A workplace slip and fall can put you in a difficult position. If you were hurt falling at work, there are essential steps you need to take to protect your health and compensation. Promptly reporting incidents and taking the correct steps are crucial to securing disability benefits.
Slip, trips, and falls is the third most common cause of workplace injury in the United States. An estimated 450,000 injuries and 865 deaths occur annually due to these types of accidents. Due to its regularity, it is important for employers to take action to prevent these incidents from occurring, and that workers protect themselves from these types of accidents.
Understanding how these accidents happen, employer responsibilities, employee responsibilities, and your legal rights can help you get compensated for your injury. If you’ve suffered a slip and fall at work, a Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer can help you with your workers’ comp benefits.
How Can a Slip and Fall Accident Happen at Work?
The workplace is one of the most common places where slip and fall accidents occur and one of the leading causes of workplace injuries. For some industries, slips, trips, and fall hazards in the workplace are more common. Construction, transportation, and restaurants have many hazards that can easily cause a worker to slip, trip, and fall.
Some common causes of slips and trips in the workplace include:
- Slippery conditions
- Uneven flooring
- Poor lighting
- Improper footwear
- Improper safety training
- Loose wires or objects
Workplace safety and proper safety equipment can be critical to injury prevention. Employers and employees for any slip, trip, or fall hazard. Regular workplace inspections can help identify and mitigate these hazards.
What Are Common Slip and Fall Injuries at Work?
A slip and fall injury at work can be serious. Severe injuries can leave victims out of work for a substantial time, or even permanently disabled. This is why implementation and compliance with safety protocols is vital.
Common slip and fall injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Back and Neck Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Joint Dislocation
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Facial Trauma
If you are suffering a headache after a fall or other symptoms of potentially serious injury, you should seek immediate medical attention.
What Should You Do After a Slip and Fall at Work?
After a slip and fall at work you should report the accident to your supervisor, seek medical treatment, and follow all workplace accident procedures. If you are able, you should document the hazard with photos and video, collect witness statements, and note any details of how and when the accident occurred. Accident scene documentation and proof of injury is helpful for workplace injury compensation claims.
Speaking with a workers’ compensation lawyer early on can also be critical during these challenging times. Your attorney can help you understand yours and your employer’s accident reporting obligations, perform an accident investigation, collect injury documentation, and help you make your workers’ compensation claim. Having an advocate can be essential to understanding your rights and pursuing any and all injury claims.
Are You Eligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
In Pennsylvania, an injured worker is eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if their injury or illness was caused or aggravated by employment. To receive benefits, employees need to follow a strict timeline. Failing to timely report an injury can result in a denial of compensation.
Employees must report an injury within 21 days and file a claim within three years of the date of injury. They also must see an approved healthcare provider within 90 days. If the employer denies the claim, the employee can appeal.
Workers’ compensation is an income replacement benefit. The amount that an injured worker is entitled to receive will depend on their income and level of disability (partial or total). Death benefits are also available to surviving dependents if the injury was fatal.
Responsibilities of Employers and Employees in Preventing Workplace Slip and Fall Accidents
Employers have a duty of care to their employees. Under premises liability rules, employers and property owners are legally responsible for falls on stairways and for any other slip or trip hazards on their premises. Employers should follow all OSHA rules, post safety signage, provide appropriate personal protective equipment, perform safety inspections and hazard mitigation, and perform regular safety training.
Workplace safety culture is essential for preventing slip and fall hazards. Employers should be aware of and remediate any potential workplace hazards and employees should help their employers with hazard identification. Employees must make certain to follow all safety protocols and take appropriate steps to protect themselves from illness or injury.
Contact a Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Slips, trips, and falls at work can leave employees with devastating injuries. Recuperating from these falls can be a lengthy process, leaving individuals unable to work. Understanding workplace accident liability is critical to your fight for compensation. An experienced attorney can help you investigate and document your claim and file for disability benefits.
At The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C., our compassionate lawyers help injured workers get the compensation they deserve. We understand that disability can have a serious impact on your life, physically and financially. Let us advocate on your behalf and fight for your rights to workers’ compensation benefits. Contact us today for a free consultation.