Jennings Chemical Exposure Lawyer

Jennings Chemical Exposure Attorney

Toxic and chemical exposure is a uniquely serious type of injury because many people do not notice the development of the illness. Employees and others may be exposed daily to toxic materials and not realize that this is what causes the development of a respiratory illness, cancer, or other serious disease. If you have been harmed by a chemical exposure, a Jennings chemical exposure lawyer can help you.

Jennings, LA, a city in Jefferson Davis Parish with a recent estimated number of 9,372 residents, includes many workers in industries where chemical exposure is possible. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to recover financial damages, such as the value of your medical bills or some of the wages you couldn’t earn due to being injured or sick.

You could file a workers’ compensation or personal injury claim. If an employer or company is negligent, it is crucial that you hold them accountable. The right legal team can help.

The Cox Law Firm: Helping You Financially Recover After Chemical Exposure

The team at the Cox Law Firm has over 135 combined years of legal experience, and our firm has been working for decades to support injured workers and their families. When you are injured or develop an illness, as an employee or a bystander, it is important that the right parties are held accountable. It can be complex to link a developmental illness to chemical exposure in some cases, but our team can fight for your interests.

Injuries and Illnesses Associated With Toxic and Chemical Exposure

Chemical exposure is contact with harmful substances, including asbestos, solvents, pesticides, benzene, carbon monoxide, mold, bacteria, silica dust, dust and debris, heavy metals, aerosols, and other compounds. Inhaling these substances, ingesting them, or even coming in skin contact with some can lead to injury or cause developmental illnesses. Toxic exposure can lead to dangers such as:

• Respiratory issues, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), asbestosis, bronchiolitis obliterans, reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS), and silicosis.
• Irritation and burning on the skin or eyes, or direct chemical burns.
• Nervous system damage, leading to headaches, dizziness, memory loss, tremors, and confusion.
• Gastrointestinal damage, including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
• Reproductive issues, including infertility or birth defects.
• Long-term illnesses like aplastic anemia or Parkinson’s disease.
• Cancer from long-term repeated exposure to certain hazardous substances, such as leukemia, mesothelioma, or Hodgkin’s disease.

While many people could come into contact with these substances, employees on offshore rigs, construction sites, plants, refineries, and other industrial worksites are more likely to be exposed and exposed at higher levels. Many deaths are primarily caused by carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide inhalation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration links over 50,000 deaths and 190,000 illnesses each year to chemical exposure in the workplace. The risks are even higher for employees when employers fail to ensure sufficient safety protocols, including personal protective gear and training for dealing with dangerous substances.

Understanding a Toxic Tort Case

A toxic tort case is a claim against a party for their negligence or misconduct for the toxic exposure that someone suffered. These claims may also be based on strict liability or another basis. These claims are frequently filed as class action or mass tort cases. In a class action, an individual files the claim on behalf of all those with similar injuries. A mass tort is when many injured parties are filing claims simultaneously for their damages.

How Can You Recover Compensation?

You can recover financial compensation for chemical exposure in certain situations. The method of compensation depends on where and how you were injured.

If you were exposed to hazardous substances while at the workplace, you can file a workers’ compensation claim. This claim can be filed without needing to prove any party liable for your injuries. There are many hazardous areas of work in Louisiana that can lead to dangerous levels of chemical exposure, especially in the maritime industry.

When you are injured as a maritime worker, you may have other options for compensation. If your employer was negligent in ensuring safety and health standards, and this led to your accident, you could file a personal injury claim under maritime laws.

If you have been harmed by chemical exposure and you were not working, you could file a personal injury claim if you can prove that a party was negligent or is strictly liable for your injuries. If a property owner was careless in addressing known hazards or a manufacturer made and sold an unreasonably dangerous product, you may be able to hold them liable for your injury or illness.

FAQs

How Do You Prove Chemical Exposure?

In order to prove chemical exposure, you must often prove negligence, which includes evidence of the following:

1. A party owed you a duty of care, such as a property owner or an industrial company.
2. This party breached their duty of care through negligence or misconduct.
3. Their breach of duty was the cause of your chemical exposure.
4. The chemical exposure led to you suffering injury, illness, and other damages.

What Should You Do After Exposure to Chemicals?

If you suspect you have been exposed to dangerous chemicals, you need to get medical attention immediately. The exact steps to take depend on the area and method of exposure. Wash affected areas if direct skin or eye exposure occurs, and receive medical attention. If the chemical exposure occurred through inhalation, fresh air, artificial respiration, and the use of 100% oxygen may be necessary. You can receive medical care at Ochsner American Legion Hospital at 1634 Elton Rd. in Jennings.

What Is Considered Chemical Exposure?

Chemical exposure is when an individual is in contact with harmful substances, typically through inhalation, ingestion, or contact with skin. These substances can include liquid and gas chemicals, bacteria in food, excessive dust, or other dangerous chemicals in buildings, medicines, and other products. This exposure may cause short-term and/or long-term health issues.

In Louisiana, chemical exposure is especially likely for employees in industrial and maritime employment, which are more likely to frequently deal with hazardous substances.

How Do I Report Chemical Exposure?

If you were exposed to a dangerous chemical, get medical care primarily. You can report the incident through your work if you were injured there. To report chemical releases and hazardous materials in Louisiana, you can report to the following:

• The Louisiana State Police in Calcasieu Parish at 805 Main Street in Lake Charles (337) 491-2511
• The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (225) 219-3640 or at (888) 763-5424
• The National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802

Protecting Your Financial Future

Let the Cox Law Firm help you after chemical exposure. Our compassionate and skilled legal team is dedicated to helping residents of Jennings obtain the compensation they are entitled to.