Loggers know their work is dangerous. Logging related injuries and deaths in Oregon occur more than in other lines of work.
There are few basic truths that make logging a dangerous occupation. Loggers work around heavy, massive trees that grow on uneven ground, often on a hillside or slope. Just walking through this terrain is tough work. Add to this falling timber and setting choker cables to the mix. These conditions are unpredictable. Harvesting big and heavy trees deep in the woods requires large and heavy equipment. Again, working on uneven terrain makes conditions ripe for injury.
Although most logging companies do things the right way, OHSA violations occur, and many times, OSHA is involved only after a serious injury.
What are your options if you have suffered a logging injury? If your employer is based in Oregon, you have a potential workers' compensation claim. It does not matter if anyone is at fault in causing your injury, and in most cases, it doesn't even matter if you made a mistake that caused the injury. Your workers' compensation benefits include medical care, wage replacement, and if you are not able to return to your job, vocational rehabilitation.
Many times, logging companies work with other contractors, like trucking firms, on the same project. If a worker from another company carelessly caused your injury, you may also have a claim under Oregon's Employer Liability Law, which provides additional benefits above and beyond Oregon Workers' Compensation.
If you were injured in a logging accident, you have rights. Contact someone who has worked with injured loggers to help you with your claim so you can concentrate on getting back to work. At the Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C., we know our way around these kinds of claims. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help with your claim.
