Most people don’t realize just how much healthcare workers do in a days’ work. They lift patients in and out of ambulances, vans, wheelchairs and gurneys, transferring them to hospital, clinic and ER beds. They are exposed to airborne viruses and diseases, hazardous bacteria and contaminated needlesticks. They have to handle razor-sharp scalpels that may be covered in germs, infected fluids or blood. Healthcare workers injured in hospitals, clinics, emergency rooms or doctor’s offices can suffer job-related injuries as serious as construction site injuries. And, just like any workplace injury, filing a workers compensation claim is the first step toward recovering, both financially and medically. But the process can be incredibly complicated and, very often, without the help of a knowledgeable lawyer, work injury victims have their claim denied.
Medical assistants, nurses, and transportation workers in the healthcare sector play a crucial role in the running of a hospital. Often, they are the first ones to report for duty and are the last ones to leave. They work for extended hours caring for those who need medical attention. However, they too can get injured in the process. Healthcare professionals who are prone to work-related injuries include medical assistants, nursing staff, nursing home aid workers, hospital patient transportation workers, PT/OT and physical therapist aides and EMT and paramedics.
There are many ways in which a healthcare professional can get injured at the workplace. Healthcare workers have to reposition, lift, and shift patients, and with more and more patients being obese, the chances of a worker getting injured are high. A large number of healthcare workers get musculoskeletal disorders and injuries at a rate higher than that even in the mining and construction industries.
Slips and falls are common types of injuries suffered by healthcare workers. Grease, water, and spilled fluids can cause a worker to slip and lose balance. Falls often cause disabling injuries that may have life-changing consequences. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare professionals are 90 percent more prone to injuries from slips, trips, and falls compared to workers in any other industry. It is the second largest cause of injury, ranking next only to overexertion induced injuries.
A compilation of data from workers’ compensation claims received over a 10-year period shows that healthcare professionals are more susceptible to the knee, ankle, and feet injuries such as strains, sprains, and dislocations. Health care workers are also exposed to blood borne pathogens from percutaneous injuries and needle sticks. Contact with contaminated sharp devices can expose a healthcare worker to serious and life-threatening diseases.
For more information and enhance your company’s fall protection program this spring and summer contact HURT-511 and our personal injury lawyers help injured workers recover the benefits to which they are entitled by law. For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer, call us toll-free at 800-4878-511 or complete our online form. Our firm handles accident and injury claims throughout all five boroughs of New York.
HURT-511 operates in all boroughs of New York including all Bronx neighborhoods, namely: Bedford Park, Belmont, Fordham, Highbridge, Hunts Point, Jerome Park, Kingsbridge, Morris Park, Morrisania, Mott Haven, Parkchester, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Throgs Neck, University Heights and Woodlawn.
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