by Tim O’Hare
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Reports of work-related injuries are on the decline over the last year — in 2011, 4,609 workers in the United States were killed on the job. That equates to nearly 13 deaths every day for American workers. That number is down from 4,690 in 2010 (OSHA.gov). According to the Occupational Safety and Health administration, the “Fatal Four” work related accidents are: falls, electrocutions, struck by an object and caught in or between something.
The U.S. Department of Labor recently released this list of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America. Is your job one of them?
- Fisherman: Fatality rate of 121.2 per 100,000 workers. There were 40 fisherman deaths last year.
- Loggers: Fatality rate of 102.4 per 100,000 workers. There were 64 logger deaths last year.
- Airplane Pilots: Fatality rate of 57 per 100,000 workers. There were 72 fatalities last year. Alaska has the most dangerous skies for pilots.
- Sanitation Workers: Fatality rate of 41.2 per 100,000 workers. Thirty-four sanitation workers died last year.
- Roofers: Fatality rate of 31.8 per 100,000 workers. A reported 56 roofers died on the job last year from falls, electrocutions, chemical exposures and hoisting accidents.
- Ironworkers: Fatality rate of 26.9 per 100,000 workers. Sixteen ironworkers were killed on the job last year.
- Famers and Rangers: Fatality rate of 25.3 per 100,000 workers. Last year, 260 farmers and rangers died on the job.
- Truckers and Deliverymen: Fatality rate of 24 per 100,000 workers. Trucking had the highest death toll for any occupation last year — 759 truckers died on the job.
- Electrical Power Linemen: Fatality rate of 20.3 per 100,000 workers. Twenty-seven power linesmen died last year.
- Taxi Drivers: Fatality rate of 19.7 per 100,000 workers. According to the Labor Department, 63 cab drivers died on the job last year.
If you have suffered illness or injury at work, you may be entitled to substantial money damages. Monetary damages you may be able to recover include any medical expenses you incurred as a result of the workplace injury, including doctor and hospital bills, medications, therapy and other related medical expenses as well as expected future medical expenses. You may also be entitled to receive payment for pain and suffering, mental and emotional anguish, lost wages and benefits, future earnings and diminishment of enjoyment of life due to your injury. Spouses of the injured may also be entitled to collect damages for the loss of pleasure or companionship.
In cases where a workplace injury was the result of gross negligence on the part of another individual or entity, such as an employer or manufacturer, you may be able to collect punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer and to prevent the misconduct from being repeated in the future.
A professional who will take extreme care with the case should handle personal injury suits for workplace injuries. There are many details and intricacies with work-related injury cases. If you have been injured while working, you need an experienced and aggressive personal injury lawyer who understands the laws regarding workplace injuries and workers compensation and will work to ensure you receive everything you are entitled to.
The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare has represented clients against employers, manufacturers and other defendants who have caused workplace injuries, and we successfully handled numerous cases. We know which medical experts and occupational experts you will need, and our personal injury attorneys will stick with your case no matter how long it takes to come to a successful resolution.
If you have suffered an injury while on-the-job, contact the experienced legal team at The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare. We will help you receive all due compensation for your injury or loss.
Call The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare for your FREE Case Evaluation 972-960-0000 or Toll-Free 888-960-0020
