Accident at work please help...

Question

i work for a construction company at the brownsville tx port, working on oil rigs, i had an accident about a month and a half ago where a pipe weighing in at about i would say a little less than 1000 pounds fell on my foot, i was put there by my supervisor to put some pipes together, im not a certified rigger but tried my best, after the pipe fell on me i called my supervisor on my cellphone to tell him what had just happened (i was in terrible pain at this time) he then called me a (pendejo) which is like idiot or dumbass, told me to call another supervisor in the area and hung up, the other supervisor saw me sitting down, calmly walked towards me asked what happened, when i told him what happened instead of calling safety to pick me he told me to start walking, so i did, luckily i found someone on a bike and asked him to lend it to me using my good foot to push the bike to safety, there safety tried to intimidate me saying it was my fault, then told me supervisor whom they couldnt find at first that why did he leave me alone, and that they had told them that the chain hoist system that was installed wasnt gonna work, so they send me to the doctor, luckily nothing is broken or fractured but i had alot of bleeding in the inside, well now the swelling has resided except that theres this piece where the pipe fell that is still bothering me, its about a little bigger than a quarter, its hard to the touch (through the inside) and the skin on the outside is about the same radius as the inside with a different color, almost a brownish color, and my foot is whitish.... i did attend therapy, doctor told me it was nothing, yet he just stepped into the room asked how i was doing squeezed the tender area and scheduled another appointment at a later date, and left the room... i keep telling them about the tender area but they just say its a bruise, after this accident ive noticed i feel discomfort in my foot and ankle, anybody out there that can give me some advise that would be great...

Answer 1

I am not familiar with Worker's Compensation law in Texas, but all states have Worker's Compensation statutes and administrative courts to deal with these types of claims.  I would recommend contacting a Work Comp lawyer in your area and convey your situation, they will let you know if you are entitled to compensation (or if it is a worthwhile case).  Many factors may come into play, like your current level of disability as a result of this particular injury, whether you have any preexisting conditions, whether you missed any work, were placed on work restrictions by a medical provider, etc.  Moreover, most states have a statute of limitations (2 years in many states), you must file a claim before 2 years after the date of the accident.  Ultimately you cannot get adequate advice here.  Work comp lawyers will likely charge a contingency fee, so if your case fails you are not out any money.   I am a law student and not an attorney, nor am I a member of the Bar in any state, so  I would recommend contacting a lawyer in your region.