OT Lawyers: Lend me your eyes

I don't know if it's necessary but to be safe I'll keep this kinda vague

A friend from where I used to live in upstate NY, "John", is injured on the job. His job requires some work with various types of equipment. The injury is at least in the short term pretty debilitating I think and in the long run may easily impact his personal life and definitely his current work. Surgery very real possibility too.

The injury has occurred due to faulty equipment. Not long ago his co worker was also injured and it may have been due to the same piece of equipment - that detail about it being the same piece isn't entirely clear yet but it's looking to be likely.

Seems obvious to me the company is in some hot water due to negligence and a lawyer should be contacted.

Question: What type of lawyer exactly is needed here? While that's being taken care of what steps is John to take, precautions, traps, ect... I'm not sure he shares my general paranoia about how companies will screw people over in this position so I'm trying to help point him in the right direction. This company in particular I do not trust at all based on their treatment of him in the past. Will they possibly try to get him to sign something to absolve them of major responsibility?