Whether you work in an industrial plant surrounded by heavy machinery, a white-collar office surrounded by desktop computers, or anywhere in between, there is always a risk that you might accidentally get hurt or sick on the job. If this happens, and if you are classified legally as an “employee” rather than an independent contractor, you should have access to benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage.
As any experienced workers’ comp attorney could tell you, though, different types of accidents can make for very different claims, especially if those accidents end up causing serious injuries with long-lasting repercussions. Here are some of the most common workplace accidents in Summerlin that our legal team at Shook & Stone has extensive experience handling on behalf of workers like you.
Slips or Trips and Falls
Accidental falls are the number-one cause of workplace accidents not just in Summerlin or Nevada, but across the entire United States. Falls from height—for example, slipping off a ladder or tripping over the edge of scaffolding—are especially dangerous. But, even a loss of footing over an unmarked spill on a tile floor could result in a serious injury that may take months to fully heal and significantly reduce your working capacity in the meantime.
Impacts from Falling Objects
Even if you keep both your feet firmly on the ground, something else falling from a high surface and hitting you on the way down can cause severe physical trauma with expensive consequences. This kind of workplace accident in Summerlin is especially common in places like warehouses where lots of merchandise might be packed together on tall shelving units. Still, anything from a dropped tool on a construction site to a loose light fixture inside an office building could result in an injury covered by workers’ comp.
Equipment Malfunction or Misuse
When heavy machinery and other devices used to perform tasks like cutting, shaping, or processing heavy materials do not work properly, the resulting breakdown can sometimes be dramatic and even explosive—and either way—the outcome for nearby workers can be severely debilitating. Along similar veins, a worker misusing or otherwise operating a machine without proper training and skill can wind up seriously injuring themselves and others around them.
Exposure to Hazardous Materials
It may not be a factor on every type of worksite, but if you work around caustic chemicals or anything that gives off dangerous fumes, an accident on the job could lead to you being exposed to substances that cause permanent and potentially life-threatening damage to various parts of your body. In extreme cases, mishandling of flammable materials could even lead to a catastrophic fire or explosion that injures multiple workers at once.
Get Help from a Summerlin Attorney After Common Workplace Accidents
What all these common workplace accidents in Summerlin have in common—aside from the fact that they are all dangerous and potentially debilitating—is that they all should qualify any employee impacted by them for workers’ compensation benefits. Of course, knowing you should be entitled to benefits is one thing, and actually obtaining those benefits can be another entirely, especially if you try to do it alone.
The support of a knowledgeable workers’ compensation lawyer from Shook & Stone will substantially improve your chances of getting a favorable result from your claim and moving on from your workplace injury as quickly as possible. Call today for a free consultation.
