Most Common Types of Workplace Injuries in Baltimore
Since 1977, the Baltimore workers’ compensation attorneys of Cohen & Dwin, P.A., have worked tirelessly to help injured employees seek the full workers’ compensation benefits they are entitled to.
Contact us today for a no-cost initial case evaluation to discuss the details of your workplace injury with one of our Baltimore workers’ comp attorneys. Learn more about how our firm can help you pursue the benefits and financial compensation you may be entitled to under the workers’ compensation system in Baltimore.
Importance of Safety in the Workplace
Implementing safety equipment, standards, and procedures in the workplace can significantly impact the health and welfare of employees.
According to data from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in just one recent year, workplaces across the country experienced 5,333 worker fatalities, or an average of 100 deaths per week or 15 deaths per day, for a rate of 3.5 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. About one-fifth of occupational fatalities occur in the construction industry.
However, in the 50 years since OSHA was founded, worker deaths and injuries have more than halved, from 38 worker deaths per day in 1970 to 15 in 2019, and 10.9 incidents of injury and illness per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 workers in 2019. These statistics show the impact of making a concerted effort to establish a safer workplace, but a lot of work remains to be done.
Common Types of Workplace Injuries in Baltimore
Workplace injuries can arise from a variety of causes. Some of the most common causes in Baltimore include:
- Overexertion
- Falls
- Being struck by an object
- Mental injuries
- Bodily reaction
- Back injuries
- Auto accidents
- Crush injuries
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Striking an object
- Construction accidents
- Workplace violence
Who’s Responsible for Your Work-Related Injury?
If you suffer an injury on the job, typically you are entitled to seek compensation and other benefits from your employer through the workers’ compensation system under Maryland law. Workers’ compensation is designed to provide “no-fault” benefits to an employee who suffers a work-related injury or illness.
Employees are guaranteed these benefits without the need to establish that their employer bears some legal fault for causing the employee’s injury or occupational illness. However, in exchange for these guaranteed, defined benefits, workers give up their right to file a personal injury claim against their employer for a work injury or occupational illness, except in very limited circumstances.
If your work injury was caused by the negligence or reckless or another legal fault of some party other than you, your employer, or a co-worker, you may be entitled to pursue a third-party personal injury claim.
For example, you were injured by a negligent motorist in a car accident that occurred in the course and scope of your work, you may be entitled to file a car accident claim against that at-fault driver. Or, if you are injured by a defective piece of equipment or machinery at work, you may be entitled to bring a product liability claim against the manufacturer. Those are just two examples of the many circumstances that could give rise to a third-party workplace injury claim.
You can pursue both a workers’ compensation claim and a third-party personal injury claim. A third-party personal injury claim can provide you with compensation unavailable under workers’ comp, such as for pain, suffering, and lost quality of life.
What to Do After a Workplace Injury in Baltimore
If you suffer an injury in an accident at work, you should take the following steps to help protect your right to seek financial compensation and other benefits:
- Report your injury to your supervisor or employer as soon as possible. Once you report that you’ve suffered a work injury, your employer is required to file a First Report of Injury with the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission.
- If possible, take pictures of the scene where the accident and your injury occurred, including photographing whatever you believe may have caused your injury, along with the presence of any safety equipment or warning signs, the clothing you were wearing, the lighting, and (if relevant) weather conditions.
- Seek medical treatment for your injury as soon as possible. Under Maryland workers’ compensation law, you have the right to seek treatment with any medical provider willing to accept payment from workers’ compensation. If you delay treatment, your employer may determine that you were not seriously injured or that you have willfully allowed your injury or condition to worsen.
- Avoid discussing your accident or injury with others. Also, avoid posting photos or videos of yourself on social media while undergoing treatment for your work injury. Employers and their insurers will look for evidence that you have recovered from your injury or were not as injured as you initially claimed.
Do You Need to Hire a Workers’ Comp Attorney After a Job Injury?
Once an injury is established as work-related, an employee should be entitled to defined benefits from workers’ compensation. However, too many injured workers face denials and obstacles in obtaining the compensation they deserve.
You may need to hire a workers’ comp attorney after an injury on the job if your employer or its workers’ compensation insurer denies that your injury was work-related or denies payment for specific claims for benefits that you have made.
You may also need to hire an attorney if your employer fails to file a First Notice of Injury with the state workers’ compensation commission or attempts to pay you less than what the law says you deserve. You should also seek out the assistance of an attorney if your employer seeks to terminate your benefits or require you to return to work while you are still disabled from your work injury.
An attorney can ensure that the appropriate forms are promptly filed and can begin pursuing the benefits you may be entitled to under state law. A lawyer can represent you in formal hearings before the workers’ compensation commission when you contest a denial of benefits, underpayment of benefits, or if your employer tries to terminate your benefits before your injury has fully healed.
Contact a Baltimore Workers’ Comp Lawyer Today
If you’ve suffered an injury in the workplace in Baltimore, contact Cohen & Dwin, P.A. today for a free, no-obligation consultation to speak with an experienced Baltimore workers’ comp lawyer. Learn more about your rights for obtaining workers’ compensation benefits to help you recover from your work-related injury or occupational illness.
Call us or contact us online today.