Taking Action After Sustaining Workplace Injuries
Thousands of people suffer from fatal and nonfatal workplace injuries in the United States each year. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a total of 4,836 fatal work-related injuries recorded in the country in 2015 — the highest total since 2008. While many of these deaths and injuries were accidental, others were entirely preventable and occurred as a result of an employer’s negligence.
We have seen firsthand this devastation to workers and their families. That’s why our attorneys are committed to holding those in charge accountable when they failed to protect their employees from known hazards.
Who is at Risk for Workplace Injuries?
Certain jobs sustain more workplace injuries than others. Drivers of heavy trucks and tractor trailers, for example, sustained the most fatal injuries of any occupation in 2015. In terms of nonfatal injuries that resulted in days off work, occupations with the highest number of cases in 2015 included:
- Truck drivers
- Laborers
- Movers of freight, stock, and materials
- Nursing assistants
Any person in any type of occupation can be at risk for injury, illness, or death when employers do not take proper precautions to keep them safe.
Your Rights as a Worker
The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that federal law entitles you to a safe workplace free of known health and safety hazards. As an employee at any job, you have the right to the following:
- Training in a language you understand
- Work on safe machines
- Receive required safety gear like gloves or a protective harness and lifeline
- Receive protection from toxic chemicals
- Request an OSHA inspection and speak to the inspector
- Report an injury or illness and get copies of you medical records
- See your workplace’s injury and illness log and review those records
- Get copies of test results done to find hazards in the workplace
OSHA also notes that any concerned worker has the right to speak up without fear of retaliation.
Despite these rules about safety in the workplace, some businesses ignore hazards and put their employees at risk. Those who suffer harm should have immediate legal guidance and representation. Doing so will send a message loud and clear that negligence in the workplace is unacceptable.
Getting Justice for Workplace Injuries
Nothing can change what happened when a worker dies or sustains work-related injuries. However, those who acted carelessly must take responsibility for letting someone get hurt. Damages from a workers’ compensation claim might provide much-needed coverage for lost wages and benefits, related medical expenses, pain and suffering, and death benefits if a worker’s injuries are fatal.
For decades, the personal injury attorneys at Gay Chacker & Ginsburg have been successfully handling workers’ compensation cases, and they have obtained maximum compensation for workers harmed as a result of their employers’ negligence.
