Slip and Falls at Work

Falls remain one of the leading causes of injury in the U.S. and Maryland. Injuries from falls frequently happen at home, in business establishments, restaurants, sidewalks, parking lots, and, of course, in the workplace. In fact, trips, slips, and falls accounted for 238,610 nonfatal workplace injuries across the U.S. in 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS. Common injuries from workplace falls include:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI);
• Spinal cord damage and paralysis;
• Damaged spinal column;
• Chronic back pain;
• Broken bones;
• Sprains;
• Lacerations; and
• Contusions.

Accidental Workplace Death and Falls From Height

After traffic collisions, falls account for the largest segment of on-the-job fatalities. While most jobs have become safer over the years, as machinery has become less hands-on, safety measures are more strictly enforced, and fewer jobs require manual labor, falls still kill around 800 American workers every year. Workplace falls made up 15.6 percent of all workplace fatalities in 2015, according to the BLS. Generally, the higher the fall, the greater the risk, as 81 percent of fatal workplace falls were from a higher level to a lower level. If you work on scaffolding, on rooftops, or other high scenarios, the risk of falling becomes much greater than other types of jobs, and your employer should take reasonable measures to ensure safety for all. Many employers fail to use safety harness equipment, provide equipment, provide training, or enforce protocol. While it is rare to be able to sue an employer for a personal injury, if it is found that their actions were intentionally harmful or egregious in nature, it may be possible to file a personal injury lawsuit against them, as opposed to filing workers’ compensation claim. Additionally, if you have information about your employer attempting to cover up evidence of their negligence or lack of obeying safety rules and regulation, or if they have fired employees for speaking out against them for failing to implement safety measures, you may be able to file a whistleblower lawsuit against your employer. These two scenarios (personal injury lawsuit or  whistleblower suit) are very rare, and in most cases filing for workers’ compensation and receiving those benefits are the most reasonable and time-effective. While workers’ compensation is difficult to procure, you can generally attain it relatively quickly, and begin to seek workers’ compensation medical attention very soon.

Death Benefits in Tragic, Fatal Workplace Fall

If a family member has died in a fatal fall accident while on the job, you may file for workers’ compensation death benefits. Dependents of the deceased workers may be eligible for death benefits, depending on the extent of their dependency, among other factors.