Each year, some Tennessee workers are seriously injured or killed while at work. Workplace safety is a national concern. Despite advances that have been made with safety technology, injuries and deaths continue to happen at workplaces across the country.
According to the Department of Labor, 4,821 people were killed at work in 2014. Among workers who were age 55 and older, 1,691 died in workplace accidents in 2014. This was the highest number of fatalities ever recorded for this age group.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that 2015 brought in excess of 10,000 severe workplace injuries. Of that number, 7,637 people required hospitalization and 2,644 had amputations. OSHA also stated that it believes many serious injuries are also simply not reported, indicating that around 50 percent or more are not. The industry with the highest number of workplace fatalities is the trucking industry. According to the agency, more truck drivers die on the job than workers in any other occupation.
Suffering a workplace injury may cause a person to incur substantial medical bills. At the same time, the injured worker may also be unable to return to work, either temporarily or permanently. When people are injured while working, it is important that they report the injury to their employer as soon as possible. Doing so can help with qualifying for workers’ compensation benefits. Injured workers may want to consult with a workers’ compensation attorney in order to learn what is involved in the filing process and what recourse they have if a claim is disputed or denied by their employer or its insurance carrier.