In America, workplace accidents happen every day. Some jobs have inherent risks, and you must be very careful when you clock in and go through the daily routine. Still, even if you’re cautious and follow all the rules, injury is possible.
If you harm yourself while on the job, you probably have a lot of questions. We’ll go through a few workplace accident facts, so you’ll better understand this topic.
What Causes Most Workplace Accidents?
Of all fifty states, Texas reports more workplace fatalities than any other. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states there were 488 deaths there in 2018. The most common death-causing workplace accidents are:
- Falls
- Objects striking workers
- Electrocution
- Workers caught between objects
More people die from workplace falls than from anything else. Maybe you’re working construction, and you’re up on a beam when you lose your balance. Perhaps you’re a window washer, and you fall from a scaffolding, or your harness fails.
Objects striking workers is number two behind falls. Again, construction accidents are common. Maybe you’re on a job site, and a tool falls from above and hit you when you are not wearing your helmet.
Municipal workers deal with electrocution concerns every day. Maybe you’re up in a cherry picker trying to fix a powerline. The rig jolts abruptly, and you touch a live wire.
What Are Some Other Possible Workplace Accidents or Injuries?
There are many other possible workplace accidents or injuries that can occur. You might:
- Slip and fall
- Deal with a repetitive motion injury
Slipping and falling or tripping over an object is something that can happen to you, even if you’re in a field you would not consider to be dangerous. These can occur in any office setting.
You can get a repetitive motion injury like carpal tunnel syndrome just from sitting at a computer all day. You can try to get ergonomic office supplies to prevent this sort of thing from happening.
Workplace toxic exposure and poisoning are possible. You can burn yourself or suffer a back injury. You might get in a work-related motor vehicle accident.
You might deal with a machinery accident or develop mesothelioma or another cancer variety. Potential workplace injury or death causes are virtually limitless.
What Are the Most Dangerous Professions?
There are some workplaces and professions where accidents are more likely than others. For instance, the construction industry is one of the most lethal. The oil and gas industries are also potentially deadly.
Any job where you do warehouse or industrial work can kill or injure you. If you do manufacturing work, you’re often around big machines, and you can sustain a lethal injury if you stop paying attention for a moment or neglect safety protocols.
Farming and agriculture are dangerous pursuits, because again, you often work with large, powerful machines. Mining and transportation deaths and injuries occur frequently. Waste removal is hazardous, as is the janitorial industry.
Do All Employers Need to Carry Accident Insurance?
If something happens to you at work, that’s tragic, and you should receive compensation for it, assuming you did not cause what took place. The law requires nearly all employers to have worker’s compensation insurance. They need to pay off workers if the unforeseen occurs, and you can’t work anymore, either temporarily or permanently.
However, not all employers carry this insurance because some might feel like they can get along without it for a while. If they don’t have a policy, and you hurt yourself while on the job, you can sue them, and you should win.
The only reason you might not get worker’s comp money is if you acted recklessly and caused your injury. If you came to work drunk and tried to operate a bulldozer, for instance, you probably won’t get any money out of that.
Can You Get a Lawyer if the Insurance Company Doesn’t Comply?
Some insurance companies might decide to drag their feet or try to deny your claim. If that happens, you can get yourself a lawyer to fight for you.
They can press the insurance company and take them to court if they need to. If you do this, though, you’ll need to pay the lawyer, so you will have to calculate what that expense will be.
Workplace injuries are one of life’s unpleasant facts. If this happens to you, you must try to navigate the legal system and get compensation. Maybe your injury will not be that severe, and you can return to work relatively soon.
