Workers compensation claims pay for employee medical care, lost wages, rehabilitation, and compensation for any work-related injuries or wrongful death. These laws differ from one state to the other but are all aimed at alleviating the stress and pain caused by an occupational accident.
While there is no single industry that is free from injuries and illnesses, some record more work comp claims than others. Let’s look at some of them here:
Health, Nursing, and Residential Care
The healthcare industry is fraught with risks of injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), healthcare and social assistance recorded the highest number of occupational injuries in 2017. It is also important to note that these accidents occur at large health care institutions, specialist clinics, as well as small family hospitals.
Some of these risks include bloodborne pathogens, slips, falls, and exposure to drugs, waste, chemicals, radioactivity, and biological hazards.Â
Manufacturing
It is hardly surprising that the manufacturing industry records some of the highest cases of workers compensation claims.Â
In factories, laborers work with heavy machinery that can easily cause a fatal injury. Some factory workers are also exposed to toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing processes. Overexertion injuries are also common, especially among assembly line workers.Â
Transportation and Logistics
Basically, you put yourself at risk every time you get behind the wheel, whether for personal or business reasons.Â
People who work in the transportation industry can be involved in an accident and suffer life-long injuries and even death. Aviation workers, like pilots and flight attendants, report the highest number of injuries and fatalities across the transportation industry.
In logistics and warehousing, workers are susceptible to falls, machinery injuries, and overexertion due to consistent lifting.Â
Forestry and Hunting
Some of the employees in this industry include loggers, hunters, conservation, and forest workers. They work with dangerous machines and equipment while exposed to additional dangers, like wild animals.
The most commonly reported causes of injuries in these industries were respiratory hazards, fires, exposure to chemicals, unsafe working conditions, and excessive noise.
Construction
This is another industry that records a multitude of injury cases. In 2017 BLS statistics, construction workers were among the top ten industries with the most injury and illness cases.Â
The construction industry is vast because it ecompasses building and road construction workers too. The latter group works with construction tools, chemicals, and sometimes at high heights that are risky for anyone. Road construction workers work with heavy machinery and are exposed to oncoming cars too.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
At first thought, it is difficult to imagine that arts and entertainment workers might be highly vulnerable to occupational injuries and illnesses.Â
People who work behind the scenes to make any kind of show happen are often ignored, yet they are at the highest risk of suffering from a workplace injury. These individuals include gaming supervisors, events security, park attendants, performing artists, and fitness trainers. Common injuries in this industry include slips, falls, impact by objects, and motor vehicle accidents.  Â
Filing a Workers Comp Claim
When you are recuperating from a work-related injury, the last thing you want to do is start dealing with insurance companies’ back and forth negotiations. If you are doing it alone, the pressure itself can slow your recovery process.
There are different work comp attorneys, such as Pathfinder Injury Law, that are steady in helping victims looking to file for workers compensation. This way, you do not have to deal with the insurer directly. You also have a better chance of getting the rightful compensation when you have a lawyer.Â
