Articles Posted in Boston Work Accidents

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Workplace injuries can occur at any type of employment.  While there are clearly some jobs that are more dangerous than others, such as the ones like working on a commercial fishing boat, or driving a truck on icy mountain roads, accidents also happen in routine settings.  For example, repetitive stress injuries (RSI) such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) are often associated with factory jobs that involve performing the same movements over and over again for hours on end with only a few short breaks.

water tankHowever, these factory jobs are not the kind of occupations that often result in basis for reality shows on the Discovery Channel or the History Channel. One type of facility that does end up on TV a lot is a prison or jail, and the camera crews follow inmates and corrections officers around through the day.  Obviously, for anyone working at a detention center or prison, the job can be very dangerous and can result in a serious or fatal workplace injury. Continue reading

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According to a recent news article from the Kansas City Star, one worker was killed and four others were injured when an explosion occurred at an ammunition factory.  The explosion happened around 1 p.m. in a building at the plant where primer is manufactured. In a center fire ammunition casing, there is a metal cap that contains primer powder.  When the hammer or firing pin strikes the priming cap, the small explosion that is created is designed to ignite the main powder charge inside the shell casing.

bulletsAfter the explosion occurred, first responders were immediately called to the factory to make sure there was no fire and to offer assistance to the five workers who were caught in the explosion.  This particular factory is managed by the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command and is staffed largely by civilian contractors under the supervision of U.S. Army personnel, including enlisted service members and officers. Continue reading

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Over the past year of so, we have been hearing a lot on the news about the alarming rates of people addicted to opioid painkillers and heroin across the nation. Many cases begin with a person who suffers a work-related injury and then goes on narcotic medications to deal with the pain when over-the-counter medications like Motrin no longer work.

wrist painExperts believe that there are statistically significant numbers of people who are addicted to opioid painkillers who are also receiving workers’ compensation benefits.  This is not to say that everyone, or even most people are who receive workers’ compensation benefits are addicted to painkillers, but, if programs can be established to help those who are, then it could have a positive effect on everyone involved, as well as society as a whole. Continue reading

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We have all been burned at some point in our lives.  Whether we are talking about being burned on the stove, suffering a moderate to severe sunburn or actually being badly burned by fire or electricity, we know just how painful burn injuries can be.  For the most part, our experiences are limited to fairly mild burns to a small area of our body.  Unfortunately, some workers are not that lucky. There are few things more painful or serious than serious burn injuries.

weldingDoctors grade burns according to the severity.  We are usually dealing with the issue of the depth of the burn, as measured in degrees, and the size of the burn on a patient’s body, as measured in a percentage.  Most people have heard of first, second and third-degree burns.  A first-degree burn is something like a mild sunburn that may blister or peel, and a third degree burn involves the destruction all dermal (skin) layers as well as some muscle beneath.  However, there is what are known to doctors as fourth-degree burns that involve full thickness destruction. This means that the burn goes through all layers of skin and then destroys bone and other tissues. If a fourth-degree burn is to a large area of the injured worker, the result is often fatal.  Even if the burn does not kill the injured worker, the body will be very susceptible to staph and other secondary infections, because the skin is the body’s best defense to bacteria and many viruses.
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Working on ladders, especially tall ladders that lead to a roof, is extremely dangerous work.  While many people who do this type of work take safety for granted and do not worry too much about falling, it happens all the time.  Not only do workers fall off ladders and roofs all the time, these fall accidents often result in serious injury or death.

scaffoldAs for serious injury, there are not only cases with broken arms and legs, but also many cases where a worker will suffer a spinal cord injury that results in permanent paralysis.  There are also many cases where a worker who falls of a ladder or roof will suffer a serious head injury that results in permanent brain damage.  Any of these accidents can seriously affect a worker’s quality of life in a negative manner and can also have devastating and life-changing consequences for family members.  There are also many cases where falling from a high ladder or roof results in death. Continue reading

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There is no question that working on the side of a highway or even doing roadwork in downtown Boston can be extremely hazardous.  This is the reason there are so many safety campaigns that urge drivers to slow down in work zones and be careful to assure that nobody is injured or killed.  It is also the reason speeding fines are often doubled in work zones and additional penalties are added.   Most of us have probably noticed the signs warning drivers to slow down because “my mommy works here” or something similar.

construction hatIt is dangerous whether you are working as a heavy equipment operator or some other job, such as being a flagger.  In fact, standing in the middle of the street or road flagging traffic and telling drivers to stop or drive slow is probably one of the most dangerous jobs you can have.  This is true in Boston and just about anywhere else in the country.   Continue reading

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In a workers’ compensation action, claimant can request money for past medical bills associated with the on-the-job injury, lost wages, future medical expenses and the cost of rehabilitation.  Unlike in a civil personal injury lawsuit, the claimant cannot ask for benefits for pain and suffering.  However, also unlike a civil personal injury action, the claimant in a workers’ compensation case doesn’t have to prove any negligence of behalf of his or her employer or a fellow employee.

golf cartIn a case from the Louisiana Supreme Court, a golf cart hit claimant while he worked at a youth ranch.  According to his filing for benefits, he alleged that the golf cart collision resulted in him suffering a head injury and injuries to his shoulder, back, one wrist, hip leg, knee, and ankle. A pain management specialist treated him, and that medical professional recommended the employee receive treatment using a device known a spinal cord stimulator.   Continue reading

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In a recent case from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, an injured employee filed a lawsuit against her employer, who allegedly refused to comply with valid orders from the workers’ compensation court following an on-the-job injury.  Claimant further argued that this unwillingness to follow the orders of the workers’ compensation court were done in bad faith, and this would make the claim actionable before a civil court with subject matter and personal jurisdiction.

upsetIn this case, plaintiff argued that the workers’ compensation court had ordered her employer to compensate her following an on-the-job injury, but the employer failed to follow this order on 26 separate occasions through their bad faith in providing her with the benefits to which she was entitled. The benefits in this case were awarded for her temporary total disability. Continue reading

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In a case from the Supreme Court of Mississippi, an employee who worked at a petroleum refinery factory was seriously injured while on the job.  However, he was not technically a statutory employee, but rather a contractor.

truckIn a typical situation, a contractor would not be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits, because he is not an employee, which is a requirement to collect worker’s compensation benefits. However, this does not mean that the injured worker would not have any recourse. Continue reading

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In a case from the Supreme Court of the State of Nevada, the claimant was working as construction driver for a paving company.  While he was at work one day, he was driving a truck, and another worker on the job site hit his truck with a backhoe.  When this occurred, he suffered severe injuries to various parts of his body, including his head, neck, knee, and back.

truckAfter this workplace accident, he filed a claim for workers’ compensation, and his employer accepted the claim.  After he had received workers’ compensation benefits and was treated for his injuries, his employer closed the claim and told him how reopen it should his condition get worse in the future, as they were required to do under the relevant state statute. Continue reading

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