Workplace injuries are common, and you may be entitled to compensation for your suffering.
Business owners across the country are obligated to obey federal safety laws that protect their workers. Even so, you could become sick or injured on the job because of an accident or oversight by your employer. You can take appropriate action if you get hurt at work by contacting an experienced work injury lawyer.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are the most commonly reported on-the-job incidences today. Statistics shows that these accidents account for 85 percent of all workers compensation claims and result in workers missing an average of 31 days of work per year.
You could be at risk of a slip and fall accident if the floors at your work are wet or greasy. You also could trip and fall over obstacles like boxes or pallets left in the walkways. If you are injured in this type of accident, you have cause to file a workers’ compensation claim and take legal action against your employer by contacting a work injury lawyer. Your employer may be obligated to compensate you for medical expenses you have had to pay out-of-pocket, as well as lost wages and other costs.
Repetitive Stress Injuries
Repetitive stress injuries result from the continued or overuse of muscles in your arms, hands, fingers, knees, elbows, and elsewhere in your body. Some of the most common repetitive stress injuries reported on workers’ compensation claims include:
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tennis elbow
Employment-related tasks like typing, data entry, heavy lifting, or working certain types of machinery put your body at risk of suffering a repetitive stress injury. Under federal workers’ compensation laws, injuries that result from repetitive stress are cause for filing a claim against your employer’s insurer which can be done by contacting work injury lawyer. You could receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs incurred because of the injury.
Toxic Substance Exposure At Work? A Work Injury Lawyer Can Help
Exposure to toxic substances can result in long-term or fatal illnesses like COPD and pulmonary fibrosis. Workers who are exposed either purposely or unwittingly to toxic substances may be able to file workers’ compensation claims and recoup financial losses that stem from their injuries and illnesses.
Depending on the type of job you have, you could be exposed to any number of harmful substances including:
- Asbestos
- Ammonia
- Dust
- Biological agents like bacteria and fungi
- Bleach
When you breathe in these agents, you are at a higher risk of developing respiratory illnesses that can shorten both your career and your life. You are covered under worker’s compensation laws and could file either a claim against the insurer or a case in court to pursue lost wages, medical expense reimbursement, and other compensation with the help of work injury lawyer.
If you feel you have a workers’ compensation case, it is important that you hire a work injury lawyer experienced in this legal specialty to represent you and assist you in the process. Many states limit the time for which you must seek medical care and file a claim against your employer.