Chattanooga is a town powered by multiple industries. Residents work tirelessly in businesses like Volkswagen at Enterprise South or in steel fabrication shops along the Tennessee River. There are also many major distribution hubs across Hamilton County. Thousands of Chattanooga workers keep the region’s economy going. But what keeps them going when they get hurt in an industrial accident?
When working with heavy machinery, chemicals, and the fast pace of production, even a minor safety glitch can lead to a devastating injury. When that happens, workers and the families who rely on them are left with medical bills, lost wages, and an uncertain future.
At Gary Massey Injury Lawyers, we help Chattanooga workers understand their rights to workers’ compensation benefits and potential third-party injury claims. If you were injured in one of our city’s many plants, warehouses, or construction sites, contact our team for a free consultation. You’ve helped keep Chattanooga running. Let us help you.
Chattanooga Industries with High Injury Risks
Local workers face unique hazards tied to Chattanooga’s largest employers and industries.
Major Chattanooga operations include:
- Construction sites (Tennessee ranks as one of the most dangerous states for construction accidents)
- Volkswagen Group of America (automotive manufacturing)
- Komatsu (equipment production)
- Cummins (engine manufacturing)
- McKee Foods
- Dozens of steel fabrication and metalworking facilities like OMS, AMG Industries, etc.
Common Types of Industrial Accidents in Chattanooga
Here is a breakdown of the common types of industrial accidents we see here in Chattanooga:
- Machinery Accidents: Amputations, crushing injuries, and severe lacerations caused by malfunctions, missing guards, or poor training
- Chemical Exposure: Burns, inhalation injuries, and respiratory damage from poor ventilation, faulty storage, or lack of protective gear
- Falls From Heights: Fractures, spinal injuries, and TBIs linked to missing guardrails or inadequate fall protection
- Electrical Accidents: Burns, cardiac injuries, or electrocution from energized equipment, damaged wiring, or high-voltage panels
- Explosions and Fires: Burns, blast injuries, and smoke damage caused by flammable chemicals, combustible dust, or pressurized systems
- Repetitive Motion Injuries: Carpal tunnel, joint damage, and chronic back or shoulder injuries from repetitive assembly-line work
- Forklift and Other Handling Accidents: Tip-overs, crushing injuries, and struck-by incidents involving forklifts and heavy loads
- Confined Space Incidents: Suffocation, toxic exposure, or entrapment in tanks, silos, pits, or tunnels
Common Injuries Suffered in Industrial Accidents
The severity of industrial accident injuries varies widely, from simple fractures to catastrophic injuries, but the impact on workers and their families can be overwhelming.
Common injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Falls, struck-by incidents, and explosions can cause concussions, skull fractures, hemorrhaging, and permanent cognitive impairment. Even “mild” TBIs can result in lifelong struggle, including memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Severe trauma to the spine can result in partial or complete paralysis. These catastrophic injuries often require lifetime medical care, extensive rehabilitation, home modifications, and mobility assistance equipment.
- Amputations: Machinery accidents, crushing incidents, and severe trauma sometimes require surgical amputation of fingers, hands, arms, legs, or feet. Amputation victims face not only physical challenges but also significant psychological trauma, lengthy rehabilitation, and the need for prosthetics and home modifications.
- Severe Burns: Chemical exposure, contact with electrical elements, and fire-related incidents can cause first, second, third, or fourth-degree burns. Burn injuries often require multiple surgeries, skin grafts, extensive wound care, and can result in permanent scarring, disfigurement, and loss of function. They are also horribly painful at any degree.
- Respiratory Injuries: Inhaling toxic fumes, chemical vapors, smoke, or particulate matter can cause acute respiratory illness and chronic lung disease. Some respiratory injuries may not show symptoms right away but can lead to permanent lung damage.
- Crush Injuries: Being caught between objects, under falling materials, or in equipment can cause internal bleeding, organ damage, broken bones, and tissue death. Crush syndrome can develop when compressed body parts are suddenly released, potentially causing kidney failure and other complications.
- Fractures and Broken Bones: Falls, machinery accidents, and struck-by incidents frequently result in broken bones ranging from simple fractures to complex, compound fractures requiring surgery. Severe fractures can lead to chronic pain, limited mobility, and post-traumatic arthritis.
- Hearing Loss and Vision Loss: Exposure to excessive noise levels, flying debris, chemical splashes, and explosions can cause partial or complete loss of hearing, tinnitus, or vision loss. These sensory impairments significantly affect quality of life and work ability.
Understanding Your Legal Rights After an Industrial Accident
After a serious industrial injury, it’s critical to know what types of claims you may qualify for. Workers’ compensation isn’t the only option, especially when unsafe equipment, contractors, or hazardous conditions are involved. Here are the key paths to compensation:
- Workers’ Compensation Claims: Covers medical care and partial wage replacement through Tennessee’s no-fault system, regardless of who caused the accident
- Third-Party Liability Claims: Allows you to seek full compensation when a contractor, vendor, or other non-employer party contributed to your injury
- Product Liability Claims: Are applicable when defective or unsafe machinery, tools, or safety gear cause harm because of poor design, faulty manufacturing, or inadequate warnings
- Toxic Exposure Claims: Provides additional recovery for injuries caused by chemical leaks, fumes, or hazardous materials beyond what workers’ comp pays
- Wrongful Death Claims: Helps families recover funeral costs, lost income, and other damages when a loved one is fatally injured on the job
Types of Compensation Available in Industrial Accident Cases
Depending on the severity of your injuries and the strength of your case, you may seek compensation for the following:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Surgery and hospitalization
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Prosthetics and home or vehicle modifications
- Ongoing medical and care expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of companionship
Why Legal Guidance Matters in Industrial Accident Cases
Industrial accident claims are complex and involve so much more than anyone should tackle on their own. They involve:
- Corporate insurance policies
- Negotiations with insurance companies
- Witness testimony
- Conflicting witness reports
- Technical machinery data
- Safety and maintenance records
- OSHA investigations
Our team handles all of the above and more—so you can focus on healing.
How Our Chattanooga Industrial Accident Lawyers Can Help
After an industrial accident, you want an experienced professional with a deep understanding of local laws and the resources to build a strong case on your behalf. Here’s what we at Gary Massey Injury Lawyers do for every client:
- Investigate Your Incident Thoroughly: We collect medical records, accident reports, witness statements, expert opinions, and all documentation necessary to support your injury claim.
- Prove the Full Extent of Your Damages: We demonstrate the full impact of your injuries—physically, emotionally, and financially—so that insurance companies cannot lowball you.
- Negotiate With Insurance Companies: Insurance companies will try to minimize your claim and offer an egregiously low payout. We fight aggressively for full compensation and send any lowball settlement right back to them.
- If Needed, Take Your Case to Trial: If the insurance company refuses to settle on a fair compensation amount, we will fight them in court to secure a higher amount.
In addition to providing the above services for our clients, we are also deeply rooted in the Chattanooga community. Our knowledge includes:
- The safety procedures used at major Chattanooga plants
- How to obtain records from regional employers
- Which local medical facilities industrial accident victims can get reliable care and ongoing treatment at, like Erlanger, CHI Memorial, and Parkridge Medical Center
Contact Gary Massey Industrial Accident Injury Lawyers Today
If you were injured at an industrial site in Chattanooga or Hamilton County, reach out to our experienced Chattanooga industrial accident injury lawyers right away, so critical evidence isn’t lost and deadlines for filing a workers’ comp claim aren’t missed. Contact Gary Massey Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. Our team operates on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront costs to get the help you need. We only get paid when we recover compensation for you.
Let us review your injury claim, explain the next steps, and protect your rights to full compensation.
