Welding Accident Attorney in Lancaster

Fighting for Just Compensation for Injured Welders

A welding accident can expose welders and nearby workers to intense heat, electricity, pressurized cylinders, toxic fumes, and combustible materials, sometimes all at once. We represent injured Pennsylvanians and examine whether they are entitled to workers’ compensation, a personal injury claim against another party, or both after a welding-related injury.

We begin by assisting clients in getting the medical care they need, as well as reporting the incident to their employers if they have not already done so. We then begin an investigation into what happened. Our Lancaster welding accident attorneys look at the worksite, the equipment used, and the various companies that may share responsibility. In every instance, our goal is maximize our clients' recoveries so that they can focus on healing and getting back on their feet.

Injured in a welding accident? Call (888) 498-3023 to tell us what happened and learn which steps may protect your right to compensation during a completely free, no-obligation consultation.

Common Welding-Related Injuries

Welders are highly skilled at what they do. This is an intricate, intensive, and extremely technical skill, and most accidents happen not because of the welder's mistake but due to surrounding circumstances they cannot control. Regardless, the consequences are often catastrophic.

Serious welding accidents may involve:

• Burns and eye injuries: Arc flash burns caused by an electrical arc can damage the skin and eyes. Welding also exposes workers to ultraviolet radiation.
• Electric shock: Damaged cables, wet conditions, poor grounding, or contact with energized components can cause shock or electrocution.
• Welding fumes: Inadequate ventilation can expose workers to airborne metals and gases that may cause respiratory or neurological harm.
• Fires and explosions: Sparks, flammable materials, leaking hoses, and unsafe cylinders can contribute to severe burns, hearing loss, and other traumatic injuries.
• Defective equipment: Malfunctioning welding machines, torches, regulators, hoses, or safety devices may contribute to an accident.
• Crush and cut injuries: Falling materials, sharp metal, and moving equipment can injure a worker’s hands, feet, or other parts of the body.

Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claims

Welders who are injured on the job may be automatically entitled to workers' compensation benefits. Pennsylvania workers’ compensation provides medical, wage loss, and death benefits for covered occupational injuries or illnesses, including welding injuries that occur when a worker is “on the clock.” You do not have to prove that your employer (or anyone else) was negligent in order to receive workers' comp, but you do need to report the incident to your employer. Generally speaking, you must notify your employer within 21 days of the injury in order to receive workers' compensation benefits beginning on the day of the injury. Reporting later could only entitle you to benefits beginning the day you reported, and notice provided more than 120 days after the injury may bar benefits altogether unless an exception applies.

Sometimes, a welding accident happens because of the negligence of someone other than an employer. This is known as third-party negligence, and it opens the door to a separate, non-workers' compensation claim. Depending on how the accident occurred, a third-party work injury claim may involve an equipment manufacturer, property owner, general contractor, subcontractor, staffing company, or another company or entity that contributed to the hazardous condition.

At Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC, we carefully review the facts of your case to determine whether you have grounds for a workers' compensation claim, a third-party injury lawsuit, or both. The goal is to not only recover every dollar that you are owed but also to ensure that every party responsible for your injury is held accountable.

Preserving Evidence After a Lancaster Welding Accident

Evidence is important in welding accident claims. It can also disappear fast. Equipment may be repaired, work areas may change, surveillance footage may be overwritten, and witnesses may move to other projects. Our team moves quickly to determine what happened and who may be responsible, preserving evidence right away in order to build a stronger case on your behalf.

Relevant worksite evidence may include:

• Incident reports, photographs, surveillance footage, and witness accounts
• Welding machines, cables, cylinders, regulators, hoses, and protective equipment
• Inspection, maintenance, and repair records for involved equipment
• Training materials, safety policies, work permits, and contractor agreements
• Ventilation records and information about the metals or coatings involved
• Medical records, work restrictions, wage records, and employment documentation

What Compensation Is Available After a Welding Accident?

The compensation you may be entitled to depends on the type of claim you have, as well as the supporting evidence. Workers’ compensation benefits cover medical treatment and part of an injured worker’s lost wages. In addition to medical expenses and lost income, a third-party claim may also address reduced earning capacity, permanent impairment, pain and suffering, and other economic and non-economic losses.

A fatal welding accident may raise separate issues involving workers’ compensation death benefits, wrongful death claims, and survival claims against responsible third parties. Eligibility and value depend on factors such as family relationships, medical evidence, wage history, insurance coverage, and proof of responsibility.

More Than 100 Years Serving Injured Pennsylvanians

Founded in 1922, Handler, Henning & Rosenberg LLC has helped more than 40,000 clients across Central Pennsylvania and handled hundreds of thousands of cases. We’ve secured million-dollar results for injured workers and accident victims, including tens of millions of dollars through verdicts and settlements.

Our attorneys have received recognition from Best Lawyers®, Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms, Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and National Trial Lawyers Top 100. When an injury makes travel difficult, we can meet clients at home or in the hospital anywhere in Pennsylvania.

Talk with Our Lancaster Welding Accident Lawyers

During a free consultation, we can review how the incident happened, identify possible workers’ compensation and third-party claims, and address things like reporting deadlines, evidence, and what steps you should take next. We encourage you to reach out to our team sooner rather than later, as waiting too long to report the incident or file a claim might negatively impact your recovery.

If we take your case, there are no upfront costs. You pay nothing unless we win. Our goal is to secure the resources you need to recover, heal, and move forward, and our Lancaster welding accident lawyers are committed to providing the compassionate, personalized representation you deserve.

Call (888) 498-3023 to speak with our team today about your welding injury.