Law Office of Gaylord & Nantais

  Workplace burns   are a severe issue in the United States, with more than 300,000 injuries per year. These injuries often cause permanent disfigurement and scarring and can lead to death. The most common type of workplace burn is a contact burn-these can be caused by touching something hot or the pressure from a steam pipe that has been breached. A chemical burn may also be caused by contact with chemicals at work. The  Occupational Safety and Health Administration  (OSHA) has recommended that employers offer first aid or emergency medical services for employees who suffer from skin injuries at the workplace. One of the most common causes of such injuries is contact with chemicals. The most likely chemical to cause damage is corrosive. However, skin injuries are not limited to just corrosives and can also be caused by other substances, including paints, solvents, acids, and alkalis. It is important to note that different meanings will have different levels of sever...

  Workplace injuries in the United States cost over $190 billion per year . This comes from lost earnings, medical expenses, and disability payments. Employers’ direct costs for workers’ compensation claims are about $100 billion per year. Furthermore,  Workplace injuries  are the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 3 million injuries and 50,000 deaths each year. Workplace injuries are one of the most common in the U.S. today. In 2014, 5,190,000 non-fatal work injuries were reported, and 4,693,000 of those were treated and released from a hospital emergency room. The most common source of these injuries is overexertion, which encompasses lifting and moving heavy objects. The most common work injuries in the United States are sprains and strains, back injuries, cuts and lacerations, and fractures or broken bones. The most common workplace injuries occur in the manufacturing, health care, construction, and retail sectors. Taking specific me...

  Carpal tunnel syndrome   (CTS) is one of the most prevalent Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) to occur worldwide. This syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist gets compressed, the CTS causes symptoms such as tingling, burning and numbness of the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. It is a medical condition caused by repeated hand and wrist movements.  These symptoms are typically worse at night, a few hours after waking up, or after prolonged periods of use. The  incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome  in the United States ranges from 1% to 4% among workers in industry and 10% to 20% among healthcare workers. While many people recover from CTS without treatment, the chances of the injury worsening are always possible. It is one of the most common workplace injuries/ occupational diseases in the United States, especially for jobs that require repetitive actions. If you’re an office worker, there are many factors contributing to this condition such as –...

  What are Delayed Injury Claims? A delayed injury claim is when someone has suffered an injury, but the effects of that injury don’t show up until later on. These injuries can be caused by anything from car crashes to  workplace accidents . For example, many people who have been in car accidents suffer from whiplash or people who suffer minor workplace injuries. The injured party does not realize the extent of their injury until some time has passed. The symptoms of these injuries are often subtle and may not be noticed for some time after the accident. Only once the symptoms have become more noticeable the injured party realizes a delayed injury claim. When you are in a work accident and get hurt, you have a short time window to file a  claim . The law states that you have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim with the court system, and the statute of limitations is quite strict. However, in the United States,  almost 9% of all injury claims ...

  It’s sad that even in 2022, there are still instances of discrimination against injured workers. Can you imagine how frustrating it must be to work hard every day, only to get injured and denied your workers’ comp claim? And what’s worse is that the insurance company is saying that your injury isn’t related to your job. It makes no sense to deny a worker who has been injured on the job the financial support they need. Injured workers should not have to suffer further because of their employer or insurers’ prejudice. The typical insurance company denies around 1 in every 6 claims . This means that most of the population will go through a denied claim at least once in their lifetime. Many people believe that they will be compensated if they are injured at work. However, there is a misconception that workers compensation and disability insurance are same. In reality, workers compensation is more like an insurance policy that covers lost wages and medical bills if you’re injured at w...

  An estimated 1.7 million homes in the United States are built with   roof trusses,   connecting roof rafters and supporting the roof structure. Roof trusses can be problematic because they are typically made of wood (or sometimes metal) subjected to high winds, heavy snow loads, and earthquakes. These structures can also present a fire hazard. Most fires in residential buildings over three stories tall start in the attic. Trusses have higher surface-to-volume ratios than other wood products, which means they dry out faster and age faster. Further, severe weather conditions and natural disasters wreak havoc on homes, businesses, and communities. From hurricanes to tornadoes, a storm can cause substantial damage instantly. According to the  National Fire Protection Association , over 300 people have died, and thousands of others have been injured in building fires since 2007. Of those cases, over 20% were caused by roof collapse. Homeowners’ or Renters’ Insurance Whe...

  According to the   National Institute of Mental Health , stress is an evolutionary mechanism designed to cope with many of life’s demands and stressors, including work. But what to do when your work stress starts affecting your life. You get help. Simple, right? No, it is not. It might be easy for an employee to get their rightful compensation after sustaining a work-related illness or injury in some perfect parallel world. But not in our world. If given a chance, employers and insurance companies are more than ready to take them to get out of paying compensation. And, stress claims usually prove better to find loopholes than, say, spinal cord injuries. Workers Compensation laws have been modified to be more conscious of mental and stress-related claims to counter this. However, people still have misconceptions. Given below are five common misconceptions related to Stress Claims explained: 1) Mental Health is no longer a ”Stigmatized Issue.”  Mental Health as a concept ...

  Social Security disability benefits   is a term used to describe the monetary benefits that can be awarded to those individuals who are unable to work because of a severe illness or injury. The   Social Security Administration   (SSA) provides payments to disabled workers and eligible dependents until they become financially independent. Approximately,  8.8 million people in the US  receive Social Security disability benefits each month, making it one of the most elaborate programs in the country. These benefits are essential for disabled people who cannot work and intend to keep receiving benefits for a long time. Social Security does not consider any medical condition too minor to qualify for disability benefits. That being said, certain conditions do have higher chances of being approved than others. Given below is a list of the most common conditions that qualify for disability benefits: 1. Depression 2. Diabetes 3. Heart disease/hypertension The firs...

 Ankle and foot injuries are a widespread problem in the US, with around 7.5 million people suffering from them every year. The statistics show that ankle sprains are most likely to happen in July and August, while foot injuries are likely to occur in December or January. The weather has a big impact on ankle and foot injuries, as you can probably imagine. Slipping on wet surfaces can cause ankle sprains, whereas falling mostly causes foot injuries. Both are more likely to happen when the ground is wet, so summer is the season when you should be more careful. There are approximately 1.8 million non-fatal injuries and illnesses that occur in the workplace each year. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) , the industries with the highest incidence rates were construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and manufacturing. Common Ankle and Foot Injuries at Work. The three most common types of Ankle and Foot Injuries at work are: 1. Ankle Spra...