Employees of nursing homes assisted living, in-home health care services, hospitals, and health care facilities have among the highest rates of workplace injuries in the United States. Such services require tremendous physical labor associated with activities like bathing patients, moving them from beds and chairs, pushing wheelchairs, dietary needs, laundry services and other physical job requirements. Injuries can occur as the result of sudden trauma while performing job duties, or they can develop over time due to repetitive tasks.
In addition to the physical stress associated with lifting and moving patients, health care works are exposed to bloodborne pathogens, workplace violence and chemical and drug exposures. Is it any wonder these people are consider heroes today?
The most common injuries that health care workers experience include:
- Back, Neck and Shoulder Injuries: Workers must lift residents off the ground or out of bed often lifting a patient by themselves. Such injuries can range from strains to severe injuries involving herniated and damaged discs and torn tendons or muscles that result in chronic pain and require medical intervention, surgery, and long periods of recovery.
- Repetitive Injuries: OSHA reports the nursing home health care workers are twice as likely to suffer musculoskeletal injuries resulting from repetitive movements. Employees working in the health care provider sector can also experience injuries to their hands, wrists, knees, ankles, and feet.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: The health care environment often increases the risk of weather conditions or spills that may cause trips, slips, and falls that lead to severe injuries.
Reportedly, almost a third of the injuries involve a patient or resident. Most of those are due to overexertion while lifting or moving a patient. However, the second most common cause was intentional or unintentional violence by the patient. Health care workers face some of the greatest risk for workplace violence.
Healthcare industry employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover injured employees, but that does not mean that insurance companies and their representatives are always willing to pay injured employees the amount they deserve to be paid.
Being injured on the job can have serious consequences if you are employed in the health care sector. Filing an Ohio workers’ compensation claim is essential so you can receive proper medical treatment and compensation for lost wages that will help you during your recovery.
Insurance companies and attorneys may lowball the value of your claim, but when you have an experienced team working on your behalf, you are much more likely to receive the settlement to which you are entitled. If you have sustained workplace injuries in a healthcare setting, contact workers’ compensation attorneys at Casper, Casper & Casper (513-909-9999 or 937-909-9999).
The lawyers at Casper, Casper and Casper understand the impact an injury can have you and your family. We can guide you through the process so that you can get the benefits that you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.