Atlanta Industrial Accident Lawyers
An Atlanta industrial accident lawyer helps injured workers pursue workers’ compensation and determine whether a third party, such as an equipment manufacturer, maintenance contractor, chemical supplier, or property owner, also caused the accident.
If defective machinery, chemical exposure, poor maintenance, or unsafe facility conditions caused your injury, you may have both a workers’ compensation claim and a third-party lawsuit.
Hasner Law investigates the equipment, records, and companies involved to identify who failed to keep you safe. We handle Georgia workers’ compensation claims and pursue third-party lawsuits when outside negligence contributed to serious industrial injuries.
Call Hasner Law at (678) 888-4878 to find out whether you have a workers’ compensation claim, a third-party lawsuit, or both.
How Does Hasner Law Build an Industrial Accident Case From the Equipment Up?
Industrial injury claims live or die on the equipment records.
Hasner Law has recovered more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts for injured clients, and a significant portion of our caseload involves workers’ compensation and third-party claims tied to machinery, chemical exposure, and plant safety failures.
Our attorneys bring more than 100 years of combined experience across these cases.
What Happens on Day One After You Hire Us?
We send formal preservation demands to the equipment manufacturer, the maintenance contractor, and your employer before anyone repairs, replaces, or discards the machine that caused your injury. Those records shape the entire case, and carriers know it.
- We obtain the full service history, manufacturer recall notices, and inspection logs for the equipment involved
- We request OSHA inspection records and any citations issued at the facility
- We file your workers’ comp claim with the State Board and manage all communication with the insurer
- We review your employer’s Panel of Physicians and advise you on selecting a treating doctor who understands industrial injuries
- Bilingual legal support is available in English and Spanish
Senior Attorney Judy Blackwell presided over more than 500 workers’ comp cases as an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
She saw catastrophic industrial injury claims from the bench and knows what medical and equipment evidence carries weight at hearing.
Attorney Akash Patel and Senior Attorney Pearce Taylor both represented employers and insurers before joining our team.
When an equipment manufacturer or a maintenance company raises a defense, our attorneys recognize the strategy because they once helped build those same arguments.
What Types of Industrial Accidents Happen in Metro Atlanta?
Metro Atlanta’s manufacturing, food processing, chemical, and logistics sectors produce industrial injuries that range from repetitive strain to catastrophic trauma.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), contact incidents, which include being caught in or struck by machinery, accounted for roughly 860,000 days-away-from-work and job-transfer cases nationally during the 2023 to 2024 reporting period.
The table below maps the most common industrial accident types in metro Atlanta to the industries where they occur and the third parties who may share liability.
| Industrial Accident Type | Common Atlanta Industries | Potential Third-Party Liability |
| Machinery entanglement or amputation | Manufacturing, food processing, printing | Equipment manufacturer, maintenance contractor |
| Chemical burn or toxic exposure | Chemical plants, industrial cleaning, paint manufacturing | Chemical supplier, facility owner, ventilation contractor |
| Conveyor system injuries | Warehouse fulfillment, package sorting, distribution | Conveyor manufacturer, installation contractor |
| Explosion or fire | Chemical storage, gas pipeline operations, welding shops | Gas supplier, equipment manufacturer, facility owner |
| Crush injuries from forklifts or heavy loads | Warehousing along I-85 south, Fulton Industrial Blvd facilities | Forklift manufacturer, load securement contractor |
| Confined space asphyxiation | Water treatment, tank cleaning, underground utilities | Ventilation equipment manufacturer, facility owner |
Some industrial injuries may qualify for catastrophic designation under Georgia workers’ compensation, depending on the severity of the injury and the statutory criteria.
A catastrophic designation may remove the standard 400-week cap on income benefits.
When Does a Factory Injury in Georgia Lead to a Third-Party Lawsuit?
A factory injury in Georgia may support a third-party lawsuit when someone other than your direct employer caused or contributed to the accident.
Workers’ comp bars you from suing your employer, but it does not protect equipment manufacturers, maintenance companies, chemical suppliers, or property owners.
What Third-Party Claims Apply to Industrial Accidents?
Third-party liability in industrial injury cases centers on the equipment, the chemicals, or the facility conditions that caused the harm.
Atlanta’s industrial corridors along Fulton Industrial Boulevard, I-20 west, and south metro I-85 rely on machinery and materials supplied by dozens of outside companies.
- A product liability claim against the manufacturer of a machine that lacked proper safety guards or had a defective emergency shutoff
- A negligence claim against the maintenance contractor that serviced the equipment and missed a known defect
- A premises liability claim against the facility owner who failed to maintain safe ventilation, lighting, or structural conditions
- A toxic tort claim against the chemical supplier that provided mislabeled or improperly stored hazardous materials
Georgia law allows these claims to proceed alongside your workers’ comp case. A third-party verdict or settlement may include full lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages that workers’ comp excludes by design.
How Do OSHA General Industry Standards Apply to Industrial Accident Claims?
OSHA’s general industry standards under 29 CFR Part 1910 set federal safety requirements for factories, plants, and warehouses.
A documented OSHA violation at your facility may serve as evidence that the responsible party failed to meet minimum safety rules.
Which OSHA Standards Come Up Most in Atlanta Industrial Injury Cases?
Industrial accident claims in Georgia frequently involve violations of specific OSHA standards that address machine guarding, chemical handling, and confined space entry.
- Machine guarding requirements under 29 CFR 1910.212 requiring point-of-operation guards on industrial machinery
- Lockout/tagout procedures under 29 CFR 1910.147 requiring energy isolation before equipment servicing
- Hazard communication standards under 29 CFR 1910.1200 requiring proper labeling and safety data sheets for chemicals on site
- Permit-required confined space entry rules under 29 CFR 1910.146 governing entry into tanks, vessels, and enclosed areas
An OSHA citation does not prove liability on its own, but it documents a specific safety failure at a specific time and location. When that failure aligns with how your industrial accident happened, it strengthens your claim.
Call (678) 888-4878 to discuss whether an OSHA violation applies to your case.
What Compensation May Be Available After an Industrial Accident in Atlanta?
Georgia workers’ comp pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a state cap, and covers medical treatment through employer-approved providers.
For non-catastrophic injuries, income benefits may last up to 400 weeks. Injuries that qualify as catastrophic under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1 may receive lifetime benefits.
What Additional Damages May a Third-Party Claim Recover?
A third-party industrial accident claim in Georgia goes beyond what workers’ comp provides. Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rule under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 allows recovery as long as your fault stays below 50%.
- Full lost wages from the date of injury plus reduced future earning capacity if the injury prevents you from returning to industrial work
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress caused by the accident and ongoing treatment
- Disfigurement and scarring from burns, amputations, or crush injuries
- Medical expenses beyond what workers’ comp covers, including treatment outside the approved network
Georgia law may also allow punitive damages under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-5.1 in cases involving extreme recklessness. A manufacturer that knowingly sold a machine with a defective safety guard or a plant owner who disabled a required ventilation system may face punitive liability.
Ask Hasner Law
I lost a finger in a machine at work. Is that just a workers’ comp case?
An amputation at work in Georgia qualifies for workers’ comp benefits, including permanent partial disability payments based on the statutory schedule for the lost body part.
But if the machine lacked proper guarding or had a known defect, you may also have a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
That separate claim may recover pain and suffering, full income loss, and other damages workers’ comp does not pay. Hasner Law evaluates both tracks.
My employer says the accident was my fault because I bypassed a safety guard. Do I still have a claim?
Georgia workers’ comp is a no-fault system, so your own actions generally do not bar a claim. However, the insurer may argue you violated a safety rule as grounds for denial.
Even if you bypassed a guard, the manufacturer may still bear liability if the guard was poorly designed, frequently malfunctioned, or lacked a proper interlock. An industrial accident attorney in Georgia reviews the full picture before accepting the employer’s version.
The plant where I work uses chemicals that made me sick over time. Is that covered?
Yes, occupational illnesses caused by prolonged chemical exposure may qualify for workers’ comp in Georgia. You may also have a toxic tort claim against the chemical manufacturer or supplier if they failed to provide proper safety data or mislabeled the product. Reporting the illness to your employer within 30 days of when you knew or should have known it was work-related protects your workers’ comp rights.
FAQs for Atlanta Industrial Accident Lawyers
How long do I have to file an industrial accident claim in Georgia?
Georgia requires you to report the injury to your employer within 30 days under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-80. You then generally have one year to file a formal workers’ comp claim with the State Board under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82.
A third-party personal injury lawsuit must be filed within two years under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33. Missing any of these deadlines may permanently bar that claim.
What qualifies as a catastrophic injury under Georgia workers’ comp?
Georgia law defines catastrophic injuries under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1 to include amputations, severe burns, spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis, severe brain injuries, and total blindness.
A catastrophic designation removes the 400-week cap on income benefits and may provide lifetime wage replacement. Your treating physician and the evidence in your medical records determine whether the designation applies.
If the equipment manufacturer is based outside Georgia, does that affect my case?
Not necessarily. Georgia courts may exercise jurisdiction over an out-of-state manufacturer if the company sold or distributed the equipment into the Georgia market.
Product liability claims against manufacturers follow rules that differ from standard negligence claims, including the applicable statute of repose.
An Atlanta industrial accident lawyer reviews the manufacturer’s ties to Georgia and determines the proper court for your claim.
What if my employer does not carry workers’ comp insurance?
Georgia requires most employers with three or more employees to carry workers’ comp insurance. If your employer lacks coverage, you may file a claim directly with the State Board.
The employer faces penalties, and you may also have the right to file a civil lawsuit, which is normally unavailable under the workers’ comp system. An attorney reviews your options based on your employer’s coverage status.
What happens to my workers’ comp benefits if I win a third-party lawsuit?
Georgia’s subrogation rules under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-11.1 may give the workers’ comp insurer a lien against part of a third-party recovery, but that recovery is limited and generally depends on whether the injured worker has been fully and completely compensated.
Your attorney negotiates that lien and structures both cases to maximize what you take home after all obligations are satisfied.
File Your Atlanta Industrial Accident Claim Before Equipment Records Disappear
The maintenance logs, inspection records, and OSHA reports that prove who failed to keep your equipment safe have limited retention windows. Once the machine gets repaired, returned to service, or replaced, the physical evidence of the defect may be gone.
Hasner Law represents injured industrial workers across Atlanta, Decatur, Marietta, Kennesaw, and surrounding communities in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties.
We handle both the workers’ comp and third-party sides of factory and plant injury cases at the Georgia State Board and in Georgia courts.
Call (678) 888-4878 for a free consultation with an industrial accident attorney in Atlanta. No Fee Unless We Win.
Hasner Law Injury & Workers’ Compensation Attorneys – Atlanta Office
275 Interstate N Circle SE, Suite 251
Atlanta, GA 30339
P: (678) 888-4878
