When Work Goes Wrong: What to do After a Lathe Accident in Nashville, TN
A lot happens in a machine shop. In fact, the title of “machinist” can represent a variety of trade skills that one incorporates into a given job. But perhaps the largest number of machine shop workers are lathe operators, especially in Davidson County.
Believe it or not, lathe operators are estimated to account for approximately 140,000 machinist jobs across the country. Unfortunately, it’s also estimated that around 3,000 of these workers suffer a personal injury, lost wages, and incur hefty medical bills due to workplace accidents.
Due to the operational nature of a lathe, simply being near the machine presents the possibility of serious personal injury. And these injuries can occur in small machine shops or in large operations as well.
Machine work requires precision skills. And without attention to detail, a healthy knowledge of machine shop safety protocols, and proper wearing of PPE, you could easily lose a limb or become the victim of serious injuries.
In the following guide, we’ll explore the nature of lathe operation and what you can do to keep yourself safe.
Lathe Operator Training
In any machine shop environment, the risk for serious injury is extremely high. And this can include everything from burn injuries to traumatic brain injuries.
This is largely due to the nature of working in close proximity to metal shaping machinery, particularly lathe operation.
A metal lathe cycles at over 300 RPMs. As such, any loose clothing, poorly fitted gloves, hair, or other loose materials can get entangled in the lathe and cause serious personal injury.
Workplace injuries in a machine shop are fairly common. But unfortunately, this can easily result in the loss of limbs. And in order to be safe while operating a lathe, a worker needs to be properly trained on lathe operation and safety protocols for wearing PPE.
Additionally, several hours of training is also required in some machine shops, while in others a foreman may only expect his or her workers to understand safety procedures.
And this poor oversight of the latter is typically the main cause of catastrophic injuries due to mishandling a lathe.
Lathe operators should undergo safety evaluations periodically. And always ensure that you’re wearing the proper PPE and that no loose materials can be caught in the lathe when in operation.
In the Event of an Accident
In the event of a workplace accident, informing your employer is always the first step. But beyond this, seeking immediate medical attention is going to be your first priority.
Just like construction accidents, truck accidents, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, or airplane and train accidents, lathe accidents can be costly and deadly, resulting in wrongful deaths.
For example, an auto accident or motor vehicle accident can produce serious bodily injury or death. And just like motor vehicle accidents, lathe accidents can produce injuries such as broken bones, mangled muscle, torn limbs, and a range of other workplace injuries that can be extremely serious and cause lost wages.
In addition to medical bills, you’ll also lose time away from work due to personal injuries. And when this happens, your medical bills might begin to pile up.
If this is the case, then you need to contact your insurance company to understand your coverage and consider hiring an attorney to help compensate you for your personal injuries if necessary.
Steps to Take
- Report your personal injuries to your employer
- Seek medical attention
- Contact your insurance provider
- Seek legal assistance at an appropriate law firm
Seeking Legal Counsel
At any point in your career, if you’re injured on the job, your employer may compensate you for damages. But this can only get you so far. And in some cases, your employer may not be willing to compensate you properly. And if you live in Nashville TN, you’ll want to seek out a law firm specializing in work-related injuries in Nashville TN, preferably offering free consultation.
If you find yourself battling your employer, your first step is to seek a free initial consultation with personal injury lawyers at an appropriate law firm. Personal injury lawyers are well-versed in legal matters regarding lost time and wages, as well as injuries due to industrial accidents.
Having a sound legal team at your back will be the key to getting you the compensation that you deserve.
After your initial consultation, you’ll likely be advised on the attorney-client relationship, steps that you’ll need to take to receive compensation for your injury.
Personal injury lawyers are your best defense when it comes to battling with an employer refusing to pay, or with an insurance company withholding funds for medical expenses.
Hiring the Right Legal Team
If you look in any local directory, you’re bound to find a ton of listings for attorneys. This can range from attorneys specializing in representing a truck driver in a truck crash, motorcycle accidents, personal car accidents, nursing home abuse, premises liability, wrongful death cases, amusement park injuries, and the like. And this is true no matter where you live. But you’ll want to be specific in your search query in order to find the right law firm to handle your case.
For example, when you go to search for a lawyer, using a search engine such as Google, you’ll want to use focused keywords in order to help narrow your search.
As such, if you live in Nashville, Tennessee, entering the terms “lathe accident lawyer Nashville” or “Tennessee personal injury” will narrow your search down to the appropriate geographic location, along with the nature of your injury as well.
Additionally, you’ll also want to seek out personal injury lawyers specifically. And even though you might have a personal attorney or a family lawyer, they might not be well-versed in work-related injuries. However, your attorney may refer you to other lawyers that he or she knows, or recommends.
Remember, you’ll be able to receive a free consultation, in most cases, in order for experienced lawyers to review your case.
Medical expenses and lost wages are a bad combination. And with your injury keeping you from going back to work, having a team of personal injury lawyers on your side is going to be your best bet when it comes to paying your medical bills and receiving proper compensation.
Steps to Take
- Verify the law firm and practice areas
- Ensure the law office has experience in work-related injuries
- Ensure the law firm has experience working with insurance companies
- Ensure that you select the appropriate legal representation
- Verify that the law office investigates all claims regarding personal injuries
- Let the law firm know you’re seeking compensation
- Ask how the law firm handles confidential or sensitive information
Getting Paid
The personal injury law firm that you choose is going to largely be responsible for your compensation. No matter the nature of your injury, our legal team of experienced attorneys will have the resources to get your medical bills paid.
As such, a lathe accident is nothing like a car accident, motorcycle accident, truck accident, or any type of motor vehicle accident whatsoever. Basically, if you’re involved in a car accident or any type of auto accident, you’ll need a law firm that can assist you accordingly.
However, when it comes to lathe accidents, the law firm you choose needs to be well-versed in workers’ compensation benefits and work-related injuries, not just auto accidents.
And a personal injury firm with law offices in Nashville, TN can not only help you to get your workers’ compensation benefits, but they can also help with all serious accidents at the workplace.
Even if your insurance company or your employer has been upstanding in the past, you never know when you might get stonewalled when you least expect it.
Having a free initial consultation with a personal injury law firm is the best way to combat lost wages and medical expenses. And some law firms have a system set up where a simple contact form sends information right to an attorney.
Let Mitch Grissim & Associates Fight For You
No matter the nature of your injury, even if it’s a traumatic brain injury, here at Mitch Grissim & Associates, our legal team investigates every aspect of your case and is equipped to assist you with legal advice and more when it comes to receiving compensation.
So, if you’re in Nashville, Tennessee battling your insurance company or your employers after a personal injury, simply fill out our contact form. We’re here to handle your case.
