Workplace sickness or injury can occur at virtually any job within any industry in the state of Georgia, from tripping and falling at your desk job to suffering a catastrophic injury at a more hazardous occupation.
Some injuries in the workplace are more common than others and immediately qualify for workers’ compensation benefits in the state of Georgia. If you’re an active worker, you would do well to exercise extra caution in relation to these four most frequent workplace injuries. If you or someone you love have suffered an injury at the workplace in the state of Georgia, contact an experienced Savannah, GA workers compensation lawyer for a free legal consultation and or case evaluation.
#4: Contact with Objects and Equipment
This type of injury came in at number four on the list, accounting for 15% of fatal occupational injuries in Georgia in 2014. Coming into contact with powerful machinery and equipment can amount to some of the worst injuries, including lacerations, amputations, and getting crushed. This category of worker injury encompasses:
- Struck by object or equipment
- Struck by powered vehicle (non-transport)
- Caught in or compressed by objects or equipment
- Caught in running machinery
- Electrocution
These are among other types of catastrophic injury. The people most likely to be at risk of these injuries are workers in highly mechanized environments, where large pieces of machinery and equipment are used daily.
#3: Falls, Slips, and Trips
Coming in at 20% of the total number of fatal occupational injuries, this category of workplace injury includes falls on the same level, falls to a lower level, falls through an opening, and falls ranging from six feet to more than 30 feet.
Slip and fall injuries are common in a wide range of worksites, since it’s relatively easy to accidentally trip and fall or slip off of something and become injured. Slips and trips are especially damaging to older employees, who are more fragile and whose injuries can quickly turn fatal.
#2: Violence and Other Injuries by Persons or Animals
Number two on the most common injury list in Georgia is violence or injury caused by people or animals in the workplace (22%). The most common issue associated with this range of injury is intentional injury by another person, such as homicide, shootings, stabbing, or beatings in the workplace.
Often, these injuries are sustained in a workplace fight or caused by an angry employee. Suicide is also part of this list, accounting for 14 workplace deaths in Georgia in 2014. Animal attacks, such as dog bites, can also be liable for workers’ comp benefits if the worker was attacked while at work (i.e. a mailman, outdoor maintenance worker, etc.).
#1: Transportation Accidents
The number one most common workplace injury in the state of Georgia is by far transportation accidents, accounting for 40% of the total for 2014. Employees fatally injured by some kind of transportation accident often suffered blunt-force trauma, internal bleeding, or spinal injury.
Transportation accidents include a wide variety of different types of transportation within the workplace, including:
- Aircraft incidents
- Train crashes
- Pedestrians struck by vehicles in work zones
- Automobile collisions with objects or other vehicles
- Auto non-collision accidents (overturns, etc.)
Any of these accidents that cause injury or death to workers while on the job, or using company equipment, will qualify for workers’ comp benefits. Transportation accidents caused the most fatal work injuries in Georgia, as well as serious non-fatal injuries such as head trauma, broken bones, spinal injuries, and internal bleeding.
Your Workers’ Comp Attorney
If you’re involved with a tricky workers’ compensation suit and need a dependable, knowledgeable lawyer in the Savannah area, our attorneys are here to provide support for your needs.
Our Savannah personal injury attorneys have extensive experience dealing with every kind of worker injury imaginable and will fight to secure your proper entitlement. Trust the Roden + Love, LLC legal team with your tough workers’ comp situation, and let us do the dirty work for you. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your immediate options.