What Are The Most Common Workplace Accidents And Injuries?
Get answers from Philadelphia workers’ comp lawyer Richard A. Jaffe
An accident at the workplace can happen when you least expect. In an instant, a task that you've been doing for years can lead to serious injuries, an inability to return to work and medical bills you may be unable to pay for on your own. But while most employees are well aware that Workers' Compensation insurance exists to protect workers injured on the job in Pennsylvania, the Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC understands that these important benefits can often be difficult to obtain. An employer or an insurance company may stand in your way, regardless of your condition. That's why it's important to seek the advice of a skilled and principled attorney.
Richard A. Jaffe has handled a wide range of workplace accident cases. Before he founded the Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC, he represented insurance companies. He knows how the insurance companies handle claims - and this insight allows him to better represent injured workers like you.
The following are common on-the-job injuries sustained by workers in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania each year:
- Lifting Injuries
- Slip, Trip and Fall
- Falling Objects
- Heavy Machinery Accidents
- Car and Truck Accidents at Work
- Toxic Exposure
- Loud Noise Exposure
- Workplace Violence
If you were injured at work, don't take chances. Take on Workers' Compensation insurance companies with an aggressive, experienced lawyer on your side. Attorney Richard A. Jaffe has handled over 1,000 workers' compensation cases throughout the Delaware Valley with honesty and integrity. We have the resources necessary to prove the extent of your injuries. We have the experience necessary to obtain the benefits you deserve. Contact us today. Call 866-800-3332 for a free case evaluation.
Countless jobs involve the occasional lifting of heavy objects. That's why it should come as no surprise that heavy lifting at work is one of the most common causes of workplace injury. Healthcare workers at hospitals and nursing homes can sustain an injury in a moment's notice while lifting a patient. A grocery store employee or delivery van driver may become injured after lifting a heavy load.
No matter your profession, any number of everyday actions can lead to a serious injury, including the following:
- Lifting patients in hospitals or nursing homes off of gurneys
- Pushing hospital or nursing home patients in wheelchairs
- Unloading commercial trucks or trailers
- Stocking grocery store or department store inventory
- Operating heavy machinery at a construction site
- Preparing forklift loads
- Stacking cargo on a delivery van or truck
A lifting injury can lead to a lifetime of debilitating back and neck pain, an inability to return to work and astronomical medical bills. However, lifting injuries can be difficult to prove without the help of an experienced Philadelphia attorney to protect your rights. At the Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC, we know how to prove the extent of your injuries and aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve after an accident.
It's the type of accident you never expect will happen to you at the workplace: you slip, trip or fall, resulting in serious and potentially life-changing injuries. But on-the-job slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere, anytime across the Philadelphia area. You may be a restaurant worker who fell after slipping on a wet surface while busing tables. Perhaps you were injured while taking the stairs or elevator to your office. Inadequate lighting may have led to a trip or fall at a construction site or manufacturing plant.
How do slip and fall accidents happen on the job in Pennsylvania? The list of causes is long and distressing, including the following:
- Slippery surfaces
- Bad lighting
- Dangerous stairways
- Elevators that malfunction
- Hazards on sidewalks or walkways
- Failure to care for weather-related conditions
It's important to act fast after a slip and fall accident at work. The length of time between your accident and when you file your Workers' Compensation claim may dramatically affect the outcome of your claim. The Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC understands how to prove that your injury resulted directly from a work-related accident. We can find the right evidence and provide the medical records necessary to obtain benefits after an accident.
In many different types of work environments, employees can be hit by falling objects. While in many cases falling objects may only result in scrapes and bruises, some workers may sustain serious injuries requiring surgery, rehabilitation and an inability to return to work. A heavy object may fall from a warehouse shelf or office supply room shelf. A warehouse employee may be injured after an object falls off a forklift or commercial truck bed. When an employee is injured as a result of a falling object, he or she is entitled to workers' compensation benefits under state law.
The Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC aggressively works to obtain benefits for employees who sustain head injuries, shoulder and neck injury, back injury, broken bones and other injuries as a result of a falling object. If you were injured or lost a loved one as a result of a falling object while on-the-job, contact us today. From filing your initial claim to appealing after a denial, we will fight tirelessly on your behalf.
Any worker who uses heavy machinery is well aware of the risks involved in doing so. From machine shop employees using power tools such as table saws, hammer drills or torches, to construction workers who operate tractors and forklifts on a daily basis, an injury can happen without any warning. The Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC is familiar with the most common types of injuries sustained by construction workers, machinists, assembly line operators and other Pennsylvania employees, including the following:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Shoulder and neck injuries
- Knee injuries
- Hearing or vision loss
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Complex regional pain syndrome
Heavy machinery accidents can happen for a variety of reasons throughout the Delaware Valley. You may have been injured due to defective equipment at an auto shop. You may not have been supplied protective gear by a construction site contractor or foreman. No matter the circumstances of your workplace accident, we're ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact Richard A. Jaffe today.
Car and Truck Accidents at Work
Workers who spend hours on the road each day to earn a living might not realize that they are at a higher risk of getting injured or dying in a car accident than many other people who work in jobs that don't require them to drive. If you are in an accident, it's important to seek the advice of legal counsel. The injury claim may be more complicated than you first think.
By Pennsylvania law, workers injured while driving on the job are covered by Workers' Compensation insurance. However, collecting these benefits can be a difficult task. It may be your word against the word of the claims adjuster. What makes a car accident at work more complex is the fact that there may be third-party liability.
Roads and highways in the Philadelphia area are used by drivers of all types, including people who are working and people who may be drinking and driving or texting behind the wheel. Whether you are a transit worker, a delivery van driver, a taxi cab driver or a trucker, you might become involved in an accident in a matter of seconds and need quality legal representation.
The Law Offices of Richard A. Jaffe, LLC handles these types of cases, which may involve filing a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver who caused the accident. In such cases, an injured worker may be entitled to receive damages that go beyond the benefits awarded in a Workers' Compensation Claim. You may be entitled to noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress and punitive damages, which are meant to punish the defendant and deter others from engaging in similar dangerous behavior.
Since 1994, we have handled more than 1,000 claims. Whether assisting with Workers' Compensation Claim or determining third-party liability, we work tirelessly on behalf of injured employees. Leave the details to us. We're ready to protect your legal rights.