Injured in Workplace Accident in Norwalk, CT? We can help.

Industrial and Work Related Accident Injuries

Every 7 seconds a worker is injured on the job. Your employer is responsible for providing you and your coworkers with a safe work environment. Your company also must support you when you suffer injuries on the job. Although workers deaths in America are down on average from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 14 a day in 2017, workplace injuries are still a major concern.

In 2018, the number of work-related deaths in Connecticut was the highest it’s been since 2010, according to the state Department of Labor. Forty-eight people lost their lives to work-related injuries in 2018. The numbers for 2019 and 2020 (so far) in Connecticut have not been released.

Workplace Safety and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Workplace injuries are also on the rise because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, a majority of Michigan’s workplace deaths in 2020 were linked to COVID-19, according to data from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Of the 19 workers who died of COVID-19, 10 worked in healthcare and were employed as nurses, nursing assistants, and therapists. Two worked in corrections; a custodian, a social worker, and a laborer were among the other workplace deaths, the Detroit Free Press reported. In Michigan, workplace deaths for 2020 have already surpassed the number for 2019. This could be the case in many states as well.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Connecticut law provides workers’ compensation benefits for most employees, but benefits may be limited and may not sufficiently cover the pain and suffering you have endured from the injury. Workers’ compensation usually covers the employee’s medical bills and lost wages. Once you accept a settlement, you usually forfeit your right to file a lawsuit against your employer.

But if you do not accept a workers’ compensation settlement and your employer negligently or intentionally caused your injuries, you may be able to file a negligence-based lawsuit.

Let Lemberg Law Help You

If you and/or a loved one has been injured in a workplace in Norwalk, our experienced personal injury attorneys at Lemberg Law are equipped to help you. We understand that workplace accidents can happen suddenly and unexpectedly, resulting in serious impacts on your health and finances; which is why you may need help as soon as possible.

Navigating your employer or other third parties that may be at fault your injury can be a scary and frustrating experience, but it doesn’t have to be. For 13 years, Lemberg Law has made legal representation a pain-free and easily accessible process. We have successfully recovered more than $50 million in damages for more than 25,000 clients across the nation. Our track record speaks for itself.

You may be compensated for damages or losses associated with a workplace accident, which can include but are not limited to:

• Medical expense reimbursements
• Diminished quality of live
• Home healthcare
• Payment of lost wages
• Compensation for future medical costs
• Payment for future earnings
• Damages for pain and suffering

Common Injuries from Workplace Accidents

If you have been injured in a workplace accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injury-related losses. Injuries caused by work-related accidents can encompass one or more of the following:

• Muscle strains, sprains, and tears
• Crushed hands and arms
• Severed fingers
• Blindness
• Cuts and lacerations
• Deafness
• Death

Leading Causes of Workplace Accidents

The top three causes of work-related injuries–overexertion and bodily reaction, slips, trips, and falls, and contact with objects and equipment–made up more than 84% of nonfatal injuries in 2018. Common causes of workplace accidents include:

• Overexertion and bodily reaction: Overexertion was the number cause of occupation injuries involving days away from work in 2018. This can include non-impact tasks, such as doing lifting or lowering or repetitive motions that can cause excessive physical effort.
• Contact with objects and equipment This can occur when a worker is struck by or makes contact against an object or equipment, is caught in or compressed by equipment or objects, or is struck, caught or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment or material.
• Slips, trips, and falls: This can occur when a worker sustains injuries if they catch themselves from falling, if they fall onto or against an object on the same level, if they fall onto a lower level, or if they jump to a lower level.
• Transportation Accidents: In 2016, transportation accidents accounted for 40 percent of all workplace fatalities. Transportation accidents can include single vehicle accidents, collisions between two or more work vehicles, workers being struck by a work vehicle, and more.

Other causes of workplace accidents can include violence and other injuries by persons or animals, or exposure to harmful substances or an environment.

Top 5 Occupations with the Largest Number of Workplace Accidents

• Service (Firefighters and Police)
• Transportation/ Shipping
• Manufacturing / Production
• Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
• Construction

According to the United States Department of Labor, of 4,779 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2018, 1,008 or 21.1% were in construction; therefore, about one in five worker deaths last year were in construction. 

Helpful Tips to Prevent against Workplace Injuries

The National Safety Council, a leading nonprofit safety advocate for workers, posted helpful tips to prevent against injuries on the job. To safety avoid injury, you should:

1. Avoid bending, reaching, and twisting when lifting
2. Take short breaks
3. Store heavy objects close to the fore
4. Be aware of moving equipment/objects in your work area
5. Wear the proper personal protective equipment
6. Place the base of ladders on an even, solid surface
7. Use good housekeeping practices 

FAQs about Workplace Accidents 

What should I do if I am involved in a workplace accident?

First and foremost, you should check to see if you or anyone else is seriously injured and call 9-11 in a life-threatening emergency. If the company has a safety site supervisor, they should be alerted. Some states require that the notice to the employer be made in writing. For less severe injuries, employers can consult the healthcare provider assigned to the company’s workers’ compensation carrier. The area where the injury occurred should be secured quickly by the employer and the employer should speak with witnesses to get their accounts of the accident, take photos where it took place, and comply with OSHA’s reporting regulations.

If I get COVID-19 from my workplace, can I receive workers’ compensation benefits?

If the exposure occurred during the performance of your workplace duty, you may be able to claim workers’ compensation benefits, but this also depends on your state’s workers’ compensation laws.

Some states have made it easier for employees to prove that they contracted COVID-19 at work and get workers’ compensation benefits. For example, on May 6, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order that changed the state’s existing workers’ compensation policy to do this. For instance, one of the qualifications to receive workers’ compensation because of COVID-19 is “if the employee tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days after a day that the employee performed labor or services at the employee’s place of employment.”

Should I see a doctor after the accident, even if I do not think I’m seriously injured?

You should absolutely visit a doctor after being in any type of accident. While you may feel like the injuries are minor or not there, you could have injuries that may become serious if not treated. It’s better to take precautions when dealing with your health. Seeing a doctor will also create medical documents that can serve as evidence if you do decide to peruse legal action.

How do I file a workers’ compensation claim in Connecticut?

The Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission outlines three steps to follow once you have suffered an injury or realized you are suffering from an occupational disease or illness:

1. Report your injury to your employer immediately
2. File a 30c form
3. Ask your employer for information about your employer’s insurance provider.

It is also essential that you provide written notice to your employer about your injury. You can provide official written notice by completing the 30c form. Once completed, the 30c should be sent via certified mail to the employer and the state Workers’ Compensation Commission.

What if my employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance?

All employers with one or more employees are required to have workers’ compensation insurance. You may also be able to sue for negligence if an employer required to do so does not carry workers compensation insurance.

How much time to do I have to file a personal injury claim in Norwalk?

Connecticut law requires employers to file a report with the Workers’ Compensation Commission when an employee has sustained a work-related injury or illness that results in one or more lost workdays. You should reach out to your employer if you are injured immediately. Be sure to consult with an attorney when you fill out the report.

If you do not accept the workers’ compensation settlement and are pursuing a separate personal injury claim due to negligence against your employer or another third party, you must file the claim within two years of the date of the accident. If someone suffers a wrongful death, the two-year limit starts on the date of the victim’s death from their injuries.

You should reach out to an attorney sooner, rather than later, in order to have plenty of time to build a strong case. Our attorneys are knowledgeable about the entire process.