Workers’ compensation covers medical bills and lost wages for most work-related injuries. The work-related injuries not covered by workers’ compensation include incidents that involve reckless horseplay, self-inflicted wounds, and drugs/and or alcohol.
According to the United States Department of Labor, here are the most common types of work-related injuries.
- Overexertion
- Lifting
- Carrying
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Falls
- Repetitive Motion Injuries
- Illnesses
- Struck by an Object
- Vehicle Accidents
It is not surprising to learn that overexertion represents the most common type of work-related injury.
Overexertion can happen for the following reasons:
If not done properly, each of the four activities can cause musculoskeletal issues such as strains and sprains. This is especially true for the spine and back muscles. According to Liberty Mutual’s Workplace Safety Index, American businesses pay billions of workers’ compensation benefits each year because of overexertion injuries in the workplace.
Training employees about how to use their legs to lift heavy objects is one way to prevent strains and sprains in the workplace.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls rank near the top for the most common type of work-related injuries. Although slip and falls receive most of the attention, other types of falls can cause serious, if not life-threatening injuries. Think construction workers on scaffolds and warehouse workers using ladders to access inventory that sits more than 100 feet off the floor.
Falls can cause broken bones, as well as traumatic brain and neck injuries.
Unlike other types of common workplace injuries, repetitive motion injuries develop over time. As the repetitive motion injury that receives the most employer scrutiny, carpal tunnel syndrome can damage the tendons in the hands and/or wrists. The same hand, wrist, and arm motion day after day can lead to an employee filing a workers’ compensation claim. Administrative assistants, grocery checkout workers, and trade professionals like painters are the most susceptible to repetitive motion injuries.
You have probably watched at least one commercial that discusses the health dangers of mesothelioma, which represents a rare type of cancer caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos in the workplace. Mesothelioma is just one of several illnesses that can strike employees that work around dangerous chemicals and substances.
From flying debris at a construction site to heavy equipment used at a manufacturing plant, getting struck by an object is a major problem for professionals that work in physically demanding positions. OSHA released a report that shows struck-by-object incidents are part of the “Big Four” hazards on construction sites.
Work-related injuries are not limited to an office, a warehouse, or a manufacturing plant. Professionals that drive at least part of the workday are also vulnerable to work-related injuries. It is not just truck drivers delivering supplies that can get hurt on the job. Couriers and pizza delivery drivers are also at risk of suffering from a work-related vehicle accident.
Speak with a Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you got hurt at work and you need help filing a workers’ comp claim, working with a California-licensed workers’ compensation lawyer can help you expedite the claim process. Medical bills pile up fast, and with no income because you cannot work, you must act with a sense of urgency.
If you need legal support for a workers’ comp claim or you want to get a few questions answered about workers’ comp law in California, contact the PLBH law firm to schedule a free case evaluation. You can reach us online or by calling our office at (800) 435-7542.