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Blinded by corrosive chemicals work injury HELP!

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sungalaxy

Member
Sorry in advance if I come across rambling.

I am an Australian that was on a working visa living in Montreal Quebec that was injured in a workplace accident that burnt my face and left me permanently blind in one eye and with some minor vision problems in the other caused by corrosive chemicals. I was diagnosed with PTSD have not worked since the accident over 16 months.
  • My previous employer (a business, owned by a large consortium) did not provide any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), safety signage or training on these chemicals, nor did they safely store these chemicals ( I have photos documenting this).
  • A third party, a large American Chemical manufacturers/supplier to my previous employer, upon hearing of my Injuries came into where I was injured and placed safety signage all over the area I was working in. ( I was told this by my previous employer)
  • Also possible my previous employer were the ones that placed this safety signage after my accident to cover themselves. I have photos of this area without safety signage before my accident and photos of the safety signage placed by the third-party Chemical manufacturers/suppliers or previous employer after my injuries.
  • The chemicals that injured me look fairly innocuous there are no ALERT words/symbols displayed on the front of this label only on the back.
  • My medical bills were paid for by my travel insurance which was just over 100k but as soon as I was medically escorted from Canada back to my home country one month after my accident, I have paid for everything else which is now close to 25k. I never heard from my previous employer again.
  • I have also collected well over 400 pages of medical documentation, psychologist reports, and invoices pertaining to my injuries.
  • My ophthalmologist has told me I will develop Glaucoma and Cataracts much sooner than expected which of course worries me even more...
I am aware that this is for US Law only.
I have only two courses of action to gain compensation which is through the Quebec CNESST or taking a lawsuit against a third party which I'm sure in this case would be the American chemical manufacturers/suppliers? According to Quebec law, I can not sue my previous employer for the injuries I sustained... Does this sound right?
I would like to find out if the chemicals that caused my injuries were also up to regulation.

If anyone could offer any information, It would be greatly appreciated.

What would you do in my case?
 


sungalaxy

Member
FreeAdvice is a US law site. You will want to find assistance in Australia.
Hey Quincy thanks, I'm aware that this is a US law site.
My accident happened in Canada caused by an American chemical manufacturer/supplier to my previous employer.
I simply wanted to ask a question to gather some thoughts from others as to any information they may want to provide.

Thanks.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Hey Quincy thanks, I'm aware that this is a US law site.
My accident happened in Canada caused by an American chemical manufacturer/supplier to my previous employer.
I simply wanted to ask a question to gather some thoughts from others as to any information they may want to provide.

Thanks.
You want to know if the American chemical company can be held liable for an accident you had in Canada? You should consult with a Canadian personal injury lawyer, then.

Worker’s compensation laws and personal injury laws vary from state to state in the US and significantly vary from the laws in other countries.
 

sungalaxy

Member
Sorry if I'm not making much sense, It's really hard to explain all this because it is so complex and writing all this is hard as I have vision problems.

I want to find out if these chemicals were labeled correctly. If they were not labeled correctly then I guess I could possibly contact the chemical manufacturers? and see if they will help me out, help me out with all the costs I have incurred and hopefully get my vision and my life back.

So before I left Quebec I went to speak to a lawyer about what had happened, I had them document everything.
They didn't know anything said I could take a lawsuit against my employer, but I was reading on Quebec's worker's injury compensation CNESST that you cannot take any action against your employer only be compensated by them the CNESST or possible lawsuit against a third party.
A lot of back and forth and I only have 6 months to make a claim for CNESST which I am guaranteed compensation.
Lawyer messed around made so many mistakes I had to let them go with limited time left to make claim..

When I got back to Australia I got an Aus lawyer as well, long story... he was no good either just took my money and ran like the other.

I finally managed to find a lawyer in Montreal that made a claim for me but this claim has gone nowhere. I made it just in time with Quebec's worker's injury compensation CNESST but now they say I didn't send the right information... So they rejected my claim.

I get the feeling because I was a foreign worker on a working Visa living in Canada and am now back in my home country that I am not a high priority for CNESST or my lawyers. I also think that my case is quite complex and because I am not In Quebec I cant go to see my lawyers in person or access the right information to further my claim, so I am therefore unsure if I am getting the necessary information from my lawyers.

So if I cant be compensated by Quebec CNESST, which is looking more then likely now. I may have a chance to take a lawsuit against a third party.
 

quincy

Senior Member
I am sorry you are having difficulty finding a lawyer in Canada or in Australia who can help you pursue a legal action. You perhaps could contact an international law firm in Australia that has offices in both Canada and the U.S.

Good luck.
 
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