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11 May

8 Frequent Workers’ Compensation Injuries and Claims

Written by admin
Category
Worker's Compensation

No matter where you work, workplace injury is a common problem. Knowing your workers' compensation rights is crucial to your health and well-being. Workers are eligible to get benefits related to medical expenses, rehabilitation services, and lost wages.

Workplace injury is part of the risk that an employer must plan for, and most states, including Florida, requires that employers have workers’ compensation insurance in place for their employees. As an employee, it’s important to know common injuries for workers’ compensation claims.

8 Frequent Workers’ Compensation Injuries

Employees are entitled to work in a safe environment. However, an employee is exposed to certain health risks during a day-to-day work setting. As per estimates by the International Labor Organization, almost 2.3 million individuals suffer from work-related injuries every year.

While a workplace injury is terrible, you have options. Here are the most common injuries, and always be sure to report your injury as soon as it happens at work.

Overexertion

When an employee “burns the midnight oil,” severe exertion may occur. Overexertion may also occur due to heavy lifting or pulling. It can take various forms, including joint dislocation, heatstroke, and dehydration. This injury is mainly seen in jobs where physical work is a must.

Slips, Falls, or Trips

In most offices, slip and fall hazards can occur if the safety measures are compromised. From a retail worker slipping on the wet floor to an office worker tripping on some loose wired cables, the instances of slip and fall compensation claims are common.

Toxic Materials Hazards

Hazardous or toxic substances cause scary work-related injuries, often resulting in respiratory issues. Thus, employees must be familiar with the usage of such materials, even if using them does not fall under their job description.

Machinery Accidents

This type of injury or accident generally occurs in the industrial sector. Indeed, working with heavy machinery features its own set of risks. However, they get compounded only when employees do not receive adequate training.

Repetitive Strain Injuries

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) happens when an employee performs the same activity on a daily basis. For instance, carpal tunnel syndrome is a common occurrence that affects office employees using a mouse and a keyboard for 40+ hours in a week. Although RSIs are less severe, they are still frequent and a cause of concern.

Struck by an Object

Put simply, this injury occurs when an object falls off a shelf and injures someone. Office workers, construction workers, retail workers, and restaurant workers are at significant risk of this injury.

Highway Accidents

Highway accidents are a cause of concern for truckers, delivery people, and others. This is also a common injury occurrence for traveling representatives and police officers. While some accidents result in few injuries, others can be fatal.

Multi-Level Falls

Multi-level falls generally occur when an employee falls to a lower level through a ladder, stairs, roof, or window. This type of injury has serious consequences, and it happens most often in construction.

The most ideal strategy to reduce the occurrence of such injuries is by preventing them before they happen. Occupational safety professionals, like ergonomists and others, work actively to improve workplace safety so that employees can minimize their chances of being victims of a mishap.

But sometimes, prevention isn’t enough, and workplace injury happens anyway. If you believe your injury is eligible for worker’s compensation, reach out to us today at office@carrilloinjurylaw.com!