The USS Carter Hall was off of the coast of North Carolina conducting training exercises recently when a 19-year old Seaman fell off of the deck. The training exercises were to train the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group for active duties. The Navy is investigating what caused the sailor to fatally fall into the ship’s wall deck.

The Navy has indicated that the 19-year old who suffered fatal injuries when he fell into the ship’s wall deck was treated by emergency crews onboard as well as flown by helicopter to Pitt memorial Trauma Center where he was pronounced dead. The incident is a tragic end to a young life and unfortunate consequence of the hazards of war games in preparation for the real thing.

Many realize that hazards come with military career choices, but it is never expected that fatal injuries will occur in the everyday operations of naval exercises and training. This tragic accident is an unfortunate reminder of the unexpected workplace hazards that exist for our military on a daily basis. Their job is to protect the citizens of the United States of America and it is easy to forget the dangers that they continually place themselves on our behalf.

Unexpected and unfortunate accidents in the workplace, while perhaps more common in the military, are not unique to hazardous careers. Safety procedures should be evaluated on a continual basis in every work environment. If you or anyone you know should happen to suffer from injuries at work, please consult with a workers’ compensation lawyer to best explore the legal options available to you.

Source: gantdaily.com, “Sailor identified in North Carolina ship deck’s fatal fall,” Raquel Erhard, Dec. 14, 2012

• For more information on North Carolina Workers’ Compensation resources, please feel free to visit our website.

Posted in Construction Workers' Accidents, Firm News, Industrial Workers' Accidents, Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Third Party Claims, Uncategorized, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Accidents, Workplace Illnesses, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Safety | No Comments »

Local Guilford County school Smith High School appears to present a real danger to all who visit, teach, or attend. The Greensboro high school apparently has “bugs, mice, mold, and sharp metal” protruding around its facilities, especially its athletic facilities.

The deplorable conditions are the subject of a $5.3 million gym overhaul out of the school board’s $457 million construction program. The state of the gym and other parts of the school not only present hazards to everyone’s health, but also are detrimental to an environment of successful learning. The unsafe and unsanitary educational conditions also provide unsafe working conditions.

It is hard to take pride in your education, teaching, and your athletics when you feel embarrassed by the conditions in which you are situated. Worried parents, students, and the teachers have expressed their concerns and complaints to the school board. It is an issue that needs to be addressed and soon for the sake of the community.

While bugs and mice may be nuisances that come and go and are not out of the ordinary for large facilities, to have pest infestations on top of uncared for mold and sharp metal objects creates an environment that could later result in lawsuits that far exceed the cost of improving the school. Mold can lead to respiratory problems as well as other illnesses which can even affect the brain. The school and its community just want the hazards to be addressed and the school brought up to modern standards that can compete with others in the Guilford County school system.

If you find that you are being harmed by a workplace environment and its hazards such as the one described above, or have been in the past, please contact a workers’ compensation attorney who can help guide you through your legal options for restitution.

Source: Rhino Times, “Bugs, Mice, Mold, Sharp Metal At Smith,” Paul C. Clark, Dec. 6, 2012

Posted in Construction Workers' Accidents, Firm News, Industrial Workers' Accidents, Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Third Party Claims, Uncategorized, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Accidents, Workplace Illnesses, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Safety | No Comments »

Hurricane Sandy left an enormous path of destruction in its wake when it hit the East Coast in November. However, one of its most dangerous remnants may be difficult to see and find. Mold has begun to take over the buildings of East Coast cities and cause many illnesses across the devastated areas.

The citizens of the cities and the workers and volunteers who are assisting with the cleanup are concerned as to what the mold may lead to. Many citizens are concerned for their health as they return to cold homes with no electricity which are beginning to breed mold in the walls, flooring, and furniture. The concern with the workers and volunteers is what types of lawsuits that inadequate protective equipment and supplies will bring due to illness and injury.

Adding to the concerns regarding safety of all affected by the mold is the fact that there are no federal standards for safely removing mold. OSHA has provided guidelines, but there are questions as to who should be involved, what type of training those removing the mold should have, what equipment should be warn, what chemicals can be used on it, and what is the best way to rid cities of a growing mold epidemic.

Following the disaster associated with ill prepared post-9/11 recovery workers and the many lawsuits that have followed, cities are desperate to avoid a recurrence due to mold exposure and it’s clean up. Many worry that the only precaution being taken to prevent breathing in the moldy spores is the wearing of a paper mask which according to experts is grossly inadequate. Whatever the potential training and precautions taken result in, the consequences and adequacy of those precautions may not be known for years to come.

If you have suffered from an injury due to mold, asbestos, or other airborne contaminants, either on the job or otherwise, please reach out to an attorney who will be able to guide you through the legal options available to you.

Source: Huffington Post, “Sandy Cleanup Could Lead to Illness, Litigation for Workers,” Lynne Peeples, Dec. 5, 2012

• For more information on North Carolina Workers’ Compensation resources, please feel free to visit our website.

Posted in Construction Workers' Accidents, Firm News, Industrial Workers' Accidents, Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Third Party Claims, Uncategorized, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Accidents, Workplace Illnesses, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Safety | No Comments »

It is never a good omen when the people charged with your care for treating your injuries get injured on their way to responding to your crisis. However, this occurs often enough in hospitals where response time is critical and sometimes means life or death. If injured on the way to responding though, lives may be put in jeopardy.

Due to the nature of the work and environment, these types of occurrences are unlikely to ever be completely eliminated. So, what can local Greensboro hospitals and practices such as Moses Cone Hospital do to prevent these workplace injuries and hazardous situations? Well, there are a few easy steps that hospitals (and any workplace for that matter) can take which would reduce these incidents.

The first step according to professor of medicine Dr. Goldberg is, “You need to take a good look at your workplace.” By doing so, and assigning employees to raise quality control issues, you begin to identify potential hazards and make adjustments accordingly. You can also assess where labeling may be inadequate and begin to fix those areas with visual cues that are more obvious and mark potential hazards for either the hurrying employee or meandering visitor.

Experts also agree that asking the staff to identify hazards and listening to their concerns over workplace layout and hazards is essential to reducing the likelihood of any slips, trips, and falls. After all, who knows the workplace best but those who walk and run the halls on a daily basis dealing with crisis after crisis? Your staff is your greatest resource when trying to reduce workplace hazards.

These are just a few of the steps available to hospitals and healthcare facilities that may reduce the likelihood of a workplace injury. These steps are also applicable to many other work environments.

If you find yourself in a situation where you or another you know has been injured in the workplace, please consult with an attorney who can assist you in sorting through the options available to you.

Source: American Medical News, “How to save medical office staff from slips, trips and falls,” Victoria Stagg Elliott, Dec. 17, 2012

Posted in Construction Workers' Accidents, Firm News, Industrial Workers' Accidents, Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Third Party Claims, Uncategorized, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Accidents, Workplace Illnesses, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Safety | No Comments »

One year ago, the Julian Fire Chief stopped to assist a car on Interstate 85. This night would not be like any other though for the off duty volunteer firefighter from the town 15 miles southeast of Greensboro.

The night was dark and the Fire Chief did not realize that he had stopped to assist another car on an overpass bridge. That is why when he jumped over a guardrail to avoid a hydroplaning car as he was helping the stranded motorist, he did not expect the 25 foot fall that awaited him. The fall broke nearly everything on the left side of his body.

The injuries sustained in the fall required multiple surgeries and the Chief had to endure infections and intense pain while he relearned to walk. It was in May of this year that he was once again able to walk – a mere 6 months after the injuries were first sustained.

He continues to have difficulties with this left side. His left arm cannot quite fully bend, limiting his range of motion, and his left leg is now shorter than it once was which causes its own problems. He says that stairs and uneven terrain are particularly difficult on him.

Perhaps the most devastating part about all of this though is the fact that he can no longer fight fires as he once did. He is still the Julian Fire Chief, but when a call comes in, he must be content to lead from the back while others rush to the trucks and into the danger. His body will not yet let him do either, but he is hopeful to at least be able to ride the trucks soon.

While his injury occurred off duty, it is the type of work that he is trained in that made him stop in the first place. The incident could have just as easily occurred while he was on duty. Workplace injuries can be detrimental to ones way of life and cause immense pain and suffering both in the immediate and throughout one’s life. Should you find yourself in a situation where you were injured on the job an attorney who practices in the area of workers’ compensation can help you navigate the options available to you.

Source: MyFox8.com, “Injured fire chief thankful to be alive,” Nov. 23, 2012

•· To find out more information regarding workers compensation and injuries in the workplace, please feel free to visit our Greensboro Workers Compensation Overview.

Posted in Construction Workers' Accidents, Firm News, Industrial Workers' Accidents, Injuries, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Third Party Claims, Uncategorized, Workers' Compensation, Workplace Accidents, Workplace Illnesses, Workplace Injuries, Workplace Safety | No Comments »