Types of Workplace Injuries in Mercer County and Across NJ

Serving Accident and Injury Victims with all types of Workplace Injuries in Trenton, Lawrence, Princeton, Hamilton, and across Mercer County

Workplace injuries are a reality that is difficult to avoid. Despite enhanced safety measures and enforced protocols to protect employers and clients, accidents happen. Understandably, a large portion of workplace injuries happens on construction sites. Workplace injuries happen in many ways – whether by falls, accidents involving transportation and machinery, exposure to harmful elements, or even workplace violence. 2019 statistics from the BLS report that there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses across the country. If you have been injured in an accident at work, you may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits to cover your medical expenses, the time required away from work, and even permanent disability benefits if your injury caused long-term damage.

Read on to learn the most common causes of workplace violence, and use this awareness to keep yourself and your employees safe on the job or receive the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to.

Slipping

There are a multitude of reasons slips or trips could happen in the workplace. From inclement weather to liquids or obstacles in the way, slips and trips are a huge source of workplace injuries. This type of accident is merited insurance coverage by the employer under New Jersey workers’ compensation law. Over $2.3 billion has been paid out by employers across the country for workers’ compensation benefits due to injuries caused by slips and trips.

Falling

As noted above, falls are a huge source of workplace injury. Particularly in the areas of construction and maintenance, falling carries a higher prevalence. According to 2017 data from the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 17 percent of all deaths on professional construction sites were due to falls. The presence of construction equipment whose weight or malfunction could cause a fall and industry-related risks for falls such as scaffolding and work in tall, sloping sites contribute to the large numbers of injuries and deaths caused on the site. If an employer has not provided proper safety protocols and work conditions to prevent injury, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation insurance if you are injured on the job because of a fall.

Receiving a Blow by a Blunt or Falling Object

Another cause of workplace injuries is caused by items being precariously placed and causing injury when they fall. While this is more often found in construction settings where objects haven’t yet been reinforced, it can be found across any industry. If reinforcement measures and proper placement of items are not ensured by an employer and cause an injury when they strike an employee, the employee is eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits for injury-related expenses.

Malfunctioning Equipment

One of the most dangerous risks for injury is equipment that has the potential to malfunction. Heavy or even lightweight machinery that ceases to function properly carries a heightened risk because the employee depends on the machine functioning. In some cases, it places the entirety of their weight and balance in the hold of this equipment. Even if the machinery is not physically supporting the employee, a malfunction can cause serious damage because it can take the person by surprise, catching them off-guard. For example, even a malfunctioning staple gun can cause deep lesions if the person using it expects it to work and it backfires. This element of surprise, in addition to the obvious dangers such as causing a fall or getting clothing caught in equipment that causes greater injury, can all be consequences of malfunctioning equipment, and the reason that employers are 100 percent responsible for ensuring that their equipment is ready for employers’ use.

Musculoskeletal Misalignment Injury

The above injuries generally occur in industries where physical injury carries a heightened risk, such as construction sites. However, there is a quieter, much more prevalent industry that affects millions of employees each year, and that is musculoskeletal injuries. Massive amounts of people work at a computer all day, and the angle with which they sit and type causes damage to muscles, joints, and ligaments, as well as nerves.

The majority of employees who have sought workers’ compensation benefits for musculoskeletal injury due to extended time working complain of back problems, hip problems, neck and shoulder issues, and carpal tunnel.

No Matter the Type of Workplace Injury, if Negligence has Occurred, Contact a Trenton NJ Personal Injury Lawyer Today.

At The Law Office of Cohen & Riechelson, our experienced team of attorneys represents clients in Trenton, Lawrence, Princeton, Hamilton, and Mercer County in all workers’ compensation claims.

To schedule a consultation with a member of our firm today to discuss your case, please contact us online or through our Hamilton office at 609.528.2596. We look forward to working with you.