What does a suggestion box at a company have to do with workplace safety?

In some cases, the answer is: plenty.

We tend to think of suggestion boxes as a process for employees to talk about conveniences and weigh in on minor details about workplace. Should there be more flowers in the office entry? Should uniforms have a new logo?

However, specific input and feedback resources are also designed to give rank-and-file employees the opportunity to tell employers about what’s happening on the job. Too often, bosses and upper management aren’t really present on-site frequently or they have only a vague understanding of the reality on the ground. So with a suggestion box or other similar process, the workers can inform management about anything that comes up, including any elements of the job that are hazardous or unsafe.

Companies often ignore these suggestions at their peril. In the average work injury case, a pattern of neglect or inaction can make all the difference.

When personal injury lawyers look at cases to assess third-party liability, they often look for a pattern of neglect. They look for complaints that have been filed prior to an injury where the same workplace situations that ended up causing the accident were not addressed when they should have been.

This can take many forms — for example, in a slip and fall case, prior complaints of slippery or icy surfaces, missing handrails or other safety items can really hurt the company’s defense. At the same time, if someone is injured in a machine accident, any evidence of untrained people or minors accessing that equipment in the past will really bolster the work injury claim.

When there is any ambiguity in a case, prior complaints can really make a difference and move a court definitively toward the plaintiff’s favor. But these instances have to be discovered. They have to be evident and presented to a judge.

How RMFW Can Help

Qualified injury lawyers do that sort of fact-finding on behalf of a client. They know how to look for a history of neglect or inattention to safety. They know what processes to use to advance their client’s best interests in court. They can counsel their clients about their legal options according to applicable laws, and they can keep them informed about how the claim process is working out.

All of this is why injury victims rely on expert legal representation after an accident. They may need to go up against counsel for other parties, such as an employer or an insurance company. A work injury lawyer representing the injury victims makes sure their clients’ views are understood and heard in court.

Get Help From New York City Construction Accident Lawyers

If you or a family member has been injured at work in New York City, call the dedicated and attentive work injury attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. Our attorneys will keep you informed and empowered while assisting in bringing a personal injury case against all applicable parties. We have represented many injury victims in New York with the goal of getting fair and equitable treatment for our clients. Let us help you figure out how to pursue compensation for the costs of care, missed wages and more.