Types of Workplace Injuries and What Compensation You Can Get

The Occupational Safety & Hazard Association (OSHA) says workplace injuries in the US have significantly decreased over the years. Thanks to their new health and safety measures, people are able to prevent some of the most common types of workplace injuries.

But despite all this improvement, OSHA thinks there’s still plenty of work to be done. Employees are still getting injured at work. Some are lucky to go home with a few scratches, but most have difficulty recovering from their trauma.

If you or anyone you know has been involved in a common workplace accident and is struggling to get back on their feet, we’re here to help. This blog will explore the various compensation employees can receive for workplace injuries.

What Are The Different Types of Workplace Injuries?

There are plenty of factors at work that could injure employees. Here are some of the most common causes of workplace accidents in the US:

Slip & Falls

Slips and falls are some of the most common workplace accidents in the country and typically lead to a few cuts or head, neck, and back injuries. 

These types of workplace injuries are highly preventable and caused by a variety of things, including the following:

• Weather hazards like icy walkways or wet flooring
• Uneven surfaces
• Poor lighting
• Wrinkled carpeting
• Exposed cables

The best way to stop these accidents is for employers to properly maintain their facilities, which they’re expected to do. Additionally, they should encourage their workers to report any obstructions within their work premises.

Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI)

When you perform the same motion daily over an extended period, you may sustain repetitive stress injuries (RSI). These types of workplace injuries are extremely common in industries like construction and manufacturing. But, in some cases, even retail workers get them.

If a person continues to lift heavy loads with no proper breaks, they risk injuring their arms and back. If left untreated, it may cause permanent damage to their body.

Contact With Objects or Equipment

This type of workplace injury is often caused by falling objects, unattended equipment, and more. For example, an employee may suffer from head trauma after a tool falls on their head or lose a limb after a forklift accident.

OSHA has developed policies and procedures to prevent these incidents from happening, but not everyone follows them. In 2021 alone, around 705 people died after an object at work struck them. 

It’s also worth noting that though there are plenty of laws around operating machinery, forklift accidents are still the fourth leading cause of workplace injury nationwide.

Exposure to Harmful Materials or Environments

People who work with harmful chemicals are constantly putting their ears, eyes, and skin at risk. For instance, bleach can easily poison employees if they don’t use proper personal protection equipment (PPE).

Fires & Explosions

Workplace injuries caused by explosions are categorized into four depending on their impact. 

A blast wave typically causes primary blast injuries, while secondary blast injuries are caused by flying debris.

When a structure collapses, people’s injuries are considered tertiary blasts. Lastly, inhaling toxic substances and radiation burns fall under quaternary blasts.

Violence

It’s not uncommon for aggressive confrontations to happen while at work. For instance, there are numerous cases of customers getting physical with a store employee. 

To combat this, most offices have a zero-tolerance policy for violence toward their personnel. 

What is The Leading Type of Injury in The Workplace?

According to a study from the National Safety Council, exposure to harmful substances was the country’s leading type of work injury in 2020. Of 10,000 health workers, 43% were injured after exposure to harmful substances. 

Experts from the NSC believe that the pandemic caused this drastic change, as healthcare workers were exposed to hazardous substances and medical waste during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.

What Compensation Can Employees Get For Workplace Injuries?

Regardless of the type of work injury you get, you’re entitled to worker’s compensation (typically shortened to worker’s comp). It’s a government-mandated compensation program created to help employees injured at work.

The requirements for worker’s comp vary from one place to another. But typically, worker’s comp covers your medical and therapy expenses and salary replacement. If you miss a few workdays because of your injuries, your employer still has to pay your wages.

It’s also worth noting that worker’s comp has different statutes of limitations. Depending on where you live, there’s a deadline for filing your claim. For example, California’s statute of limitation for worker’s comp is one year from the date of the injury.

If you were involved in a workplace accident in March 2023, you must file a claim with your employer before March 2024. But there’s a catch; once an employee agrees to accept their worker’s comp, they lose their right to sue their employer for negligence.

In certain cases, companies can be held liable for common workplace accidents. Suppose a forklift crashed into you at work because your employer didn’t hire a licensed operator. In that case, you have the right to file a case against them for negligence.

However, if they offer worker’s comp, and you decide to accept it, you can no longer file any claims against them. It would be best to consult a lawyer before filing for worker’s comp.

Seek Legal Assistance for Your Workplace Injuries

Adamson Ahdoot is a full-service civil litigation firm with over 100 years of combined legal experience handling workplace injury cases. With our help, you can trust that the best lawyers will handle your case with the intimacy and attention to detail of a boutique firm with the expertise of a larger one.

Our team will help you negotiate with your employers. We’ll use the evidence you’ve gathered to determine the true value of your claim and help you assess your legal options. We proudly serve a diverse clientele with personal injury cases. Call us at (800) 310-1606 and schedule a free consultation today.