof and ladder falls
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Electrocution and electric shock
- Nail gun accidents
- Slip and falls
- Accidents caused by defective products, tools, or equipment
- Welding accidents
- Accidents in restaurants and bars
- Trucking accidents
If you were hurt on the job, call our law firm to learn more about our legal team today.
How Long Do I Have To File a Claim After a Workplace Accident in Maryland?
You must notify your employer about your injury within 10 days of the accident under state workers’ compensation laws. If the injury was fatal, you have 30 days to provide notice.
You have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Under Maryland’s statute of limitations, you forfeit your right to compensation if you wait more than three years to take legal action.
These deadlines are critical. If you miss a deadline, you will lose your right to valuable compensation. The exceptions are few and far between. That makes it important to call an experienced lawyer quickly after your accident.
Contact a Dundalk Workplace Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation
You work hard for a living. You shouldn’t have to fight with insurance companies for fair compensation if you’re injured on the job. Let a Dundalk workplace accident attorney handle the legal issues. Just call WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more about how we can help today.
