When a person hears that a worker was injured on the job while lifting and moving heavy items throughout the course of a 12 hour shift or from exposure to harmful chemicals and gases, the likely assumption is that the injured worker must be in the construction industry. However, while construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the country, those in the medical profession face equally harmful, if not more so, work conditions – the main difference is that the public is less likely to hear about a nurse’s occupational injuries.
One of the main reasons the high injury rate among medical care workers goes underreported is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) failure to conduct regular inspections to ensure that hospitals and healthcare facilities are safe for workers. Additionally, employers in the medical industry are required to keep records of workplace illnesses and injuries, but the information is not made public.
Later this year, however, OSHA is scheduled to finalize a new rule that would require healthcare employers to report cases of work-related injuries and illness. OSHA will then release the information to the public in order to encourage better safety practices in an industry that sees more job-related injuries and illnesses than any other in the U.S., according to a report by Public Citizen.
If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of employer negligence, it is well within your rights to pursue compensation from your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Unfortunately, filing for wage replacement and medical benefits can be complex and overwhelming, especially if the work-related injury is severe. Let Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP provide the assistance you deserve to get the financial support you need. Contact us online or call (212) 986-7353 today.