Going to work should be a risk-free daily activity for anyone, employed in any industry. Yet, according to the, US Bureau of Labor Statistics 5,333 employees died in preventable workplace accidents across the US in 2019, a 2% increase from the previous year. Despite employers' claim to improving safe work conditions for their employees, many people end up in hospital with a severe work-related injury. If you were hurt on the job, you deserve to be compensated for your economic losses, and your pain and suffering. The team of workplace accident lawyers at Glenn Law Firm is ready to investigate your case, help you prepare your compensation claim, and win the fair settlement you deserve.

In our experience, employers and insurance companies are not forthcoming and willing to put injured workers' rights and interests above profits. On your own, you will be faced with experienced adjusters who are looking for every loophole to minimize or deny your compensation. However, an experienced workplace injury attorney knows how to thwart these tactics and make sure that you get back your medical expenses, lost wages, and other monetary rights you are entitled to.

Relevant Statistics on Workplace Injuries

According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), the rate of occupational injuries and illness in 2019 was 2.1 per 100 full-time workers. In clearer terms, 21 out of every 1,000 employees suffered a job injury. The occupational groups with the highest risk of injury, according to TDI statistics are:

• transportation and material moving
• farming, fishing, and forestry
• installation, maintenance, and repair
• building and grounds cleaning and maintenance
• production.

The most common causes of fatal and nonfatal workplace injuries recorded in 2019 were:

• contact with object or equipment - 16.0 incidence rate
• slip and falls - 15.0 incidence rate
• overexertion and bodily reaction - 14.7 incidence rate
• transportation incidents - 3.9 incidence rate.

These statistical data indicate that we are still far from a world of safe workplaces. What we can do at the present is make sure that victims of job accidents can recover financially from the event that will possibly leave a long-lasting impact on their lives. For this purpose, personal injury attorneys are available to help every injured worker receive their workers' comp benefits from the negligent employer, or from the third party that caused their accident.

The Most Common Work Injuries in Texas

Accidental injuries at the workplace range from minor to catastrophic or even fatal injuries. However, each of these injuries affects your ability to work and enjoy life. Thus, you should not ignore them  or forget to follow the proper procedures of reporting a workplace accident and filing injury claims. If you are injured due to the actions of a third party, personal injury law is your ally in recovering your damages.

These being said, these are some of the most common types of injuries reported in workplace injury claims:

Repetitive Stress Injury

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common examples of repetitive stress injuries. When you perform the same action over and over again (production workers on assembly lines, for instance), the muscles and tendons subject to excessive stress will become inflamed. Injured employees may also suffer from lateral epicondylitis (commonly known as tennis elbow), another debilitating stress injury that prevents your from gripping anything firmly in your hand or moving your elbow freely.

Loss of Limbs

This permanent impairment can be caused in several ways:

• on construction sites when the worker is crushed under a falling weight
• in production facilities, when the worker is caught under a piece of equipment
• after a traffic accident, especially one involving a large truck or another kind of commercial vehicle.

This kind of injury usually results in an award of lifetime income benefits under worker's compensation rules.

Bone Fractures

A fractured bone may need between a few weeks and a few months to heal, depending on the severity of the injury. Unsafe conditions at work, lack of safety training, or safety equipment can lead to a workplace incident that causes broken bones.

Even a simple fracture, to a toe or a finger, can be very painful. The victim will incur medical costs, lose their wages for the period when they are recovering, as well as suffer from emotional distress from the incident. No one goes to work mentally prepared to suffer a bodily injury. Yet, these types of accidents happen every day and the injured person has the right to receive financial compensation.

Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries require extensive medical care and the person may not make a full recovery. Workers can suffer this type of injury in several ways, from an apparently simple slip and fall accident to a construction site accident or a motor vehicle accident. In some cases, defective equipment may cause a horrific workplace accident, despite the operator's best efforts to prevent it.

Victims of a spinal cord injuries will amass huge hospital bill and suffer from loss of income for a long period of time. Personal injury lawyers recommend injured workers to retain legal representation as soon as possible in order to receive their due medical benefits, as well as the maximum compensation they are eligible to.

Brain Injury

The transportation sector and construction industry are among the most dangerous fields of activity for workers. One of the most severe kind of injuries employees in these industries may suffer is brain injury. Getting hit in the head by a heavy machinery, in an automobile crash or by falling from a height may cause the brain to get injured.

Most victims have to spend a long time in hospital and undergo complex surgeries to save their lives. Often, they are left with a lifelong impairment, that may prevent them from returning to work.

What to Do If You Are Injured in a Workplace Accident

If you were injured while doing your job duties, this is what you should do, in order:

Report Your Accident to the Employer

if you did not suffer severe or life threatening injuries, the first thing to to is to report the incident to your employer verbally (followed by a written injury report). Failure to do so will void your claim to compensation.

Seek Medical Attention

Even if you suffered a common workplace injury, like a sprain, you should go to the doctor, get the injury diagnosed and receive medical care. Compensation insurance adjusters will look at any little thing to dismiss your claim, such as:

• failure to seek medical attention
• going to the doctor several days later after the accident
• missing medical appointments
• failure to refill your prescription.

File Your Workers' Compensation Claim

You have one year to file a workers' comp claim, however, you should take care of this aspect as soon as possible if you want to start receiving compensation benefits without delay. At this point, you should also hire a workplace accident attorney to assist you in filing your claim and winning your compensation.

Do not be intimidated by your employer's claim that you may lose your job if you retain legal representation. The Labor Code of Texas specifically prohibits employers from dismissing or discriminating against you in any way for this reason.

Hire a Personal Injury Law Firm that Cares for Your Rights!

At Glenn Law Firm we are committed to fight for each of our clients and win the maximum compensation they deserve. We believe in justice beyond any compromise and we will not stand back until you get the financial settlement you are entitled to.

We do not charge upfront fees, and only get paid after we win your case, so call us now: 817-424-5999!