Is My Injury Work Related?

It’s bad enough that you have to go to work every day, but what if you are injured on the job? Many occupations are prone to injuries. Construction workers, nurses, and laborers are all at significant risk for occupational injuries including sprains and strains, falls, and even electrocution. In fact, over 4,600 people were actually killed on the job in 2014. Talk about a bad day at work.

Not All Workplace Injuries Happen At Work

While many on-the-job injuries are obvious (such as falling off a ladder while stocking shelves), others are not so easy to prove as true work-related injuries.

Inconspicuous Work-Related Injuries

• Long-term injuries: There are a variety of occupations requiring repetitive, often straining motions on a continual basis. Imagine an assembly line worker doing the same motions for 8-10 hours per day. This type of movement can lead to substantial wear and tear of muscle groups, thus leading to long-term issues such as back and neck pain and even carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Harmful exposures: Workers are often subject to potentially harmful conditions without even knowing it. Factory workers exposed to hazardous chemicals or asbestos could end up developing various cancers down the road as a result. Servers in a restaurant permitting smoking could potentially end up with lung cancer as a result of secondhand smoke exposure.
• Work-sponsored events leading to injury: Company parties often involve alcohol, which can lead to potential injuries including car accidents. In some instances, the employer may be held liable for damages from such a situation.
• Outside of normal business hours injuries: Many employees are required to put in time outside of normal business hours. This includes traveling and also hosting meetings outside the office after hours. Accidents can happen to, from, and during these events and may be covered under workers’ compensation laws.

Everyone is aware that falling off a ladder and breaking a leg while working is considered a work-related injury that should be covered by workers’ compensation. However, many of these other more inconspicuous injuries are often covered as well. It is extremely important to be aware of your state’s workers’ compensation laws if you ever suffer any type of injury that could potentially be work-related. Have you been hurt at work? Confused about a potential claim? The attorneys at Mckenzie & Snyder can help you navigate the process and provide a free consultation to determine if your injury may be work-related.

Call us today to discuss further with one of our experienced attorneys: (513) 737-5180.