Work-Related Injuries
Although workers compensation is available to individuals who are injured within the course of their job, many valid claims are denied on a regular basis. Some of the most common reasons for workplace injuries include:
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Overexertion
Minnesota workers who pull, lift, push or carry objects may easily suffer from overexertion. These activities can lead to dehydration, heart attacks and other serious medical conditions.
Slips and Trips
Minnesota workers may slip or trip due to equipment, spills or other debris being on the ground. Conscientious employers should have procedures in place to quickly detect and correct any spillage to avoid this common type of injury.
Falls from Heights
Construction workers, oil field workers and workers in other industries who work from heights may fall from a tall surface. Utilizing proper personal protection gear can often prevent or minimize these types of accidents.
Reaction Injuries
These are similar to slip and trip injuries, but the injured person does not actually fall. Muscle strains are a common result of such accidents.
Falling Objects
Another common cause of workplace injuries is falling objects, often resulting in head injuries.
Walking into Objects
A distracted employee may walk into objects, including a wall, door, window, piece of furniture or other object. A workers compensation attorney can provide assistance to workers who have sustained injuries due to such incidences.
Automotive Accidents
Employees may be injured while driving, traveling or running errands on behalf of a business. In some instances, these accidents are fatal. Safe driving policies can help reduce the number of these accidents.
Machine Injuries
Employees may be injured by machines that compress them. Similarly, machines can cause injuries when a person’s clothing, jewelry, shoes, hair, fingers or other body parts become entangled with them. Protective equipment such as machine guards and attention to details can help prevent such incidents and resulting injuries.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
A repetitive motion injury may occur after a person has typed or completed the same type of repetitive motions for a substantial length of time. These motions can often strain muscles and cause other issues, such as vision problems.
Violent Acts
Some work “accidents” are not accidents at all, such as in the case of workplace fights or other violent acts. Employee policies that prohibit fighting, rough housing or other violence in the workplace may be able to reduce the number of such incidents.