Nearly 5 million employees are injured on the job every year and workplace fatalities are on the rise. A recent census released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that fatal workplace injuries have increased 2% since 2017 – 5,147 lives lost on the job in 2017 to 5,250 in 2018.
Transportation incidents are the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for 40 percent of all deaths. Collisions between vehicles, workers being struck be vehicles, and back over accidents are among the most dangerous transportation accidents and distraction, fatigue and impairment are often at the center of many work related transportation incidents.
Workplace injuries and fatalities impact families, who may have an injured parent, spouse or child that was involved in a job related accident. Workers who are injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation to cover medical bills and lost wages while they recover.
If a third party was involved, they may be able to pursue a personal injury claim to recover damages on top of workers’ comp. In the unfortunate event that a worker is killed in a workplace accident, the family may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the at fault party.
If you or a loved one is injured on-the-job, it is important to seek help from an experienced Iowa workers’ compensation attorney. Contact the Davenport personal injury & workers compensation attorneys of McDonald, Woodward & Carlson PC for immediate assistance today at 563-355-6478.