Types of Workplace Accidents and Injuries
While many people associate workplace injuries with physical jobs such as construction or transportation, anyone can face a serious injury at work. Workplace accidents often involve falls, machinery accidents, vehicle accidents, overexertion, fires, violence, and head injuries.
Some of the most common workplace injuries are caused by:
- Wet floors, debris blocking pathways, and uneven surfaces
- Being struck by falling items or being hit by moving parts
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or repetitive motions
- Collisions involving vehicles or work-related travel
- Cuts, scrapes, bruises, and concussions
- Inhaling or coming into contact with harmful chemicals or fumes
These injuries can have a lasting impact on your physical or mental ability to return to work. Whether you are dealing with musculoskeletal injuries like sprains or herniated discs or sensory damage such as vision loss due to spilled chemicals, you have legal options that a workers’ compensation attorney in Los Angeles can help you explore.
Occupational Diseases and Cumulative Trauma
Cumulative trauma disorders are commonly overlooked in discussions of workplace injuries. Cumulative trauma involves musculoskeletal and nerve injuries that develop as a result of repetitive motions, forceful movements, awkward positioning, vibration, and requirements to hold positions for a long period of time. These are injuries that occur over time rather than in sudden accidents. These injuries are more likely to impact the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints. They also commonly affect the wrists, hands, shoulders, elbows, knees, and back. Since they are often not visible injuries, many people do not take them as seriously as other types of injuries.
Many people are also unaware of occupational diseases, which are conditions that become worse with exposure in the workplace. These diseases often result from exposure to substances, such as chemicals or dust, or physical factors, like noise and repetitive motions. In some cases, psychosocial stressors are also to blame. Stress and shift work are both common causes of occupational disease. Some of the most common occupational diseases include:
- Respiratory diseases like asthma
- Skin conditions like dermatitis
- Musculoskeletal disorders like carpal tunnel sydrome
- Hearing loss
- Cancer
- Mental health issues
While these issues build up over time and can be more difficult to spot, this does not mean that they are not just as important as other issues. It is crucial for workers to seek assistance from attorneys if they do have these invisible conditions because they often require more evidence to prove in court. Our workers’ comp injury attorneys know exactly how to prove these types of injuries in the courtroom.
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