Recovering
$ MILLIONS
For Injured Workers
Falling At Work
Worker’s Compensation Attorneys Fighting for Justice for Injured Workers
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workplace slip and fall accidents account for the majority of work accidents. In fact, slip and fall accidents are the second leading cause of all accidental deaths, second only to motor vehicle accidents. The National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) reports that over one million people in the United States wind up in the emergency room due to slip and fall accidents each year.
For more than 40 years, the work injury lawyers at Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C. have been dedicated to protecting the rights of injured workers in Pennsylvania and getting them just compensation for their workplace fall injuries.
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Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C. Seek Compensation for Employees Injured in Workplace Slip & Fall Accidents
Larry Pitt & Associates has protected the rights of injured workers in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania for more than four decades. If you were hurt in a slip-and-fall workplace accident, we want to hear your story. Please call 888-PITT-LAW or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with a dedicated Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer at one of our multiple office locations. Larry Pitt & Associates helps throughout:
Cost of Accidents to Workers and Employers
Fall accidents happen every day at work while a worker is carrying out job duties. Slip and fall accidents come at a high cost to the injured worker and their families. Workers may suffer serious injuries from slip and fall accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), slip and fall accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Workers may also suffer broken bones, bruises, burns, contusions, concussions, disfigurement, fractures, lacerations, neck injuries, back injuries, paralysis, sprains, fractures, lost wages, pain and suffering, and even death.
After a fall accident, a worker will need to seek medical treatment. Medical treatment will result in out-of-pocket expenses, medical bills, and potentially lost wages. An injured worker will need to consult with an experienced attorney to determine how and when to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Which Workers Most at Risk of a Serious Slip & Fall Accident Injuries?
Because of the nature of their work, certain industry workers are more at risk of serious injury after a workplace accident. Those workers include:
- Construction workers – The number one cause of fatal workplace injuries in the construction industry is falling, according to OSHA. Workers who are not securely in place while using ladders or scaffolds, whose safety gear fails, or who work around open spaces such as trenches can suffer severe injuries.
- Home contractors – In particular, roofers and builders are at risk of a fall, the same way construction workers are. Any time you are more than 6 feet off the ground, a fall has the potential to cause you severe harm.
- Maintenance workers – People in the maintenance and janitorial fields are in charge of sweeping away debris, cleaning up snow and ice, and keeping the floors clean. Because of that, they are constantly walking on surfaces that are unsafe in order to make them safe for others.
- Restaurant workers – Slick surfaces, sticky (or oily floors), and people rushing around in an enclosed space can all contribute to a fall. Servers, cooks, barbacks, bartenders, and bussers must jostle around for space in areas that are usually covered in some kind of liquid. These factors can lead to a serious fall and accompanying injuries, including burns.
- Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers – Long hours on the road, fatigue, and bad weather conditions are all factors that lead to slip and fall workplace accidents for tractor-trailer truck drivers. In addition, the trailers these trucks are pulling are often not properly secured, which can lead to a load shift and an overturn.
What Are the Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents?
According to the NFSI, slip and fall accidents are the most common cause of workers comp claims. Employers are required to maintain a safe workplace for their workers and that includes removing fall hazards. Failure to do so may cause workers to suffer work injuries from various accidents, including slips and falls.
Some common causes of slip and fall accidents include:
- Changes in elevation
- Debris or other obstructions in walkways
- Exposed cables, wires, or cords
- Icy stairs
- Inappropriately maintained or positioned ladders
- Lack of skid- or slip-resistant surfaces
- Loose carpeting or flooring
- Metal surfaces
- Missing or uneven flooring
- Polished or freshly-waxed floors
- Poor lighting
- Slippery products on floors such as dust or powders
- Spills/ wet floors
- Uneven walking surfaces or holes in floors
- Wet or greasy shoes
- Floor parking lot potholes
- Failure to utilize wet floor sign
Trips, slips and falls happen; it’s a fact of life. For most of us, we shrug off the twinge of pain, fail to seek medical attention, and hope that no one saw us. For others, however, even a “simple” fall can lead to some pretty serious injuries. When it does, you want an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on your side to help review your options moving forward, and to assist you in obtaining the workers’ compensation benefits you’ve worked so hard for all these years. The workers’ comp benefits are yours. You have a right under PA law to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
When you fall at work, it might not be immediately apparent that you have sustained a long-lasting or serious injury. Strains and sprains and other soft tissue injuries might not begin to hurt right away. It may take a few weeks for injuries to manifest but that does not mean that more damage is not being done to your body during that time. An injured wrist or ankle might keep you from performing your work duties for an extended period of time; a serious slip and fall injury could make it impossible to do them at all. It is also possible that a hit to your head will result in a traumatic brain injury, even if you were wearing a hard hat at the time.
Preventing Slip and Fall Accidents
Workplace slip and fall accidents are preventable. Both employers and workers can take steps to ensure that slip and fall accidents do not happen at work. For example, workers should wear anti-slip shoes and properly fitting clothes.
Employers should also take precautions to prevent slip and fall accidents, including:
- Clearing snow and ice from parking lots and stairs
- Complying with state and OSHA workplace safety regulations
- Ensuring that electrical cords and cables are not in walkways
- Having safe flooring, free from holes and uneven elevations
- Installing adequate lighting
- Posting signage indicating when floors are wet and slippery
- Training workers on slip and fall prevention, as well as how to correct any unsafe behaviors
What to Do After A Slip and Fall
Workers who are injured in a slip and fall accident at work should seek medical attention immediately after the injuries occurred. Fall-related injuries must also be reported to the employer as soon as possible, so that they may begin receiving workers’ compensation benefits.
After the slip and fall accident happens, there are other steps to take:
- File or receive a copy of any incident report
- Identify all witnesses
- Take pictures of the accident scene
- Take pictures of the injuries you sustained
- Write down as much as you can remember about the circumstances surrounding the accident
It is important to note that the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system is no-fault, therefore workers are entitled to compensation for their workplace injuries regardless of who was at fault for the accident. Your benefits come through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company.
It is also prudent to seek the counsel of a qualified workers’ compensation lawyer who can help explain all available legal options and provide guidance through the process of filing a fall accident claim. The legal team at Larry Pitt & Associates P.C. provides comprehensive counsel for injured workers in all types of industries throughout Pennsylvania.
At Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C. our experienced attorneys help employees who have suffered a workplace slip, trip, and fall accident while on the job. We:
- File a thoroughly complete application for workers’ comp benefits
- We review all the paperwork with you
- Coordinate with your doctors and union reps and make sure that the application is sent to the right place so that your workers’ compensation claim does not get lost in limbo
- Represent employees at administrative hearings
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