If you have been catastrophically injured in an accident on the job or in the office, you need to talk with an experienced New Jersey workers compensation attorney as soon as possible. Your decision to get legal help from a lawyer who can walk you through all the phases of the process and help tell you more whether or not you are eligible for workers compensation can get you the benefits that you need.
While offices are typically secure and safe places to be employed, unlike industrial warehouses and construction sites, there is still the cause for serious injuries in the office. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated in the insurance and finance industry, one out of every employee was injured at work every single year. When you are knowledgeable about the steps you need to take immediately after being injured and get help from a talented New Jersey workers compensation attorney, you will be much more likely to be successful with your workers compensation claim.
The injuries included in the study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that these workplace injuries expand a broad range of severity and type. While certain industries are prone to have particular types of injuries, such as falls on construction sites and back and neck injuries for nurses, particular workplace conditions and accidents are more common than others when it comes to offices. Upper management, office managers, and human resources can all cause accidents and improve the safety of the work environment by managing the most frequent office injuries and developing a plan for prevention.
The first category of most common office injuries in New Jersey has to do with slips, trips, and falls. This accounts for more workplace injuries and more workers compensation claims than any other cause. In many cases, employees have to take a long time off work and file a workers compensation claim. Office workers are 2.5 times more likely to slip and trip at work than anyone in other businesses or environment.
The second most common category for workers compensation injuries in the office is back, neck, and shoulder strains. While it might seem unlikely that an office employee would strain their shoulders, back, or neck at work, it happens quite often. This is because employees have to sit for long periods of time, and when an action is required, the body is tense, unprepared, and tight. Other materials kept in store rooms may cause office workers to have to bend over or reach high.
The third most common cause of workplace injuries are accumulative trauma and repetitive motion injuries often caused after a person has to do the same thing over a long period of time. The aggravated effect such as repeated motion is acute or general pain, soreness in a specific location of the body, or reduced range of motion. In many of the workers compensation claims associated with repetitive stress injuries has to do with sitting and typing. Office employees spend many hours of their day, if not all, doing this.
The fourth most common category of workers compensation claims associated with offices in New Jersey has to do with injuries in an office that do not involve work duties. Many workplace injuries happen when employees are at the office but not at their desk. Someone could get injured in the kitchen or near the elevator, for example. Proper training and organization are critical for avoiding these accidents and the resulting injuries. Office managers must be aware of the risks and as well as any appliances or equipment that could malfunction and any spill should also be managed in a timely fashion.
Many of the injuries associated with such accidents still fall under the umbrella of workers compensation but it can be harder to file for appropriate benefits. Consulting with a New Jersey workers compensation attorney as soon as you have suffered an accident like this can help you figure out whether or not you are within your rights to file a claim and can help you if your claim has already been delayed or denied by the workers compensation insurance company. Many people find the process of workers compensation overwhelming but having a lawyer in your corner can help.
Contact Us
Craig Voorhees is Certified by The New Jersey Supreme Court as a Certified Workers’ Compensation Lawyer. Call to arrange a private meeting. Contact us by e-mail or call our office at 609-771-8611. Evening and weekend meetings are available upon request. We take all major credit cards. We handle all workers’ compensation cases on a contingency basis. We won’t charge you any attorney fees unless we are able to get compensation for your losses.
