Many workers have to climb ladders in their jobs. If you're a painter, roofer, satellite dish installer, for example, getting up and down a ladder will likely be something that you do daily. Anytime you get onto a ladder, there's a risk that you fall off. If you've had a serious fall that has caused to miss work, and are hiring a workers' compensation law attorney to pursue legal action against your employer, there are several ways to strengthen the case. The employer's attorney might argue that you were using the ladder in a negligent manner, which could harm your case. If you can unequivocally provide these details to your attorney, you'll improve your case.
You Braced The Ladder
If you fell because the ladder buckled, it's possible that the ladder was broken and the employer hadn't yet replaced it, thus making him or her negligent. You'll want to explain how you braced the ladder, as this shows that you were making safety a top priority. There are many ways of bracing a ladder, including using stabilizer arms on the top of the ladder, setting its feet on piece of plywood if the ground is uneven, and even tying the ladder to immovable objects, such as trees.
You Were Wearing The Right Gear
The other side's legal team may also suggest that you weren't wearing the right safety gear while you were using the ladder, thus making you at least partly responsible for your fall. You'll want to comprehensively detail the gear that you were wearing during the incident to your attorney. This list may include safety boots, a safety helmet, work gloves, and more. You'll also want to explain how you were wearing proper clothing that allowed you to move freely so that you could climb the ladder with ease.
You Had Previous Concerns About The Ladder
Perhaps you were aware that the ladder wasn't as safe as it could have been, or perhaps might not have been the best tool for a given job. Ideally, you'll have voiced those concerns to your employer in writing. If so, provide copies of these messages to your attorney. For example, if you wrote an email saying that the ladder has a bend in the frame and you'd like the employer to replace it for safety reasons, this is a big help to a workers' compensation case. Similarly, if you previously asked for some scaffolding for certain jobs, but were told that a ladder was fine, this could help to prove the employer's negligence.