Depending on the type of job you have, there are a number of ways that you could possibly injure yourself while you’re on the clock. Of course, none of us want to get hurt in the workplace, but the truth is, in the State of Illinois, these types of on-the-job mishaps occur quite regularly.Â
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every 100 workers in Illinois, 2.7 of them will experience some type of workplace illness or injury. In fact, in 2020, there were almost 107,000 nonfatal injuries in the workplace that were reported by employers in our state.Â
Here at The Horwitz Law Group, workers’ compensation is one of our practice areas. We’ve helped numerous employees who’ve suffered from things like back injuries, construction accidents, factory or warehouse accidents, mesothelioma, office injuries, railroad worker injuries, repetitive motion injuries, roof accidents, and lots of other kinds of workplace injuries.Â
There are some workplace accidents and injuries that stand out due to their frequency.Â
Slips and Falls. These occur because of things like oily or wet floors (such as in a restaurant kitchen), excessive clutter in and around workstations, or because a worker may have fallen off a ladder – or maybe even a building.
People and Animals. Fighting amongst employees, or maybe aggressive animals, can cause injuries, such as if a worker is bitten by a dog while on a job site.Â
Strained Muscles. Ever heard someone tell a co-worker “Lift with your legs, not your back?” Improper lifting techniques cause muscle fatigue and strain in many situations. But, people can also strain muscles in office settings just from sitting in a non-ergonomic chair.Â
Explosions and Fire. There are what are called primary blasts (caused by the wave of the blast itself), secondary blasts (when a person is hurt by flying objects), tertiary blasts (such as a collapsed structure), and quaternary blasts (such as burns or breathing in harmful chemicals).
Equipment and Other Workers. Sometimes, even if the employer has the proper workplace policies and procedures posted in plain sight (which they always should), there are unavoidable factors that can hurt you, such as falling objects or coworkers who may bump into you by mistake and cause you to fall or run into machinery or equipment.
Harmful Conditions. We may automatically think of careers where people work around chemicals (that may cause eye and/or skin injuries) when it comes to harmful substances. But, there are also those folks who work in an environment that has a very loud atmosphere where there could be hearing damage to an individual. Chemicals, dust, and other conditions can lead to eye injuries and vision loss.
Collisions. These are experienced mostly by workers such as truck drivers, cab drivers, delivery drivers, or most any job where a motor vehicle is utilized.Â
Our seasoned workers’ compensation lawyers at The Horwitz Law Group will work hard to get you the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve. If you or someone you know feels that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance should cover medical care, rehab fees, lost wages, disability payments, or death benefits, then feel free to give us a call today at (312) 641-9200.
To arrange a free initial consultation with an experienced Illinois injury lawyer complete the e-mail form below.