Chemical injuries and accidents usually occur in laboratories and other hazardous environments. In most cases, chemical injuries and accidents happen due to the negligence of the people working in the hazardous environment. If you have been exposed to toxic chemicals at any point during the past three years, the law gives you the option to claim compensation from the party at fault. Chemical injuries are most common in certain industries, such as mining, construction, and agriculture. Each year, thousands of workers operating in these industries suffer from serious injuries and debilitating diseases, including physical and mental ailments that are caused by exposure to toxic chemicals.
There are clear requirements set in place for individuals working in hazardous environments. Chemical accidents can range from simple issues such as chemical burns to serious problems like chronic respiratory issues and exposure to radioactive chemicals. In most cases, the results of the injury do not become clear immediately. In fact, it takes a little bit of time (a few months) for the full effects of the accident to come to light.
How to File a Claim
If you have been injured in a chemical-induced accident, you should consider filing a claim. Chemical claims generally result in monetary compensation, which means that the purpose of the compensation is not to punish the party at fault, but to provide relief to the injured party. Filing a claim is much easier said than done. The first thing that you will need to do is hire a lawyer to handle the case.
Your lawyer will start by discussing the whole accident with you and then taking down official notes. Since there is client-attorney privilege between the lawyer and the client, you don’t need to worry about hiding any details. Providing accurate details to your lawyer is essential if you want him or her to fight on your behalf. Chemical attacks can damage your respiratory, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems, the effects of which may not become clear until several months later, or maybe even years. Therefore, a thorough medical examination might be needed in order to determine the true extent of the damage caused by the accident.
Once all of the facts of the case have been ascertained, the lawyer will write to the party at fault, demanding compensation for their actions. If they choose to accept their fault and pay up, a settlement will be reached and the matter will be closed immediately after payment has been made.
Trial
However, if the case goes to trial, your lawyer will prepare you to sit through hearings and depositions. Both parties will be required to show evidence and prove their point. Once both parties have given their closing arguments, the jury will decide the outcome of the case. Ideally, lawyers from both sides will try to avoid taking the case to trial, since it requires a lot of money and time until the verdict is reached.