Work accidents can happen in Pennsylvania. For example, a person may fall down the stairs while working. Performing essential tasks around chemicals or dust could lead to respiratory problems. When a person experiences an injury at work, it can take a toll on them and on their family. Depending on the severity of the injury, it could mean that a person is out of work for months or even years.
In addition to the physical, financial and emotional toll that employees experience, employers may have to deal with the costs of reduced productivity, administrative time documenting the injury and additional training in order to prevent similar injuries from reoccurring. This is why governmental regulatory institutions encourage businesses and their employees to adopt prevention programs designed to protect people from on-the-job injuries. These programs should be in harmony with laws and regulations that are already on the books.
Research shows that when these types of programs are put into play, there is often a significant reduction in workplace injuries. The result is an overall improvement in business. Employees are happier, and employers are happier too because their expenses, including workers compensation premiums, are reduced.
There are some fields that are more prone to risk than others. An example would be the mining industry where workers experience shoulder and back injuries, respiratory injuries, and slip-and-fall injuries at a relatively high rate. The types of injuries sustained vary depending on the type of work the miner does. For example, miners who work in jobs that require them to have their hands over their head for long periods of time may be more prone to shoulder and back injuries.
An attorney may be able to help an individual who was injured on the job to litigate or appeal their workers compensation claim. An attorney may also help their client understand their rights and explain to them that by filing a workers compensation claim and accepting the settlement, the worker is waving their right to file a civil lawsuit.