When you go to work, you face the possibility of getting injured or having an accident. Of course, this depends on your line of work. Some jobs come with more risk than others. However, workplace injuries happen in all types of settings. Below is a list of the 10 most reported workplace accidents.
If you or someone you know has been in a workplace accident, then you may be in line for workers' compensation. Our Long Island law office has years of experience in the field and works with many types of personal injuries. For more information about our legal services, please reach out to us today.
The number for our office is 516-564-4200. When you call, we can provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation to go over our legal services. Located in West Hempstead, New York, we provide legal representation for clients across Long Island.
Here are the 10 most reported workplace accidents in the United States. Check out these common workplace accidents one might suffer. Do not hesitate to reach out to Falk & Klebanoff to help win your workers' compensation case!
Workers who drive cars as part of their job are exposed to the highest number of accidents. From negligent drivers to inclement weather, to faulty equipment, there are various factors that lead to dangerous working conditions. When people work for a job that requires a lot of driving, their employment should have safe driving policies as a result. Some common policies include defensive driving and enforcement on distracted driving. By not having some requirements, these companies can put themselves at risk of legal action in case of an accident. Which can help the workers' compensation claim for a car accident and is an area we will look at if we take on your case.
A slip and fall can happen at any work setting. From wet floors to icy surfaces, to debris, or uneven cords and wires, there are many ways someone can fall down and injure themselves at work. Even in safe office settings. Some falls might just be minor, but others can be more severe. A more severe slip and falls can lead to broken bones, spinal injuries, soft tissue damage or even brain injuries. This is when you need a workers' compensation attorney on your side. Because, depending on the circumstances at hand, the fall could have been prevented and you could have been safe. If you think you have a work injury from a slip and fall that could have been prevented, then let our legal team examine the situation and see if legal action is required.
A slip and fall is dangerous enough on its own, but a fall from height is even more dangerous and can lead to more serious injuries, as well as death. One occupation in particular has falls from height: construction workers. These workers face falling from roofs, ladders, scaffolding, platforms, stairways or other raised and elevated surfaces on a daily basis. Many workplace falls are due in large part to poorly built structures or inadequate or improperly used safety equipment. OSHA, in order to prevent these accidents, typically requires companies to offer fall protection for workers who do their work at certain heights. However, when that isn't the case, then a construction worker attorney might be the answer.
Workers who overexert their body on a regular basis are priming themselves for a workplace injury. Some common ways to overexert yourself is by pulling, lifting, pushing, holding, or carrying objects and activities constantly and with little to no break. When it comes to overexertion, it does not need to be one single incident. Instead, it can be a cumulative effect over the course of days, weeks, and months of strenuous motions. Overexertion often leads to lower-back injuries to chronic joint pain, but other injuries can spring up too. Employers need to train their workers properly in order to make sure no one is overexerting themselves. These companies also need to provide all workers the necessary time to recover. Otherwise, there may be grounds for a lawsuit.
Some workplaces are more dangerous than others and face issues such as being hit by an object that has fallen or hit by operating machinery. The use of some machines is very dangerous. Being struck by one can cause serious blunt-force trauma, such as fractures, eye injuries, internal organ injuries and cuts. When it comes to falling objects, the most common injury is a head injury. When there is a risk of falling objects, those workplaces need to be monitored by the employer and make sure that all workers are wearing adequate protection, such as helmets and eye protection.
Electrocution-related injuries are a direct result from working around exposed cords and wires, as well as faulty electrical outlets which often result in a shock. Working around power lines or hitting cables while digging underground are also two common ways for a worker to be electrocuted on the job. As always, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure the working conditions are safe. If not, there may be grounds for legal action.
Gears, rollers, and other parts of heavy machinery can get entangled with workers and trap them, causing severe tearing and crushing injuries. Loss of limb or death might result from the worst kinds of accidents with heavy machinery. In many instances, loose clothing, shoes, jewelry, fingers or unbound hair get caught in the machinery to cause these injuries. So the employer needs to understand these risks and properly train all employees. It is imperative that these workplaces have the correct rules in place to ensure a safe work environment and supply everyone with protective gear, while putting up signs and barriers around dangerous machines.
It doesn't take a lot to accidently bump into something at the workplace. Some workers may unintentionally hurt themselves by bumping or getting pushed into a wall, door, cabinet, window, machinery or vehicle. Maintaining a work setting that is clutter-free where any potential hazards or obstacles are clearly marked lowers the risk of bumping into something and getting injured. Policies also need to be put in place that will prohibit workers from texting or talking on phones while working in certain areas to prevent an injury.
Violence can mean a few things when it comes to injuries at a work setting. Violence most often happens as a result of a dispute among co-workers where a fight breaks out. But sometimes a worker brings a domestic violence issue to the workplace, leading to violence. There are different parameters for the workers who deal with the public. When facing the public, these workers may face assault from customers or an attack by an animal or dog. All employers should provide violence training to their employees to help with these problems, as well as create proper channels for reporting suspicious activity or an unsafe work environment.
Repetitive motion injuries fall under a type of cumulative trauma injury and are a result of excessive repetition of certain tasks or motions. Common examples include working on an assembly line or using a mouse and keyboard for long hours. One common type of injury caused by repetitive motion is carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a form of nerve damage. Employees who face repetitive motion on their daily basis as their jobs requires need to be provided the correct equipment and adequate break time to avoid injuries.
