Personal Injuries in the Workplace: Here’s What You Should Know

There is always a chance that you could suffer an injury on the job. Whether you work in an office, on a construction site, or anything in between, opportunities exist where workers may sustain injuries.

This can happen even if your employer is following all the necessary health and safety guidelines, and providing employees with workplace safety training. Because getting hurt is a possibility–no matter your job role, you should know the facts about common personal injuries at work.

What Are the Most Common Types of Workplace Injuries?

There are several common injuries that can happen in the workplace. The first category includes trips, slips, and falls.

These account for one-third of all workplace injuries. They are also commonly listed as a cause for filing for worker’s compensation. The best way to prevent these is to have clean, clear, dry floors with adequate walking space and appropriate lighting.

The next most common injury is being struck by or caught in machinery.

This injury, as you can probably guess, is more common in jobs that work with heavy machinery like farms, factories, and warehouses. These injuries can occur if the employee is not being diligent in their work, or the employer has let the machinery slip below safety standards.

The third most common is injury from repetitive movements or overexertion.

Most workers do the same tasks every day with things ranging from sitting in a chair and typing to using heavy equipment like a jackhammer regularly. Anything that you do repeatedly or causes you to overexert your body could lead to an injury. Because some of these effects, like joint pain, occur over time, many people don’t know that these could qualify as workplace injuries.

Other common injuries involve cuts, lacerations, and transportation incidents. The chances of any of these injuries happening to you can depend on the type of environment you work in. It can also depend on the nature of your job role.

What Should I Do if I Suffer a Workplace Injury?

The first thing you should do is get medical help or first aid treatment. Be sure to get treatment for whatever injury you may sustain.

It also helps to take photos of the incident as part of your documentation. Also, talk to coworkers you trust who may have witnessed the incident. It would be helpful to see a doctor, who will also document the injury. Make sure you explain in detail what the injury is and what symptoms you are experiencing.

Next, report it to your supervisor. It is imperative that they are made aware of the situation as soon as possible, both to help you recover and to also make any needed changes to prevent other employees from getting injured.

After that, take notes of the situation: what happened, when, how, etc. This documentation will be helpful in case you need to file a claim for workers’ compensation.

Filing for Workers’ Compensation

If your injury is serious, you may want to consider filing for workers’ compensation.

Regulations and criteria on filing vary from state to state, but the basic requirements are similar across the board. After following the above steps, from getting medical treatment to reporting the incident to your supervisor, your employer will report the workers’ compensation claim to the insurance company.

After that, your employer should give you a workers’ compensation claim form that details your rights. If you choose to file a claim, complete the form and return it to your employer.

Knowing when to file a claim or if you are even eligible can be difficult. At Wood, After, & Wolf, we have personal injury lawyers who have won over 10,000 personal injury cases and have helped clients recover over $240 million in compensation.

We are your trusted source of personal injury attorneys to turn to when you are handling a personal injury at the workplace. Schedule a consultation with us or contact us at (904)355-8888 for more information.

Contact Us Today

If you are facing a personal injury case and need legal advice or help with insurance claims, it’s best to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney. Call the team at Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A. for a consultation to discuss your legal needs.

If you believe you will need legal representation, call us today. We can help you get through this trying time and get you and your family on the right path.

So, contact us online or call us at (904) 355-8888 or click to set up a consultation to discuss your legal options.