What Are My Legal Options if My Tysons, VA Workplace Is Unsafe?

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Tysons, VA Workers Compensation Lawyer

If your workplace is unsafe, one of your options is to start finding out how you can protect your legal rights by discussing your situation with a reputable Tysons, VA workers compensation lawyer.

Even in the most accommodating of workplaces, it can be difficult to speak out when something seems amiss. After all, the power dynamic between employer and employee remains a silent presence, even when that employer expresses a desire for open communication. As a result, many workers feel uncomfortable voicing concerns to various levels of management. They understandably fear subtle and/or explicit forms of retaliation for speaking up.

Nevertheless, it remains critically important to act when a workplace becomes unsafe. Far too many Americans are injured, made ill and even killed on the job annually due to circumstances that are altogether preventable. Observant workers represent the first line of defense in regards to potential safety hazards. So, what are workers to do when their workplaces are unsafe and their managerial staff may or not be receptive to that feedback?

If you were injured or became ill as a result of your workplace, it may be in your best interest to to contact a Tysons, VA workers compensation lawyer as soon as you can to make sure that you know what your legal options are.

Practical Steps

One of the most important steps you can take in response to observing an unsafe work environment is to familiarize yourself with your rights as a worker. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration website is a great place to start. Because the struggle for workers’ rights has been such an integral part of American history, there is more information for the general public published in this area than in many other areas of government oversight.

If you feel that you can speak with your employer without compromising your job security, please do so. But if you do not feel safe communicating about unsafe working conditions, you can file a workplace safety complaint confidentially with OSHA and can even request that the administration inspect your workplace. This may be a particularly pressing option when you and your coworkers remain at risk for serious injury or illness absent intervention.

Many people find it helpful to talk to a lawyer a workers compensation lawyer in Tysons (or near where you work or worked in VA) before trying to talk to their employer so that they know if there are things that they should or should not say when talking to their employer, and the kind of language to use, etc.

Legal Options

Workers who have been injured or made ill on the job may wish to speak with an lawyer about obtaining any workers’ compensation benefits they may be entitled to. Depending on the laws in the state where the injury or illness occurred, an employer may be required to file a claim. This can be a tricky business if the employer is not inclined to admit that its workplace is hazardous. As a result, enlisting the support of an lawyer can help to ensure that benefits are paid in a timely fashion and that the affected worker remains as insulated from retaliation as possible.

Under certain circumstances, it is also possible to file a lawsuit against your employer for harm caused by unsafe working conditions. This is a nuanced area of law and should be discussed with a workers lawyer who is licensed to practice in Tysons and throughout VA if you are contemplating this course of action.

Support Is Available

If you have questions about your rights in regards to workplace safety or you have already been injured or made ill on the job and have questions about workers’ compensation benefits, please do not hesitate to speak with an experienced lawyer. You do not need to navigate the process of exercising your rights alone or without the benefit of knowledgeable counsel.

For a highly rated and reliable Tysons, VA workers compensation lawyer contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation with no obligations.