As we frequently discuss, it is often possible for workers who are injured on the job to sue their employers if the injury was the result of negligence on behalf of the employer. In a personal injury lawsuit, a worker may be awarded compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Recently, a worker at BP Products North America Inc.'s refinery in Texas City brought suit against the company after he was injured while working in the plant. The worker had been asked to help others move a 40-foot pipe that was hanging from cables and received injuries to his head and neck when a cable broke and the pipe crashed down on him.

The accident occurred on June 9, 2010 and personal injury lawsuit was filed on May 10 in Galveston County District Court. The complaint states that the work area had been made unreasonably dangerous for workers and that the company "knew or should have known that the area posed an unreasonable risk of harm to the plaintiff and other workers."

The amount of monetary damages that the worker seeks was not specified in the court papers.

There are countless issues within a work environment that can make it an unsafe place and hold the employer liable for injuries that result. Some examples are insufficient lighting, not enough training and lack of necessary safety precautions in place.

If you have been injured on the job because of an unsafe work environment or some other negligence on behalf of your employer, contact an experienced personal injury law attorney in your state for guidance. And remember, there is only a certain window of time, known as a "statute of limitations," during which negligence claims can be filed after the accident.

Source: The Southeast Texas Record, "Worker sues BP over injury from falling pipe at Texas City refinery," 5/21/2011.