Sometimes, despite our best efforts, workplace injuries in Ventura do happen. While statistics point to specific trends in injuries, they do tend to occur without warning, in nearly every injury. If you are harmed by an unsafe condition, or by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your workplace injury.
Injury Statistics
If one looks at the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a number of conclusions can be drawn. The total number of recordable cases of illness or injury, where a worker either missed days of work or was transferred (to light duty or another job that would not be affected by an injury), decreased in 2014 to approximately 3.2 cases per 100 full-time workers (often written as 3.2/100). The rate has been steadily dropping overall for the last decade, hitting this low point from an all-time high of 4.8/100 in 2004. However, if one looks closer, we can see specific injury trends, both in terms of those affected, and the most common types of injuries sustained.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) shows that certain standards are violated by employers (or employees) far more often than others, and repeated violation of certain OSHA standards leads to similar types of injury. By far the most common violated OSHA standards, according to recent data, were in the construction injury – lack of fall protection and improperly constructed scaffolds led to significant injury. However, in other industries, there were also notable patterns – namely, failures to warn of potential hazards on the job and lack of emergency preparation.
Patterns and Premises Liability
If one wants to examine specific types of injuries in further detail, the information necessarily becomes somewhat more anecdotal, simply because each person’s injury occurs in a slightly different manner. However, it is possible to notice patterns in injury reports and adjust accordingly, especially if you are a landlord or business owner.
Recent surveys identify musculoskeletal injuries as the type of harm most likely sustained in a workplace accident. More specifically, slip and fall injuries are the type most often seen in a non-vehicle setting, as they can occur in nearly any type of workplace, from a white-collar office to a blue-collar factory floor. While prevalence of such injuries is not probative – that is, it is not an immediate guarantee that compensation will be paid to you – it can help to illustrate a picture of a workplace where safety may not be the first priority. If many people are having accidents at your job, it is not out of the realm of possibility that part of the reason may be a culture of laxity.
While most of the time, employees who are injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation, they may also have a case in what is referred to as premises liability, especially if the alleged negligence on the employer’s part is egregious. Repeated incidents where employees sustain the same injury may help point out a breach in the standard of care.
Seek Ventura Law Help From The Quirk Law Firm
If you or a loved one has been in a slip and fall accident, the facts of the case will govern what type of compensation you may be entitled to. However, engaging an experienced premises liability lawyer in Ventura can help tip the balance in your favor. Trevor Quirk of the Quirk Law Firm has been handling these types of cases for many years, and can provide knowledgeable personal injury help for you and your family if you have been injured at your job. Contact our offices today to seek Ventura law help from the Quirk Law Firm.
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Ventura, California 93003
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