Work injuries occur far more frequently than most people realize, and certain types of injuries are more common than others. While every injury claim is unique, oftentimes they fall into one of a few common types of claims. In today’s blog, we take a look at five of the most common types of workers’ compensation claims, and explain what you should do if you suffer any of these injuries during the course of your employment.
The Most Common Work Injuries
Each industry is different, but in many cases, the most common types of injuries across the majority of industries tend to fall into one or more of these categories.
1. Car Accidents – As we’ve mentioned on the blog in the past, your commute to and from work is typically not covered by workers’ compensation, but vehicle accidents still make up a large portion of work injury claims because of how traumatic a car crash can be. Millions of workers earn a living in the transportation industry, and if they are involved in an accident when shipping goods, or if they just skid on some black ice when delivering a pizza, they will have a valid work injury claim.
2. Slip And Falls – No matter what industry you work in, you could suffer a slip and fall injury at work. You might not be going up and down stairs like some office workers, but if you slip on some wet grass when you’re out in the field, or you just miss a step when you’re delivering mail on your route, you can slip and fall. Even though we only tend to fall a short way to the ground, these injuries can have devastating results in the form of ankle or spinal fractures.
3. Repetitive Strain – One injury that’s not quite as acute as the above injuries is a repetitive strain or repetitive motion injury. Many jobs require the employee to perform the same tasks each day, and over time this prolonged stress on the same muscle groups and joints can serve to break down structures. Repetitive motions can lead to injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, herniated discs or a number of other wear and tear related issues.
4. Overexertion – If you try to do too much, you may end up suffering from an overexertion injury. If you try to lift too heavy of an object and throw out your back, or you suffer a heat stroke because you were roofing out in the hot summer sun, you’re dealing with an overexertion-related injury. Taking water breaks, using tandem lifts and safety harnesses can all help to avoid a delay and an overexertion injury.
5. Struck By An Object – A final type of injury that we see a fair amount of are accidents where an employee is struck by an object. It could be a very small object, like if a piece of fiberglass gets past your eye projection, or it could be a much larger object, like if some construction equipment falls off a piece of scaffolding. If something falls on you, or you are hit by an object, know that you have a legal right to collect compensation to offset any medical care or lost wages you incur as a result of the accident.
If you’re dealing with any of these injuries as a result of a work accident, or something completely different that caused you to need to seek medical attention or miss time from work, reach out to the experienced lawyers at Hey Workers to see how we can help you get the most for your claim.
