Workplace Accidents as a Leading Cause of Amputations

Earlier this month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration released a report that showed the number of severe injuries sustained in the workplace. In 2015, there were 10,388 reported severe workplace injuries. As a result, 7,636 of these incidents led to hospitalization. Even more alarming, 2,644 of these injuries resulted in amputations and some even had serious injuries to the eyes in which they were gouged out.

The data was collected from 26 states, all of which have higher standards of safety than federal regulated mandates. The analysis shows an average 30 serious injuries occur in the workplace each day.

Of the industries reported in the data, the manufacturing industry had 57% of the amputations that occurred and 26% of the hospitalization. Construction, warehousing, transportation, and oil and gas industries also had high rates of serious injuries, amputations, and hospitalizations.

New Regulations for Reporting Injuries

New regulations make it so companies have 24 hours to report serious injuries that occur in the workplace. According to OSHA, the belief is that roughly half of these serious injuries that occur in the 26 states with data collected go unreported. There could be a number of reasons for this such as fear or repercussions or simply not knowing the new regulations.

In order to prevent unreported accidents and injuries, OSHA raised fines from roughly $1,000 to as much as $7000 depending on the severity. If companies continue to let incidents go unreported, fines can rise even further. These fines and new systems are being implemented to make workplaces safer for employees and visitors alike.

How to Tell if a Workplace Injury is Eligible for Compensation 

Firstly, the injury must have occurred in the course of employment and due to actions or conditions associated with your job. Secondly, it must be determined that the employer did not take sufficient measures to prevent the injury from occurring. 

You must also demonstrate that you sustained an injury as a result of this accident, including physical harm or trauma. It’s also important to follow local and state guidelines for reporting the injury to ensure you are not disqualified from receiving compensation.  Ultimately, having an experienced workplace attorney review your case can provide helpful guidance and advocacy on your potential claim.

Seeking Compensation After an Injury at Work

If you suffered an injury in the workplace and it resulted in an amputation you may have the right to file a claim. These are serious situations and victims deserve to be compensated for their pain and suffering. Our workplace injury attorneys at Bailey Cowan Heckaman PLLC work hard to protect the rights of our clients in a wide range matters including amputations stemming from workplace accidents. Contact us today to discuss your potential claim during a free consultation.