Serious workplace injuries could keep a worker in Oakland away from their job for a significant amount of time. Sometimes a person’s injury causes them to have to stop working entirely. These career-ending injuries can have a significant financial impact on those who suffer from them.
Each year, the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index identifies the top causes of injuries in the workplace. In 2019, the following injuries were most costly: overexertion due to outside sources; falls on the same level; being hit by an object; falls to a lower level; other exertions; motor vehicle accidents; slipping or tripping but not falling; being caught in equipment; repetitive motion injuries and being struck against an object.
Numerous industries accounted for many of these workplace injuries. Workers were injured in the manufacturing industry, in the health care industry, in the construction industry and in the transportation and warehousing industry. It may seem obvious that these industries saw a significant number of injuries, as they often involve obvious on-the-job dangers. However, other industries such as the retail industry, leisure and hospitality industry and the professional services industry also saw a significant number of on-the-job injuries.
Sometimes these injuries are so severe that they effectively end a worker’s career. This can be a very difficult time for that worker, who is dealing with medical expenses, lost income and other costs. If a worker’s career-ending injury was caused by the negligence of a third party, the worker may want to determine if they can pursue a legal claim. Workers’ compensation benefits may also be an option for some who have been injured on the job.
