When people hear the term “workplace injury,” they often think of a blue-collar worker getting crushed by a forklift, an iron worker falling from a steel building’s frame, or a factory worker’s hand mangled by spinning machinery. While all of these images depict real workplace injuries, they all suggest an industrial workplace with employees who work with their hands. In fact, a large percentage of my clients here in Mississippi are white collar or office workers who work in front of computers, in cubicles, or in other workplaces where the work is not primarily physical. A wide range of workplace injuries occur in offices and employees injured in these settings are due compensation for their injuries, loss of work, and pain and suffering.
I wrote the following blog post to help individuals injured in the office work environment understand the types of injuries I commonly see arising from their work environments and what can be done to receive compensation.
If you have sustained an injury in an office setting, you must find experienced counsel to help you attain your fair share of compensation for your loss of income and injury. Barrett Law has the experience to help you if you have been injured. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
Common Office Accidents
Ergonomic injuries. Office workers spend most of their time seated at a desk in front of a computer. This seems low impact, but there are multiple injuries caused by body positioning, or “ergonomics,” that place their health at risk. After many months or years of repeated motion in poor ergonomic conditions can give rise to injuries related to posture, eye strain, and repetitive movements. Carpal tunnel syndrome, a debilitating wrist condition, is a classic example of this sort of repetitive motion injury. Like a factory owner providing his employees with eye protection and gloves, white collar employers should provide their employees with a variety of chairs, keyboards, and desks. Employers should also instruct employees how to adjust these items for the most ergonomic use.
Slip-and-fall. The most common office accidents involve slipping and falling. While in a factory a slip and fall may be caused by hydraulic fluids on the workspace floor, slip and falls in an office setting are most usually caused by the tangle of cords associated with various office electronic products. Similarly, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, unmarked wet floors, and unsecured carpeting can result in office workplace injuries. Employers must prevent these injuries by minimizing and alerting employees to these hazards and raising awareness that they exist.
Lifting heavy objects. How often have you been asked to lift a box of photocopier paper, replace the water jug on the office water cooler, or lift a new piece of electronic equipment that arrived at the office? Anyone of these objects can strain or otherwise injure an office employee’s back. Back injuries can be debilitating and are extremely difficult to treat. Employers have to warn employees if they are asked to do the heavy lifting and instruct them how to lift heavy objects if this is a part of their job. Employers can minimize these injuries by encouraging employees to call facilities workers to do the heavy lifting and by supplying dollies or heavy lifting tools.
Falling objects. It seems like every office has a supply closet stacked to the ceiling with bulky and oddly shaped supplies. I have seen multiple employees as clients who have had objects of this nature fall onto them, causing head injuries and falls. Employers should supply appropriate step ladders to prevent this sort of accident and should prohibit the stacking of objects high in closets in a way that could injure employees.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been Injured?
If you were injured in an office workplace, you likely have a worker’s compensation claim for any time you have been out of work and any costs of your treatment and rehabilitation. If your employer injured you negligently, you might also have a personal injury claim for your injuries and pain and suffering. Let experienced counsel take care of attaining statements and analysis from expert witnesses and dealing with your employer’s legal team. These are essential tasks that a personal injury attorney can handle for you while you concentrate on healing.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered an injury in an office accident. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
