Common Work Injuries and How a Lawyer Can Help
Workplace injuries can cost both employers and employees time and money. A severe injury can lead to loss of wages, expensive medical treatment, and a lengthy recovery period.
The most common workplace injuries include overexertion, falls, and musculoskeletal disorders. These injuries can be prevented by maintaining a clean, organized workspace and clearly labeling hazards.
Slips and Falls
Injuries caused by slips, trips, and falls are common in nearly every industry. They often lead to workers missing much work and may result in broken bones, sprains, or back injuries. To prevent these types of accidents, keep work areas clean and free of boxes, bags, papers, and other items that can cause people to trip. Check floors for loose rugs, uncovered wires, and uneven walking surfaces.
Entrapment injuries, like fingers caught in machinery or hands falling into sharp edges of counters and cabinets, are also surprisingly common. This type of accident can be prevented by providing employees with proper training and maintaining a neat work environment. These types of injuries can be costly to businesses. This is why workplace safety should be a top priority.
Electrocution
Workers frequently working with electrical equipment face a greater risk of severe electrocution injuries. These injuries can include burns and internal organ damage. Often, electrical injuries occur when contact is made with power lines, live wires, or defective machinery.
Workers in the construction, repair, and maintenance industries are most likely to suffer electrocution injuries; however, it can happen anywhere there is electricity. It also may occur due to faulty wiring, defective consumer products, and improper or substandard power-line maintenance.
Injured workers can file a lawsuit against their employers or third parties that contributed to the accident. Money damages for pain and suffering, medical costs, and lost wages are all possible forms of compensation. Survivors of wrongful deaths may seek compensation for funeral expenses and loss of consortium by visiting their website.
Overexertion
Overexertion injuries are work-related injuries that occur when workers exert themselves beyond their physical capability. This can include anything from stretching too far to lifting something too heavy. Overexertion injuries can cause sprains, strains, back injuries, and neck injuries.
This injury category often occurs in professions that involve physical labor, like construction, janitorial work, factory work, and nursing. Injuries related to overexertion can range from mild to severe and may require surgery or physical therapy.
The best way to prevent overexertion injuries is to monitor your body and report pain, numbness, or other symptoms that could indicate a potential problem. Also, take breaks and use equipment that can help with heavy lifting. Lastly, avoid any activities requiring bending or twisting your body unnaturally.
Entrapment
In most cases, people accused of committing crimes can defend themselves by asserting that government agents entrapped them. This involves a claim that law enforcement officers used threats, harassment, fraud, or flattery to induce defendants into committing the crime. However, simply offering someone an opportunity to commit a crime does not constitute entrapment.
For a defendant to successfully claim that they were entrapped, the defendant must prove this by a preponderance of the evidence. This is a strict standard, especially since the burden of proof falls on the defense. However, it can be successful in averting a conviction. Defendants who are successful in this defense are often acquitted of the crime for which they were charged.
Repetitive Motion
Repetitive motion injuries can occur if a worker types on a computer keyboard all day or performs repetitive motions. The wrists, hands, elbows, shoulders, back, and knees may experience discomfort, numbness, and tingling due to this damage.
During a physical examination, a doctor will check the affected area for strength, reflexes, discomfort, and inflammation. MRI and nerve conduction investigations may also be performed to confirm the diagnosis and establish the severity of a work-related injury.
Many workplace injuries can be prevented by following safety guidelines. Workers should always use proper lifting techniques and take regular breaks. Using ergonomic equipment and encouraging workers to maintain good health through annual physicals can also help prevent injuries. Injuries are expensive for employers and can be debilitating for injured workers.
0