5 Common Workers’ Compensation Injuries

We have all heard it before, accidents happen. Workplace injuries are more common than you may think, and can cause an array of unwanted consequences. Not only must you deal with the physical pain of the injury, it is also possible to endure financial pressure if you are unable to work while going through the recovery process. 

It’s good to remember that you do not necessarily have to be working at a physically demanding job to incur a workplace injury. While certain jobs have higher injury risks, such as construction work or truck driving, there are also other occupations such as teaching, office work, healthcare and retail that can have an equal amount of every day risks. After doing proper research, you may be surprised with what kinds of injuries are eligible for workers’ compensation that occur in every type of work environment.  Read to learn 5 common workers’ compensation injuries that can occur in every workplace. 

Overexertion

Overexertion is a non-impact injury that is caused from pulling, lifting, wielding, carrying or turning objects too strenuously. These types of injuries are known to be the most common within workplaces because it could result from any physical activity that involves muscle and motion. Some may assume that overexertion can only happen to people who have jobs that require daily physical labor such as factories or construction sites, this is not always the case. Overexertion can also just as easily occur from lifting heavy files in an office or carrying a large tray of food at a restaurant. 

Be mindful that overexertion is an injury that could also be developing and worsening over time. It’s important to recognize early symptoms and seek proper treatment before letting your injury get worse. Injuries caused from overexertion could cause debilitating pain that leads to needed physical therapy, resulting in high medical bills and time away from work. 

A few tips to help prevent overexertion in the workplace are to get help from the team when you need it, keep your feet shoulder width apart to stabilize your body and avoid twisting while lifting. 

Repetitive strain injury

There are a select amount of work-related injuries that begin to develop more over time. Repetitive strain injuries, also known as repetitive stress injuries, can be temporary or permanent and often affect muscles, nerves, ligaments or tendons from repeated movement.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and bursitis are a few examples of common repetitive strain injuries, and often occur from repeating the same motion over and over. Repetitive motion can potentially cause injuries in your neck, shoulder, arm and wrist. These types of overuse injuries are common with desk workers, assembly workers and any worker who performs the same motions repeatedly on a regular basis. 

Taking micro breaks to move your muscles and stretch is a great way to reduce your risk of repetitive strain injury. It’s also important to use proper lifting techniques and become aware of your own level of fitness so that you do not risk overworking your body.

Struck by an object 

These are injuries that can happen in any workplace, and are actually very common. There are various different job sites that employees could be hit by or collide with heavy objects. Objects can fall from shelves in office buildings or retail stores. There is also the risk of machinery or tools to fall at a construction site. There are a multitude of injuries that could happen as a result of being struck by or against an object, some being very serious. With that said, these injuries are extremely common workers’ compensation claims. 

Simple safety measures can help to prevent objects from falling to further protect workers from getting injured including: securing all objects when working on elevated surfaces, removing items from loose or unsealed pockets, keep materials away from the edges of a shelf, require hard hats for construction work, and communicate often.

Slip and fall

Slip and falls are another leading cause for workplace injuries, and could happen in various environments. There are many scenarios that would make it easy for workers to slip and fall on the job, including wet and uneven floors, spilled food and drinks that have not been cleaned, and debris. All of these examples could cause serious harm to people who are already hurt in some way, including those who may be enduring spinal injuries, knee injuries and sprained/torn ligaments. It’s important to remember that slip and fall injuries could happen in just about every workplace. There even may be times when you hurt yourself more by trying to prevent the fall than the actual fall itself. Trying to save yourself from a slip and fall could potentially lead to a sprained ankle or bruising. 

The safest and best way to prevent slip and falls in your workplace is to minimize the risk. Make sure there are signs for uneven floors or uneasy to see steps, and clean up messes that were left unattended. 

Vehicle accidents

Car accidents are common in a variety of different jobs. If your job requires you to travel for business, or you have a job that requires you to drive a vehicle for a living, you are at risk for vehicle accident injuries. A few other common examples include running an errand for your boss or coworker, making deliveries or transporting a colleague. Not to mention, those who may be driving on busy highways such as police officers and semi-truck drivers, are at risk for the most impact.

Vehicle accidents could cause a multitude of injuries including whiplash, knee injuries, back pain and more. If you are driving for a work-related task, remember to always use a seat belt and be extra cautious of your surroundings to ensure that you are safe. 

Seek Proper Treatment for Common Workplace Injuries

It’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do after suffering from a work related injury. If you have suffered from one of the common workplace injuries mentioned above, Metro Healthcare Partners, a worker’s compensation clinic in Brooklyn, NY, can help. Our staff specializes in multiple areas including orthopedics, neurology, pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic care and more. 

Give us a call today at 718-769-2521 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Brooklyn workers’ compensation doctors. 

We accept workers’ compensation insurance, no fault, medical liens, and medical major plans.