What comes to mind when you think of dangerous jobs? Sure, we know all the TV shows of longshoremen and fishermen pulling our lobsters out of the sea. We hear about how dangerous they are. We probably think of firefighters and police officers.
How about construction workers?
Actually, since 2012, nurses and health aides in state-run residential care and nurse settings have had the highest rates of injury and illnesses according of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In the latest reporting year:
There were 164,300 employee injuries and illnesses.
That is 30 percent higher than the nation’s police and fire illnesses and injuries combined.
Let’s take a look at the top five most dangerous jobs according to their injuries and illnesses per 100 workers:
- Nurse and residential care workers
- Veterinary services
- Truss manufacturing
- Law enforcement
- Firefighters
The article points out that, while landscaping, roofing, and construction jobs remain dangerous, there are simply more people working in other types of jobs now. Those typically “blue-collar” jobs are becoming more automated.
If you need a Los Angeles workers compensation attorney, turn to Koszdin, Fields & Sherry for help today.
What Can Happen
We know that there are workplace dangers, but we expect workers’ compensation to be available to us if something happens. We need it to cover medical expenses and our lost income while we are out of work.
There are multiple ways that people can get hurt at work, so let’s look at some of them.
Traumatic Injuries
These are incidents that injure us physically and can include things like falls, tool accidents, electrocutions, vehicle accidents, and more. The severity of these injuries can range from minor to major, but they are usually covered by insurance regardless of who was at fault (barring gross negligence or substance abuse on your part).
These can also include repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, which are a bit harder to link to the workplace. This is because their symptoms usually do not show up right away. They sometimes manifest over the course of years.
Mental Health
Mental health illnesses that are caused by the workplace are usually covered by workers’ compensation. These manifest themselves due to high-stress work environments and can lead to workers developing depression, anxiety, ADHD, or other mental illnesses.
What Are Your Options?
At Koszdin, Fields & Sherry, we want to make sure you are treated fairly when you file a workers’ compensation claim. We know that employers and insurance companies do not always play by the rules. We will work to hold them accountable by investigating your case and working to secure the compensation you need, including for your medical expenses and lost income. If you have been fired, we will work for reinstatement or some other form of punitive compensation. When you need a Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorney, you can reach out to us for a free consultation by calling one of these numbers: 818-812-5639 or 800-747-3447.
