Safety Violations for Ford Assembly Workers

Chicago Law Firm for Injured Ford Assembly Workers

Ford assembly lines involve hazardous work. Ford’s auto manufacturing plant must abide by the regulations of the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulations. The company has been cited by OSHA for numerous safety violations in the past. These violations have included departures from asbestos and respiratory protection standards that were put in place to protect against serious occupational illnesses. While OSHA can fine Ford or other auto manufacturers that fail to abide by OSHA rules, these fines don’t necessarily make up for serious injuries you sustain as a worker. If you are concerned about job-related injuries arising from safety violations for Ford Assembly workers, you should discuss your situation with the knowledgeable Chicago auto industry workers’ compensation claims attorneys of Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca.

Safety Violations for Ford Assembly Workers

As a Ford assembly worker, you deserve to work in a place that is reasonably safe. Serious safety violations occur when there is a substantial probability that death or injuries could arise as the result of a hazard about which an employer knew or should have known. Additionally, Ford should put in place an effective illness and injury prevention program to avoid harmful incidents from occurring in its workplace. As an assembly line worker in the manufacturing industry, you can face repetitive stress injuries like tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome or cumulative trauma disorders. However, you can also suffer injuries due to exposure to harmful chemicals or fumes, falls, amputations, fires or explosions. For instance, as an assembler or fabricator, you are at risk of being exposed to toxins or cancerous chemicals or materials like fiberglass that can sicken you over time. However, you may also face the risk of your limb, hand, finger or leg getting caught in a machine and crushed or a serious fall on a factory floor covered with grease. Additionally, as an assembly worker, you face the risks of flammable materials. If you suffer burns on the job, you could face permanent alterations to your body in addition to disfigurement. If you were injured as the result of a safety violation on the job, you may be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. For instance, if you were exposed to hazardous materials because Ford didn’t follow safety regulations related to that material, and a result you suffered a severe illness, you may be able to obtain benefits. These benefits would not be as significant as damages in a personal injury action. However, workers’ compensation benefits are no-fault benefits.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

The workers’ compensation system provides no-fault benefits to assembly line workers injured on the job in or around Chicago. These benefits can include reasonable and necessary medical benefits, temporary or permanent disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation, and medical mileage. For instance, if you sustain scarring and disfigurement due to a safety violation in connection with flammable materials, you may reasonably need emergency care, doctor’s visits, and disability pay for the time you take recovering from those injuries.

Death Benefits

If your spouse worked on a Ford assembly line and was killed as the result of job-related safety violations, you may be able to file a claim for death benefits. These are paid for a maximum of 25 years or $500,000, whichever is higher. Death benefits can include medical bills payment, funeral and burial expenses up to $8000, and an additional monetary sum of around 66% of the assembly worker’s gross average weekly wage in the 52 weeks before the work fatality.

Hire a Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Benefits Attorney for Ford Assembly Workers

If you faced injuries due to your employer’s safety violations on a Ford safety line, you should give Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca a call. Our law firm is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. We possess the highest ethical standards and professional ability. Our Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers represent auto workers in Champaign, Rockford, Quincy, and Aurora, as well as Sangamon, Winnebago, Kane, Cook, and Adams Counties. Call us at 312-724-5846 or complete our online form.