Work injuries are often unexpected and unpreventable. When you look at the top 3 work injuries as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Academy of Social Insurance, most work injuries happen during the course of performing typical job duties. Here is a list of the top 3 work injuries along with descriptions of each.
- Overexertion – The #1 work injury is overexertion. This refers to any injury that is a result of lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying or any similar action that results in an injury.
Prevention – If your job requires you to lift, carry or move heavy objects, consider working with a partner to avoid overexertion. If your employer sets this as a safety standard, you do not follow protocol and are hurt you may still be eligible for benefits so be sure to consult with an experienced worker’s comp attorney if you experience an overexertion injury at work.
- Falls – When it comes to falls generating a work injury, there are two types to consider; falling on the same level or falling to a lower level. Knee injuries are the most common injury.
Prevention – Unfortunately, when it comes to falling, there is not much you can do in the way of prevention other than to pay close attention to the environment around you and avoid places in your workplace that may be unstable that could result in a fall to a lower level.
- Being hit by an object or with equipment – Being struck by an object or a piece of equipment is the third leading cause of workplace injuries.
Prevention – Again, like with falling, being hit by an object can be somewhat difficult to avoid aside from remaining aware of your environment at all times and reporting equipment problems to management if there is the possibility that a piece of equipment is not in good working condition.
Know When to Call a Worker’s Compensation Attorney
Worker’s compensation laws were put into place to protect workers that are injured on the job regardless of the type of injury. While the items listed here are the most common injuries reported, work injuries can vary from person to person. If you have been hurt due to overexertion, a slip or fall or even sustained a shoulder injury or back injury at work, you should contact a Worker’s Compensation Attorney. An experienced Worker’s Compensation Attorney can ensure that you receive the benefits you deserve. Contact us for your free, no obligation consultation.