Workplace injuries are a common occurrence. The latest statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) confirm that there were nearly 2.9 million reported nonfatal injuries and illnesses in the most current study. During that same timeframe, there were 5,190 fatal workplace injuries.
Most employers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York are required by law to carry Workers’ Compensation coverage for medical care, wage loss protection and benefits for survivors of employees who experience injury or death while on the job.
What are the most common workplace injuries?
Here are the five (5) most common workplace injuries.
- Overexertion involving an outside source.
This is the physical effort to lift, pull, push, hold, carry or throw an object that results in an injury. - Falls on the same level.
Tripping and falling from an uneven floor surface is a good example of this workplace injury. - Falls to a lower level.
Examples include falling to the ground from a ladder or rooftop, or falling from a stepstool. - Being struck by equipment.
This category can include a host of instances, including being struck by an object that was dropped by another employer, being caught by gate or swinging door, etc. - Slip or trip without falling.
Tripping on uneven or cluttered surfaces or slipping on icy stairs before steadying yourself by grabbing the handrail resulting in an injury to the shoulder are examples of this type of injury.
How do workplace injury settlements work?
When an injury in the workplace occurs, the insurance provider will typically offer the injured employee a structured payment plan to cover bills for medical treatment and lost wages. It will be up to the employee to either accept the offer, pursue a lump-sum payment or negotiate for a larger settlement.
In most instances, workplace injury settlements are calculated by considering:
- Medical bills that have already been accumulated (including hospital stays, ambulance transportation, etc.).
- Anticipated future medical treatments (surgery, therapy, etc.).
- Wages you’ve already lost and your decreased future earning potential.
- Disability payments.
Why should I accept a settlement for my workplace injury?
First and foremost, a settlement is guaranteed compensation for you. Many workers find it difficult to survive economically on benefits that trickle in. Going to court can be especially risky because the judge may rule in favour of your employer.
Keep in mind, however, that once your case is settled, it cannot be reopened. That’s why you definitely need the expertise of lawyer with workplace injury experience on your side.
If you’ve been injured on the job, call the workplace injury lawyers at the Haymond Law Firm.
Workers’ compensation is definitely a good thing, but it may not be sufficient in covering all of your losses. Any job that you are doing for the benefit of your company will be counted as work-related, and if you’re injured while performing that task, you definitely deserve to receive full compensation. That’s why you need a skilled workplace injury lawyer in your corner.
With offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York, the Haymond Law Firm has the resources to energetically and aggressively fight for your interests.
For a free consultation, call us at 1-800-HAYMOND (1-800-429-6663).
Real life case results
Case 1: Man Paralyzed in a Fall From Scaffolding
50-year-old Nathaniel, of Montville, CT volunteered to assist his brother in making repairs to a rental property owned by a third party.
Case Facts
The Haymond Law Firm, Nathaniel’s attorneys, spared no effort, bringing in experts and proving that the owners had been negligent in erecting the scaffolding.
The investigation showed it was never properly connected to the house. Of course, the homeowner denied responsibility for the accident and provided a witness to support their claim. Early offers for a settlement of $400,000 was rejected.
Case Results
$7,000,000
The Haymond Law Firm continued to fight and brought in a scaffolding expert, a vocational rehabilitation specialist and economist to prove Nathaniel’s losses. The $7.2 million dollar award is the highest jury award in Connecticut this year.
Nathaniel was represented by Attorneys Christopher Murray and Vanessa Cardoso of The Haymond Law Firm. The verdict was later reduced by 50%.
Case 2: Railing breaks, Haymond Law Helps Worker Collect Settlement
It was any other work day for Mr. Ryan C. that Tuesday morning. Ryan worked for a moving company and arrived at his job site, a condominium complex just outside the city. Ryan came into the unit he was moving, surveyed what needed to be moved, and got to work. Ryan was moving a sofa out of the apartment unit he was working in, so he went out the porch and down the porch stairs. As he was walking, the porch railing suddenly collapsed beneath him.
Case Facts
As a result, he fell and slammed his face off the concrete, which caused the sofa to fall into his chest. Ryan lost consciousness from the fall. After going to the emergency room, Ryan had a fractured orbital in his face that required surgery. From the injury, he also suffered from double vision for a year, preventing him from being able to work. Ryan was devastated by not only a very serious injury but from the ramifications of the injury that greatly impacted his day to day life.
In order to achieve a successful recovery, Ryan needed the Haymond Law Firm’s help. Haymonds’ team immediately hired an investigator who took statements from the tenants. Our investigator managed to get a statement from every tenant. Each tenant had complained about the condition of the stairway and stated under oath that the stairs were dangerous and were a hazard to all people using the premises. Haymond also hired a structural engineer who inspected, photographed and issued a report that the stairs did not according to code.
Case Results
$250,000
We submitted the investigator’s reports as well as the ‘engineers report. The insurer offered to settle the claim for $50,000. We rejected the offer as being far too low. We
We brought a lawsuit on Ryan’s behalf. The process wasn’t easy at times, and after months of tough negotiations, many long depositions, and lengthy discovery, the Haymond Law Firm was able to make things right for Ryan. The attorneys vigorously fighting for Ryan managed to obtain $250,000 for Ryan. It was far more than he imagined or expected.
Case 3: Death Caused By Construction Crew
After 20 years riding motorcycles, 41-year-old Hank Taylor lost his life in an accident that never should have happened. Thanks to the hard work and creative thinking of an Attorney from the Haymond Law Firm, at least Hank’s family will be financially secure with a settlement.
Case Facts
ABC Paving Company was doing construction on a major road in the summer of 1999. Townspeople complained about the excessive dust caused by the construction project. In response, the paving company used calcium chloride, a compound commonly used to control dust, on the unpaved road. Unfortunately, the calcium chloride accumulated on the adjoining, paved road. When Hank rode his motorcycle over this area, his bike slid on the compound, caught on the clean pavement and tumbled end over end. Hank slid face down for over 30 feet and died shortly thereafter from massive head injuries.
Case Results
$468,000
Within an hour of the accident, the local fire department washed away all the evidence, at the direction of the police. In over 25 years of using this calcium chloride compound, ABC Paving Company had never been sued successfully for its misuse until the Haymond Law Firm took on Hank’s case. We were the first, and they paid because of our willingness to fight for Hank’s family.