So, me and my boyfriend have been reading up for the past couple months what's going to happen when he brings his old boss to court, due to a work injury that happened because of a safety hazard. Last July, my boyfriend was at work, and was lifting 300 pounds of sheet metal with another co-worker. While they were walking to bring it to the truck, my boyfriend's foot slipped because there was a cement drop off to the dirt where the truck was, which was about a 4 inch dip. Once his foot slipped, the pallet of 300 pounds fell on top of his forearms, and almost chopped them off completely. When the boss got outside, they refused to call an ambulance, and no one knew one. The reason we think is because the company lost their insurance about a month before this injury happened. My boyfriend was such in shock because his arms almost got cut off, and all the loss blood coming out of his arms. The receptionist of the company took him to the hospital, and they tricked my boyfriend into telling the hospital that it did not happen at work, when it obviously did. He even has the check stub to prove that he was working that day, and the hospital bills to prove it. When he was at the hospital, they had to do 23 stitches in his left arm, and 8 on the other. His arms were so ripped open that you could see the bone and the meat of the arm, and he was losing so much blood. In his right arm, the sheet metal cut into his blood vein, and was spewing out blood, so dark it was black, because it hasn't even touched oxygen yet. It's almost been a year, and my boyfriend is still suffering from nerve damage. Randomly, he will get a burning or inching sensation under his skin, that will not go away for a good 20 minutes, and it hurts him. He believes that he has carpal tunnel now, because he can hardly move his thumbs around, for example when he's texting, or giving me a massage. This is a permanent injury, and scaring that he has to go through for the rest of his life. Does anyone know how our case is going to be? Has anyone been through a work inury? Could you possibly explain the steps we have to go through?

I would highly recommend having him speak to a lawyer. I'm not sure what is going to happen to be honest. It all depends on his former employer and if they decide to settle in or out of court. I think the US is too sue-happy but he most certainly has a case. He is lucky he didn't bleed to death from his severed vein. I'm sorry that happened to him. I wish the very best to you two.

The problem is, he's only a 19 year old, almost 20. And since that incident, he hasn't worked since. So he's trying to find a lawyer that will be able to get paid at the end of the case. So they would get a percentage of the money the insurance company would pay.

They tricked him into telling the hospital it didn't happen at work? Totally illegal. Didn't call an ambulance when blood is literally pissing out of him? Totally illegal too. Employers are obligated by law to provide a safe work environment and to take proper action when accidents like these happen. Judging from your story, that wasn't done at all. (At least that's the way it works here in Canada. I used to be part of the health and safety board at my old job and this is way into the red violation-wise.) I would speak to a lawyer, at least get some sort of legal consultation on this. That employer needs a righteous kick in the balls if you wants my opinion.

Contact OSHA.

That's what we're trying to do, it's seriously so hard to find the correct lawyer to do this case. Because my boyfriend wants the medical bills to be paid off (about 3,000 dollars at the time, because he didn't have insurance), a pain and suffering cost, and nerve damage. Some places will only do the medical bills. Me and him are all so new to this.

I thought OSHA would only sew the company? And they would get the money?

I'm pretty sure that's not how that agency works. Perhaps their representatives will be able to advise him on what to do for his individual case? At any rate, the company should be reported to prevent more workplace hazards.

Try looking into pro bono lawyers or lawyers who are looking to fill their pro bono hours. A law school might have useful resources too.

No OSHA would look into the incident. They wouldn't get money, but rather issue fines and things for that company to make it safer/reduce possible injuries.

It'll be a tough battle because he didn't say it was done at work. So you guys will need anything you can get. Testimony from the other worker that day, finding out if there was video (most likely deleted by now) pics of the area it happened at, close up of the drop ect ect

but yes your employer needs to always make sure you leave work in the condition you got there in. If you "break" while at work then they need to make sure you get help plain and simple.

may I ask what did he say happened to the hospital?

Oh, okay. Makes sense!

If they ask why he said that it didn't happened at work, he can just say he was in shock, which he was. The company basically took advantage of him when he was injured.

I don't believe there was a video of it happening, and if there was it's probably deleted, like you said. I would have to probably go in and take pictures of the place where it happened, and the drop that it happened at. It was almost a year ago, but I doubt they have fixed it to prevent anymore injuries. We do have pictures of his arms, and you could clearly see his bone and meat in it.

I think that he told the hospital that it happened somewhere outside of work. Not too sure what exactly, I'll have to ask my boyfriend.

Hmm a year ago? i'd start calling a law office, they can give advice or tell you if a case is outside of the timeframe to make a case. The advice is free always, hiring them is the part that costs.

But here's info on what OSHA is about

I think in the state of Arizona there's a a year to seven years of a time frame. But that is just an estimate, I need to look that up for a real answer. I've been telling him to do it ever since it happened, but he kept pushing it off. Now that he's realizing that the time frame is coming up, he's so willing to do it. It's annoying, because it would of been over with by now probably if he did it last year, but oh well, still love him.

I'm pretty sure that any lawyer would be able to give you legal advice...some specialize more in work-type injuries so I guess I'd start there. I'm not too familiar with how the law system works in the US... Like said, the fact he made a statement that the incident didn't happen at work does mean you'll need any type of evidence to prove that the company did take advantage of him while he was injured. At any rate, this employer should be reported.

Good luck with this. I hope he gets the compensation he deserves.

I really hope that your bf gets help. My fiance has been screwed over by doctors and is now having trouble finding a lawyer (long story short: they permanently injured his back while 'helping' his back injury).

So I know how rough it can be on a person.

Wish I had information to help you.