EAGAN, Minn., June 19 MN-More-Than-25-Perc
EAGAN, Minn., June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a quarter of American
adults say they have been injured while working, often missing substantial
time from work as a result, according to a new survey by FindLaw.com, the
most-visited legal information Web site ( http://www.findlaw.com ).
In accordance with June being designated as National Safety Month by the
National Safety Council, FindLaw.com sought to find out how workplace injuries
are affecting American workers. The FindLaw.com survey found that 28 percent
of American adults say they have been injured on the job. Among men, the
figure climbs to more than one-third (36 percent) who say they have suffered
work-related injuries.
Of those injured on the job, 43 percent said they missed more than one
week of work as a result of their injury. And 31 percent said they were off
the job for more than a month.
Time Missed from Work Due to Injury
- Less than one day (20%)
- One day (10%)
- 2-5 work day (21%)
- Between a week and a month (12%)
- More than one month (31%)
- No answer/unsure (6%)
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported more than 4 million nonfatal
workplace injuries or illnesses in 2006.
According to the FindLaw.com survey, more than half of those injured on
the job -- 53 percent -- filed a workers' compensation claim as a result of
their injuries. Workers' compensation is a state-mandated insurance program
that provides compensation to employees who suffer job-related injuries and
illnesses.
"While workers' compensation laws are intended to help employees who are
injured on the job, filing and processing claims can be a complicated
process," said Mark Rothstein, professor of law and medicine at the University
of Louisville and author of Cases and Material on Employment Law, 6th Ed.
(Foundation Press: 2007). "Where and how an injury occurred can have a
tremendous impact on the validity of a claim. For instance, an injury may be
covered even though it occurred outside of the workplace as long as the injury
was a result of employment or 'within the scope of employment,' such as a
traveling salesperson or an injury at a company-sponsored picnic."
FindLaw.com offers these five quick tips for employees who are injured
while on the job:
- Seek appropriate medical care immediately.
- If possible, take notes on the accident or injury, including how, when
and where it occurred and any eyewitnesses.
- Know your employer's responsibilities for employee injuries.
- Notify your employer and, if appropriate, file a workers' compensation
claim.
- Because workers' compensation laws and programs vary by state, contact
your state's workers' compensation office, a union representative or an
attorney.
Information on workers' compensation or help finding an attorney in your
area experienced in workers' compensation is available at free legal Web
sites, such as FindLaw.com ( http://www.findlaw.com ).
SOURCE FindLaw.com
