There are lots of people out there who never file for worker’s compensation, even though they qualify. That’s because, in many instances, the victims of workplace accidents or injuries don’t realize they’re eligible. If you get injured or develop a chronic condition due to an accident or unsafe conditions at your workplace, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Approximately 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries take place in the United States each year. The most common types of work-related injuries include muscle strains, trips, and falls, impact injuries, crashes and collisions, cut and puncture injuries, and fights at work. Most of these and other injuries that occur in the workplace classify as “workers compensation injuries.” This term describes injuries that 1) require medical treatment, 2) result in time away from work, 3) require rehabilitation or vocational retraining, or 4) cause disability.
5 Common Workplace Injuries That Are Generally Eligible for Worker’s Compensation
Thankfully, most workplace injuries and accidents qualify for worker’s compensation. If you suffer a common injury or accident at work, you deserve financial assistance. The expert attorney’s at Ransom, Gilbertson, Martin, & Ratliff, LLP can help you file your claim. If you’ve already filed and your claim has been denied, we can help fight and win your case so you get the financial help you need while you recover.
Here are 5 of the most common workplace accidents that are typically eligible for worker’s compensation:
1. Trips, Slips, & Falls
Employees becoming injured due to slipping, tripping, or falling at work occurs in just about every industry. These kinds of injuries are especially common in construction, utilities and public works, agriculture, and energy. Whether you work on a construction site, in a factory or hospital, or at a grocery store, slippery and uneven surfaces exist, which put you at risk of falling.
Another major risk factor for slips and falls is working from a tall place. If your work requires you to work on ladders, scaffolding, or other types of platforms, your risk of injury is also increased.
2. Overexertion
Overexertion injuries occur when a worker is performing job tasks while fatigued, exhausted, overworked, or in other situations wherein the worker’s ability to complete the task safely and reasonably was not sufficiently considered. Simply put, you should never be asked to complete a task at work that is beyond your bodily capacity to perform.
If you’re lifting heavy objects, operating machinery, or working in extreme weather conditions, you should be provided appropriate equipment (e.g. a back brace for lifting or cold weather gloves for packing frozen goods) and given adequate breaks.
3. Electrocutions
Nearly every modern industry relies heavily on electricity. From computers and other IT equipment in offices, to freezers and refrigerators in restaurants, to power tools on construction sites, electricity is a part of just about every workplace. Lineworkers, electricians, and janitors interact more directly with electricity on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, wherever electricity is present, electrocutions and electrical shock injuries are a risk. In fact, approximately 1,000 work-related electrical injuries are reported each year. Workplaces must ensure the safety of those on their premises and take precautions to protect their employees against the risk of electrocution.
4. Impact & Crush Injuries
Impact and crush injuries are among the most common types of workplace accidents each and every year. An impact injury refers to the “damage caused by the collision of a body with a moving or stationary object.” These kinds of injuries may result from accidents involving moving vehicles, such as cars, forklifts, trains, aircrafts, and heavy machinery. Factors like impact velocity, direction, and duration, as well as the level of absorption of stresses by the body can influence the severity of the injury.
5. Violence Among Workers
We’d like to think that instances of physical violence at work are rare. Unfortunately, workplace tensions that simmer or worsen slowly over the course of a period of time — sometimes months or even years — can be aggravated by a single incident that causes long-standing disagreements or arguments to flare into physical fights. In some instances, these physical altercations can lead to serious confrontations that result in severe injury.
Employers should maintain strategies for conflict resolution and addressing employee grievances. However, if an employee is injured as a result of workplace violence, they should be entitled to worker’s compensation.
How to File for Worker’s Compensation After an Injury
If you’ve been impacted by an incident at work that’s resulted in physical, psychological, and/or financial hardship, it’s important to find out if you’re eligible and file a claim for worker’s comp.
Our skilled and caring attorneys at Ransom, Gilbertson, Martin, & Ratliff, LLP are well-versed in the sometimes complicated process of filing a worker’s compensation claim. We’re here to help you navigate the entire process. If you have a serious work-related injury and need to file a claim, or if your claim has been denied or closed, you’re likely feeling frustrated and it may seem daunting to go through a difficult legal process to get the compensation you deserve. That’s where we come in. We want to understand your concerns, needs, and frustrations and help you get the best possible outcome.
Our Experienced Workers’ Compensation & Disability Attorneys Can Help
If you’ve suffered a workplace injury or illness, it’s easy to feel mistreated and alone; however, that should not be the case. The compassionate and experienced attorneys at Ransom, Gilbertson, Martin, & Ratliff, LLP are on your side. We’re here to help and provide the very best knowledge and expertise to fight for you and help you receive the worker’s compensation you deserve.
Whether you’ve suffered a back injury from lifting heavy equipment, slipped because of a hazardous area, or fell because you were using an unsafe lift, you’re entitled to treatment and time off so you can heal and get back your health. Consultations are free and you will not be charged unless you win your case. Get in touch with worker’s compensation attorneys today to tell us about your case.