Each job or industry has its own unique set of safety and health risks that are associated with that job type. For example, a schoolteacher is much less likely to suffer from cuts and burns than a chef will. In contrast, a chef is at a much smaller risk of contracting a disease or illness than a nurse would. In either of the cases, workers’ compensation is a legal option to recover any damages or losses you might have occurred in your workplace.
In North Carolina, businesses with three or more employee are required to provide workers’ compensation benefits. Generally, workers’ compensation allows employees the opportunity to recover from workplace injuries. Although, each state has different workers’ compensation laws, benefits disbursed to employees may cover medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, and death and funeral costs.
Unfortunately, on-the-job accidents do occur, and are often unpredictable. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a little over one million workplace injuries happened in the workplace in 2011, with an average recuperation time of eight days.
Even though workplace incidents vary widely, several injuries are common across all industries, and can happen to anyone:
- Equipment accidents are usually reported in cases where large, heavy machinery has injured a worker by crushing. However, employees included injuries from smaller industry equipment in their workers’ compensation claims.
- Overexertion occurs after you lift, pull, push, or throw something, causing injury. This is most commonly seen in labor-intensive jobs such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and police officers. An overexertion injury occurs when a muscle is pulled, or a joint is forced to move beyond its typical range of motion, and is the most common injury sustained in the workplace, according to a study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Repetitive Motion injuries stem from workers doing the same motions repeatedly. For examples typing on a keyboard, sitting for long periods, lifting, and working on an assembly line. Common injuries from repetitive or cumulative motions are tendonitis, carpal tunnel, bursitis, and weakening of the ligaments.
- Slip and Fall accidents usually happen after an employee slips on wet floors around the workplace, or trips over misplaced debris including slipping and falling on snowy walkways. The everyday employee in any industry can fall victim to a slip and fall accident.
- Struck against an Object occurs when you fall into something, or is physically forced into something such as a bookshelf, a room divider, or other stationary object. Office workers and factory workers can easily become a victim of falling into something.
- Struck by Object occurs most commonly when something falls off a shelf, or things are dropped by another worker onto a lower level. All employee at any level can sustained this type of injury.
Compensation for Charlotte Residents
If you were denied workers’ compensation benefits by your employer, but you are still suffering from work-related injuries, your next step is to contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. As workers’ compensation laws vary according to state, consulting with a Charlotte NC workers compensation lawyer will be the first step to claiming the benefits you deserve.
If you are seriously suffering work-related injuries, and have been denied benefits, contact us at the law firm of Ted A. Greve & Associates, P.A today to schedule a FREE consultation. We will help you fight for your rights! Call us today or fill out our free online case evaluation form!
