Accidents at work may and do happen despite the best efforts of employers and their employees alike. The severity of the injuries caused by these workplace mishaps may vary from simple scrapes and bruises to fractured bones, amputations, and even death.
Your employer holds the legal obligation to ensure that all safety criteria for both employees and work systems are followed and that you are sufficiently trained for the job. If they fail to comply with their legal duty and suffer a workplace accident, you can file an accident at work claim to pursue compensation. Even if you were at fault for the accident, you might still be eligible for compensation if defective equipment exacerbated your injuries.
You can also opt for the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), which allows injured employees to file a claim for compensation for their medical expenses and lost wages without going to court.
In this article, we will be looking at different types of work injuries that are compensable.
Occupational Diseases
We discuss the most common occupational diseases, including exposure to toxic agents, cancer, asthma, carpal tunnel, tendonitis, dermatitis, and hand-arm vibration.
- Toxic Agent Exposure And Cancer
If you were exposed to a carcinogenic chemical through work, you can pursue legal action and may be eligible for compensation. For example, if you were exposed to asbestos, a cancer-causing chemical, and got a disease diagnosis. In this case, you can file a lawsuit against your defendant. The symptoms for each asbestos disease can take an upward of 15 years to appear, so if you got a mesothelioma diagnosis, you are eligible for compensation. When filing a mesothelioma lawsuit, you should hire a competent attorney to help you make a stronger case against your defendant. Similarly, if you got a cancer diagnosis from exposure to ranitidine, you may pursue legal action and file for compensation.
- Asthma
Dust, pollen, and other airborne chemicals can induce asthma in any setting, but when they’re inhaled while at work, it’s termed occupational asthma. A worker’s compensation claim for occupational asthma may be an option if your symptoms are exacerbated by allergens or chemicals at work. Regardless of how long it’s been after the incident, you may still be experiencing breathing issues.
- Carpal Tunnel
Compression of the median nerve and tendons as they go through the “carpal tunnel” in your hand causes carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Even a little inflammation can cause nerve and tendon compression in this narrow tunnel. Pain, tingling, and numbness in the hands and wrists are all possible side effects of this compression.
Overuse or repeated wrist and hand movements may induce carpal tunnel syndrome and other conditions like diabetes or arthritis and pregnancy.
You can’t sue your company if your employment causes a repetitive stress ailment like carpal tunnel syndrome. However, you can still file for a workers’ compensation claim with the help of a competent attorney who can help you build a strong case against your defendant.
- Dermatitis
Persistent redness, itching, and inflammation are hallmarks of dermatitis. Blisters and cracks in the skin may appear as the illness worsens and advances. A claim for compensation for your injuries, suffering, and financial losses may be possible if your symptoms arise from exposure to harmful chemicals at work or during any other job-related activity.
- Tendonitis
Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendon that connects the muscles to bone. Pain, stiffness, and muscular weakness are just a few symptoms that may result from this inflammation, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to many months. You may be entitled to workers’ compensation if you have been injured at work due to a fall, a car accident, a lifting mishap, or another occurrence. Repetitive stress activities, such as typing or repeatedly performing the same activity, may also result in inflammation of tendons, as can driving.
Employees who suffer from tendonitis because of work-related injuries are often covered by workers’ compensation. A lawyer can help you get a workers’ compensation claim if you have tendonitis and believe the condition is work-related.
- Hand-Arm Vibration
Repetitive use of vibrating machines can cause hand-arm vibrations. In many cases, symptoms don’t appear for many years, and as a result, the disease stays undiagnosed. You may be entitled to compensation if you have experienced any degree of hand-arm vibration syndrome due to your employer’s negligence.
Serious Work-Related Injuries
It’s crucial to remember that businesses obtain workers’ compensation insurance from various insurance carriers. When a worker’s compensation claim is successful, those firms subsequently pay the injured employee’s benefits. Below we have discussed the most common injuries liable for compensation.
- Fractures
Workers at factories, warehouses, construction sites, and even offices frequently sustain cracked or broken bones due to their work activities. Fracture at work compensation claims can be made if you have been injured and suffered a fracture.
- Blindness
It is possible to lose the ability to see for the rest of your life if you suffer an eye injury. An eye injury of any severity can substantially impact a patient’s professional and personal life, and as a result, the victim may be entitled to hefty compensation.
As a result of an accident at work or in your personal life caused by carelessness, you may be able to get compensation for eye damage. Personal protective equipment (PPE) claims can be made if your eye injury occurred at work due to not having safety goggles or not having proper eye protection.
- Head trauma
Workplace concussions account for 24% of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). However, they are frequently overlooked. Falling, receiving a hit on the head by falling items, or being involved in a car accident are the most prevalent causes of workplace concussions.
Concussions are more complicated than other work-related ailments and might result in time off from the job. Workplace head injuries should be reported to your supervisor so that they can help you apply for workers’ compensation. It is an insurance policy owned by the business that covers medical costs and lost income for employees who suffer work-related injuries.
- Burns
One of the most agonizing types of injuries is a burn. Burns is usually divided into four severity levels, with the most serious being the 4th degree. The amount a victim may anticipate getting in compensation, whether through an out-of-court settlement or a jury verdict, is directly related to the degree of burn damage they sustained.
If you were burnt in an accident at work or because of workplace negligence, you might be liable for financial compensation. According to the degree and extent of your burn injuries, it is likely that you will be eligible for monetary compensation.
- Amputation
Should an accident at work cause an amputation, you may be eligible to file a claim for lost pay and the amputation and reimbursement for hospital expenses, surgeries, medical treatments, physical therapy, and prostheses.
Final Thoughts
Employers need to be aware of and implement appropriate safety measures to avoid workplace injuries. Those who have been hurt in a work-related accident have the legal right to receive compensation. If you’ve been hurt on the job, knowing when to contact a workplace injury lawyer is critical. Immediate consultation will help you learn more about your legal rights and choices. It will also enable you to take action against the culprits without having to suffer another minute.
