Coal miners understand the dangers they face going into each and every shift. Whether they are working with equipment on the surface or delving underground, the world of a coal miner is a serious place. Workers can get awfully hurt or killed in a mining accident, and may have reason to speak with a lawyer about pursuing compensation for what they have been through. When an accident happens at a mining site and employees are injured, it could have been due to safety negligence on behalf of the mining company, equipment manufacturer error, or the fault of another relevant party.
State and federal mining laws offer some degree of protection, however, violations and lack of safety considerations still cause terrible injuries and may result in fatalities. Mining is a risky occupation due to its underground work, surface hauling accidents, heavy equipment malfunctions, tree removal accidents, or electrocution. Most fatalities occur underground. Coal mining is a dangerous job, but this doesn’t mean that workers should just accept what happened to them without protest.
The types of injuries miners may suffer from can range from burns to crush injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, wrongful death, and more. Burns tend to be caused by chemicals, explosions, fires, and inhalation from toxins, heat, or smoke. Burn injuries are often painful and difficult to heal, requiring long-term medical treatment and recovery. Crush injuries can result from a coal stockpile collapse, roof collapse, or longwall accident. A worker may get crushed from a collapse or defective machinery.
Regulations and guidelines are set so that these accidents can be prevented. As a mining injury lawyer families trust from Hayhurst Law PLLC has seen before, when rules are not followed or inconsistently implemented, a miner worker and their families may pay the price. Coal miners risk a roof collapse on a daily basis. In cases where longwall mining is used, the amount of coal being mined in addition to the weight and size of the equipment can cause severe injury to a worker. For instance, the shearer part of the machine may weigh more than a hundred tons, and the shield that supports the roof of the mine may weigh thirty to forty tons. Unsafe conditions and the presence of defective machinery, along with negligence from an employer, can all contribute to a tragic mining accident unfolding.
Whether your mining accident happened on the surface or underground, chances are there may have been a lack of supervision, safety enforcement, or training. Mine operators have a duty to themselves and their coworkers to follow workplace standards and continue to prioritize safety above all else. As a lawyer at Hayhurst Law PLLC can attest, mining accidents may point to a lack of adherence to safety regulations and a carelessness on behalf of the employer. Injured miners may have reason to file a personal injury lawsuit so that they can receive restitution for what they have endured.