Workplace injuries are common in many different business settings, and the causes of these injuries can vary widely. Workers who have suffered injuries may understand the impact and strain that their jobs can have on their bodies. They may know that recovering from these injuries can be very difficult and can sometimes take a very long time. In some cases, workers who are injured on the job are not aware of their rights to file workers compensation claims, and put more effort into continuing their work than they do in their recovery.
Although there are countless kinds of workplace injuries, there are five types of workers compensation claims that appear most common. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the top five most common types of workplace injuries in a single year included:
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- Overexertion (33.2% of all workplace injuries)
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- Slips, trips, and falls (27.4%)
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- Dangerous contact with a piece of equipment or a falling object (22.2%)
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- Workplace violence and injuries caused by another person (6.3%)
- Vehicle accidents (5.4%)
A more detailed review of injury classifications shows that there are five types of workers compensation claims that are frequently filed by injured workers. These categories of claims were calculated by data maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Liberty Mutual, and the National Academy of Social Insurance. These five most common claims include claims that resulted in at least 6 missed days of work and which qualified the claimants for financial compensation:
- Being struck by an object is the fifth most common claim. These injuries, which are the result of any object striking a worker and causing injury, account for 9% of injury claim compensation amounts.
- Bodily reactions are the fourth most common type of claim. These injuries account for 10% of injury claims and are caused from reaching, standing, bending, climbing, or sitting.
- Falling to a lower level is the third most common claim. These falls account for 10.5% of injury compensation claims. Although these accidents account for a smaller proportion of compensation claims than falls to the same level, the injuries may be more severe and may require extensive time off from work.
- Falling on the same level is the second most common injury claim, and it accounts for nearly 16% of the all workers compensation awards. This type of claim is particularly common because these accidents can occur on any surface — especially when there is ice, rain, or snow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there were over 34,000 such accidents in 2014 involving poor weather conditions.
- Overexertion is the most common type of workers compensation claim. Injuries from overexertion can be caused by a range of physical activities, including: pushing objects, lifting objects, holding and carrying, or pulling objects. Claims for these types of injuries account for more than 25% of the financial compensation of all workers compensation claims across the country.
If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, it may be wise to contact a workers compensation lawyer with extensive knowledge and experience. Regardless of how your accident happened, you may be entitled to substantial financial compensation for your injuries.
If you have questions about your specific case, please contact a workers’ compensation attorney at Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt today to learn more.