Legally, employers must prioritize workplace safety, provide proper training, maintain equipment, and implement necessary safety protocols to minimize the risk of workplace injuries. If you feel you have been injured and your employer didn’t take the proper steps to avoid it, you may very well have a workers’ compensation claim.
Common Jobs That Result in Injuries
Several industries are known to have higher rates of workers’ compensation claims due to the nature of the work involved. While the specific rankings may vary over time, here are some industries that often have a higher incidence of workers’ compensation claims:
Construction
Hazards are prevalent for construction workers every single day. Construction work involves various hazards, such as falls from heights, being struck by objects, heavy machinery accidents, and exposure to hazardous materials. Consequently, it frequently results in workers’ compensation claims.
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Healthcare and social assistance professionals have high chances of facing dangers during patient handling, like infectious diseases’ transmission through needlestick injuries or workforce violence. Slips, trips, and falls are not uncommon either.
Manufacturing
Working in manufacturing plants can expose employees to accidents involving machinery, equipment malfunctions, repetitive strain injuries, and exposure to harmful substances.
Transportation and Warehousing
Warehouses and distribution centers hold comparable risks within the manufacturing industry. Professionals in this sector, including truck drivers, warehouse workers, and delivery personnel, face risks of vehicle accidents, lifting injuries, falls, and other job-related incidents.
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting
Farming, forestry, and fishing involve a range of physical tasks, including operating heavy machinery, working with livestock, handling equipment, and exposure to outdoor hazards, resulting in frequent workers’ compensation claims.
Retail and Wholesale Trade
Retail employees often encounter slip and fall accidents, lifting injuries, and incidents related to manual handling of goods. Workers in warehouses and distribution centers may also experience similar risks.
Hospitality and Food Services
Workers in restaurants, hotels, and catering services are prone to slips, burns, cuts, and strains from working in fast-paced environments with hot surfaces, sharp tools, and potential exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
Patient-care facilities, like nursing homes, present a range of threats including musculoskeletal damage from patient transfer activities and infectious disease exposure, alongside instances of workplace violence that staff can potentially experience.
It’s important to note that while these industries often see higher workers’ compensation claims, it does not imply that all workers within these sectors experience frequent injuries. Safety practices, training, and compliance with regulations play a significant role in mitigating risks and protecting workers’ well-being.
Common Injuries in Workers Compensation Claims
Below are some common examples that occur across a variety of industries:
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Floors that have not been properly cleared of water or debris create a dangerous environment for workers. These accidents often result in sprains or strains from falls caused by uneven surfaces. Severe cases include fractures as well as head traumas.
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Those who perform repetitive tasks on a regular basis experience what is known as Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs). The soft tissues affected include muscles,tendons, and ligaments. It causes conditions like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Back strains also occur when workers do not take breaks for long periods with awkward posture positioning involved.
Struck By Moving Objects
It is possible for employees to be struck by falling debris and machinery moving around them at great speeds. This type of hazard leads to bruises, fractures, or more severe head injuries.
Machinery Accidents
When handling machinery and equipment, there are inherent risks of accidents such as entanglement, crush injuries, amputations, or getting caught in moving parts.
Burns and Electrical Injuries
Those working with chemicals, heat sources, or electrical equipment are exposed to the possibility of burns, scalds, and electrocution.
It’s important to note that the severity of injuries can vary widely, and some accidents may result in life-long injuries or even fatalities. Beyond getting medicare care and calling the police, you’re also going to want to contact a St. Paul workers’ compensation attorney.
Contact 1-800-Injured to Move Your Case Forward
As an injured worker, you have every right to wish to pursue legal action. If you feel this is the right step for you, it is time you consult a St. Paul workers’ compensation attorney. This lawyer will evaluate the case, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and potentially file a lawsuit against the employer responsible for your incident, injury, or accident. The first step is to contact us.
1-800-Injured is a medical and legal directory working with workplace injury victims such as yourself. As a medical and legal directory for personal injury victims and attorneys alike, we connect our clients with experienced professionals who can help them with their unique personal injury needs.
Following an initial consultation with our team, we will then reach out to our network in order to find a St. Paul workers’ compensation lawyer who is ready and willing to take the case as soon as possible. By reducing barriers to finding an experienced and proven attorney, we hope to empower personal injury victims to fight for the compensation they are rightfully entitled to following an accident someone else caused. You deserve financial compensation, but this justice is not automatic. Begin holding the guilty party accountable by contacting us today.