- Jurisdiction
- Michigan
hello,
this is my first post here so im very new, please forgive any ignorance in my post as im not exactly versed in this field. anyways, i have this issue that i only recently realized was illegal for my former employer to do. heres the story.
i worked for an un-named steel factory about a year ago. i was injured on the job. i was replacing sulfuric acid in a vat, and some of it got in my glove(yes i was wearing ALL required PPE) and burned my left forearm completely. i was changing the acid with my supervisor so he may, may not be a witness, depending on who he sides with i guess. as i was being burned from the acid we did not have any emergency wash station nearby. i was told by my supervisor to immediately go to the washroom to wash it with water. i ran there to wash it and continued washing it with water until my forearm turned black. about a half hour passed as i was still washing it and realized, what the hell is going on. im losing feeling in my arm completely. i walk into my supervisors office and hes trying to find the msds sheet for the sulfuric acid, which as it turn out they didnt have. no sheet whatsoever. i told him i was losing feeling in my arm and i felt i needed to go to the hospital, he hesitated but after basically begging to go he agreed to take me.
after getting to the hospital the doctor noted 2nd degree chemical burns to my forearm. he fixed me up and gave me a prescription to hydrocodone, which to my understanding is a very powerful drug to reduce pain, which i badly needed. as the doctor left, my supervisor told me NOT to fill the prescription because it would turn into an osha record able incident and i might lose my job. i didnt think twice. i needed a job so i didnt fill it and suffered through the pain. a workmans comp was filed and i was off for i think about 5 days. after i came back to work i was basically limited to what i could do because everywhere you go in the foundry there is dirt, and if dirt got into the burn it would get infected. my dressing had to be changed at least twice per shift by the on-site medical nurse.
now, the reason why im only just now posting this. im working for a very good company as and electrical engineer who has many lawyers and safety officers and as a funny story i thought i would joke about this incident. after telling them they looked at me and told me thats not funny, its incredibly illegal. i was in shock. they told me to seek advice about it and i may be entitled to compensation. i actually still have problems with touch sensations in that arm, but its mostly healed aside from a scar where it healed from. about 2 weeks after returning to work i got "laid off". i presumed it had something to do with this incident however i never really was told why.
so my questions are vast. im still within michigans statute of limitations. would this make a good case? what troubles would i have? what would i have to prove? how long would it take and how do i start? please note that the company i worked for a year ago when this happened is a billion dollar company so it may be hard to fight their legal team. thanks for your advice!
TLDR;
i was working and through no fault of my own sulfuric acid burned my arm. 2nd degree burn. employer had NO msds sheets for it. i was told not to fill the pain medicine prescription at the hospital by my supervisor or i may lose my job. workmans comp was filed and was on limited work basis until i got "laid off". what can i do?
this is my first post here so im very new, please forgive any ignorance in my post as im not exactly versed in this field. anyways, i have this issue that i only recently realized was illegal for my former employer to do. heres the story.
i worked for an un-named steel factory about a year ago. i was injured on the job. i was replacing sulfuric acid in a vat, and some of it got in my glove(yes i was wearing ALL required PPE) and burned my left forearm completely. i was changing the acid with my supervisor so he may, may not be a witness, depending on who he sides with i guess. as i was being burned from the acid we did not have any emergency wash station nearby. i was told by my supervisor to immediately go to the washroom to wash it with water. i ran there to wash it and continued washing it with water until my forearm turned black. about a half hour passed as i was still washing it and realized, what the hell is going on. im losing feeling in my arm completely. i walk into my supervisors office and hes trying to find the msds sheet for the sulfuric acid, which as it turn out they didnt have. no sheet whatsoever. i told him i was losing feeling in my arm and i felt i needed to go to the hospital, he hesitated but after basically begging to go he agreed to take me.
after getting to the hospital the doctor noted 2nd degree chemical burns to my forearm. he fixed me up and gave me a prescription to hydrocodone, which to my understanding is a very powerful drug to reduce pain, which i badly needed. as the doctor left, my supervisor told me NOT to fill the prescription because it would turn into an osha record able incident and i might lose my job. i didnt think twice. i needed a job so i didnt fill it and suffered through the pain. a workmans comp was filed and i was off for i think about 5 days. after i came back to work i was basically limited to what i could do because everywhere you go in the foundry there is dirt, and if dirt got into the burn it would get infected. my dressing had to be changed at least twice per shift by the on-site medical nurse.
now, the reason why im only just now posting this. im working for a very good company as and electrical engineer who has many lawyers and safety officers and as a funny story i thought i would joke about this incident. after telling them they looked at me and told me thats not funny, its incredibly illegal. i was in shock. they told me to seek advice about it and i may be entitled to compensation. i actually still have problems with touch sensations in that arm, but its mostly healed aside from a scar where it healed from. about 2 weeks after returning to work i got "laid off". i presumed it had something to do with this incident however i never really was told why.
so my questions are vast. im still within michigans statute of limitations. would this make a good case? what troubles would i have? what would i have to prove? how long would it take and how do i start? please note that the company i worked for a year ago when this happened is a billion dollar company so it may be hard to fight their legal team. thanks for your advice!
TLDR;
i was working and through no fault of my own sulfuric acid burned my arm. 2nd degree burn. employer had NO msds sheets for it. i was told not to fill the pain medicine prescription at the hospital by my supervisor or i may lose my job. workmans comp was filed and was on limited work basis until i got "laid off". what can i do?
