An accident at work is a sudden event that, for whatever reason, caused physical or psychological damage, and that happened during a professional activity. The fact at the origin of the work accident must be unforeseen. This is what distinguishes it from occupational diseases.
In order for the work accident to be recognized, the following two conditions must be justified:
- You have been the victim of an accident (sudden and unforeseen) in the course of your work.
- The accident caused you physical and/or psychological damage.
Therefore, the accident must be able to be linked to one or more events that occurred while you were under the authority of your employer. It must also be dated with certainty.
It is presumed that the accident is work-related when it occurs on the company’s premises, even during a break.
However, the classification of an accident at work can be excluded if the accidental act is the consequence of non-professional acts (for example, suicide in the workplace due to personal problems).
This damage can be one of the following:
- Cut or burn
- Muscle pain that comes on suddenly after carrying a load
- Fracture that occurs during a fall or crash
- Heart disease
- Emotional shock after an assault committed in the company
The recognition of an accident as of professional origin gives the right to the following compensation:
- In the event of a work stoppage, compensation paid by Social Security and additional compensation paid by the employer and/or the insurer.
- In case of permanent incapacity for work, specific compensation and additional compensation if your employer has committed a serious fault that caused the damage.
Every job has health and safety regulations, however, no matter how vigilant you are, workplace accidents are always present. Injuries can not only put employees at risk of hospitalizations or even death, but also affect insurance rates, increase compensation claims and in turn, company morale.
According to data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, each year, hundreds of thousands of workers are injured on the job in the United States, that is, a total of 882,730 employees suffered some type of injury in 2019, which represents 2.8% of all workers in the North American country.
Top Workplace Accidents Found in Texas
According to the registry published by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation, in 2019, the main workplace accidents found in this state are:
- Fall, slip, and trip accidents
- Machinery accidents
- Construction accidents
- Improper maintenance
- Falling objects
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Acts of violence by other employees
- Truck accidents
According to the registry, the fatal occupational injury incident rate in Texas was 4.7 per 100,000 full-time employees in 2019.
Private sector employees accounted for 94% of occupational injuries, accounting for 573 incidents in the aforementioned year, while the remaining 35 incidents involved public sector employees, thus registering an increase since 2018.
The occupation with the highest number of fatal work injuries was drivers/salesmen and truckers with 142 incidents, accounting for 23% of all fatal work injuries. This was an increase in the total number of incidents from 123 in 2018.
Among the incidents of falls, slips and trips, there were 96 episodes, which represented 16% of all such events. It was an increase of 71% in the total number of accidents compared to 2018.
In reference to incidents of violence and other injuries by people or animals, 86 events were recorded, which represented 14% of all incidents. An increase in the total number of accidents with respect to the previous year studied.
Twenty percent of fatal work injuries occurred in the construction industry with 123 incidents, up from 107 incidents in 2018.
Many of the registered occupations in Texas saw an increase in the number of fatal occupational incidents from 2018 to 2019.
Deaths by Industry
Goods-Producing Industries
Among private sector goods-producing industries, the construction industry had the highest number of fatal injuries with 123, accounting for 22% of all private sector fatal work injuries. This was an increase in incidents since 2018 (107).
Service Provider Industries
Among service-providing industries in the private sector, the commerce, transportation, and utility industry had the highest number of fatal injuries at 195, representing 34% of all fatal occupational injuries in the private sector. This was an increase in incidents since 2018 (164).
The industry sub-sector within Commerce, Transportation and Utilities with the highest number of fatal injuries was Transportation and Warehousing with 115 incidents, representing 25% of all private industry incidents.
Transportation incidents (47%), 283 violence and others, injuries by people or animals (14%), falls, slips and trips (16%), contact with objects and equipment (10%), exposure to harmful substances or environments (9%), fires and explosions (3%), others not reported (1%).
Government Industries
Of the 35 deaths involving government employees, 24 were local government employees. Eleven of those in the local government were under police protection.
Work Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one is or was seriously injured or unfortunately witnessed the death of someone in an accident at your workplace, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
En las Oficinas Legales Trujillo Sanchez lucharemos para conseguir el máximo de beneficios de compensación por accidente de trabajo que puedas recibir. Hemos recuperado más de $500 millones para nuestros clientes. Los gastos asociados con un accidente pueden ser grandes, por lo que no nos pagarás, a menos que ganemos tu caso.
Call now for a free consultation; If we don’t win, you don’t pay us!
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