While most people automatically think of at-risk professions such as factory work, heavy industry or construction, workers’ compensation injuries can happen to nearly anyone. From delivering product to customers to working in an office setting, employees often face unexpected danger while on the job.
Even though single accident injuries play a significant role in many serious workers’ compensation claims, there are numerous other types of injuries that might be less obvious, including:
- Repetitive stress and strain: Workers in occupations with low levels of physical strain still face serious conditions that could negatively impact their personal and professional lives. These injuries occur over time as workers perform the same types of movements repeatedly for years or decades on the job. Retail workers might experience this from placing thousands of boxes of product on store shelves and office workers could experience Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from typing hundreds of thousands of words.
- Motor vehicle accidents: Many workers face daily job responsibilities that require them to travel to a location by car or truck. These could be company couriers, customer deliveries or simply an employee tasked with driving to another location to pick up supplies. When a crash happens while performing a job duty, the worker is entitled to pursue a workers’ compensation claim.
- Toxic exposure: Even workers in low-impact, low-physicality professions face the danger of hazardous materials. In many workplaces, these are often cleaning chemicals such as bleach or benzene. Workers can inhale dust particles or chemical vapors that can cause lung problems. Additionally, the chemical can splash leading to skin irritation or dermal absorption.
No matter the occupation, workers face the possibility of a severe injury or devasting illness while on the job. After a workplace injury, employees might struggle to pay medical bills and recover fast enough to return to work. Workers’ compensation benefits exist to help injured workers avoid financial peril while receiving the medical treatment they need.