Top 5 Work Related Injuries
Work-related injuries can be particularly devastating. When your injuries are severe enough to keep you out of work, you may find it difficult or impossible to provide for yourself and your family.
However, with help from an experienced work injury lawyer, you can recover the compensation you deserve and require to cover your costs and get back on your feet. With that in mind, below we discuss the top five work-related injuries and explain your legal options for financial relief.
Common Types of Work-Related Injuries
Work-related injuries can take multiple forms. Although you might have assumed that only dangerous professions, such as factory and construction work, have the potential to produce life-threatening injuries, the truth is that merely any line of work can become dangerous under the worst circumstances or due to unsafe practices at work. Here are some of the top work-related injuries you could endure:
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accident injuries are some of the most common types of on-the-job incidents. In fact, slips and falls are responsible for approximately 1/3 of all work-related injuries across the country. Slip and fall accidents can result in a wide array of injuries, including:
- Broken and fractured bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Lacerations that become septic
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Herniated discs
- Pulled and strained muscles
Slip and fall accident injuries can occur in virtually any type of work environment. Some of the top causes of slip and fall accidents in the workplace include:
- Debris left in walkways
- Oily floor surfaces
- Spilled beverages
- Snow or ice in walkways
- Wet floors
- Loose carpeting or flooring
- Uneven floor surfaces
- Wires strewn across the room
- Inadequate lighting
- Cluttered floors
These are only a few of the injuries that cause slip and falls accidents in the workplace. If you are injured in a slip and fall accident at work, you may have the right to financial compensation against various potentially liable parties, including the property owner, your employer, and/or other entities that share responsibility for causing your injuries.
Machinery Accident Injuries
Some of the most terrifying types of work accidents are those involving machinery. Heavy and dangerous machinery is common in factory environments, construction work, and the agricultural industry.
Unfortunately, workers can suffer catastrophic and life-threatening injuries when operators are not properly trained, equipment malfunctions, or employers fail to make necessary safety repairs to equipment.
Some of the most common types of injuries occur when workers get struck by objects thrown from the equipment or limbs get caught in machinery parts. These types of accidents can cause:
- Facial injuries
- Blindness
- Burn injuries
- Amputation
- Severed fingers
- Crushed limbs
- Organ failure
- Internal bleeding
When machinery accidents cause your work injury, you might need to bring a claim against your supervisor, employer, an on-site contractor, another third party, or the manufacturer of the machinery that caused your injuries. A work injury attorney will review your case’s specific details so all parties that contributed to your injuries are held accountable accordingly.
Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents remain one of the top types of work accidents that cause life-threatening injuries. No matter what line of work you are in, the risk of motor vehicle accident injuries is increasingly high.
Not only could you be struck by a negligent driver while moving between job sites or as part of your profession as a delivery driver, but other types of motor vehicle crashes could also cause permanent disability and damages. These include:
- Being crushed by a vehicle
- Getting ejected from a vehicle
- Being run over by a motor vehicle as a pedestrian
- Getting stuck under an overturned vehicle
Negligent drivers frequently cause motor vehicle accidents. They may drive distracted, operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or violate traffic laws.
However, motor vehicle accidents can also be caused by defective parts and hazardous road conditions. You can rely on a personal injury attorney to carefully scrutinize the evidence and determine how your collision occurred, who is responsible, and the best way to recover maximum compensation for your damages.
Work-Related Burn Injuries
Not only are fires in the workplace a cause for concern, but so are high-energy explosions, primary and secondary blasts, and other types of accidents that could result in catastrophic burn injuries. Some of the top causes of burn injuries at work include:
- Improperly stored combustible materials
- Faulty gas lines
- Motor vehicle collisions
- Electrocutions
In accidents involving fires and burn injuries, victims might also be at risk for suffering deafness, respiratory distress due to inhalation of toxic substances, crush injuries, and disfigurement or skin scarring.
Work Injuries Caused by Overexertion
One of the lesser-known but common types of work injuries are those caused by overexertion and repetitive stress. Repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, back injuries, and tendinitis, can be debilitating and make it impossible for you to continue working. Some of the top causes of overexertion in the workplace include:
- Improperly lifting heavy objects
- Manually lifting heavy objects
- Failure to give workers breaks
- Strains on the muscles and tendons
- Failure to provide employees with necessary protective equipment
- Failure to adequately train employees
Unfortunately, many victims suffering from overexertion or repetitive stress injuries may not realize the extent of their damages until their condition rapidly worsens, requiring extensive medical attention and time off work.
Fortunately, certain protections in place should make it possible for you to get the medical attention you need without losing your job. However, suppose your injuries are severe enough that you will not be able to continue in your line of work. In that case, it is vital to discuss seeking compensation for diminished earning capacity and permanent disability when you go over your legal options with your work injury lawyer.
How to Demand Justice After a Work-Related Injury
After suffering critical injuries in a work accident, you can recover compensation for your damages in multiple ways. Ultimately, you have the right to be repaid for every loss if someone else is responsible for causing your injuries.
You might have a chance to file a claim with the liable party’s insurance provider. Still, these benefits might only cover specific types and amounts of losses, which could mean an insurance settlement won’t cover all of your damages. Fortunately, you also have a chance to file a civil lawsuit against anyone and everyone who contributed to your work-related injuries.
When you bring your case to court, you can seek restitution for not only your medical expenses and lost income but also other types of out-of-pocket financial costs and non-economic damages. These might include:
- Copays
- Loss of employee benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished vehicle value
- Emotional distress
- Loss of household services
- Loss of consortium
Contact an Experienced Work Injury Lawyer for Help Today
If you suffered one of the previously mentioned types of work injuries, or another on-the-job injury we did not list above, you may still have the right to financial compensation for your damages. Learn more about how much your claim could be worth and which options are most suited for your case when you contact the experienced California work injury lawyers at Curtis Legal Group. Our firm offers free, no-obligation consultations to all work injury victims.