Unforeseen Risks for Personal Injuries

Injuries can happen at any place and any time…including at work. Of course, if you work in a heavily intensive physical field such as construction then you are more prone to injuries. For example, you may suffer from slip and falls, back strains, or even broken bones. If you work a desk job, you may think you are safe. However, as a personal injury lawyer can explain, desk jobs come with their own unforeseen risks that can lead to injuries which hinder your ability to work. In essence, no matter what your job, there are still risks:

In-Office Risks

Repetitive strains are often seen at desk jobs. This is commonly due to office supplies that are not ergonomic. For example, the wrong kind of keyboard can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. The wrong kind of chair can lead to chronic back pain. Both of these examples are feasible for personal injury claims as the injuries sustained affect your work. Carpal tunnel makes it extremely painful to type while chronic back pain can make it nearly impossible to sit at your computer for extended periods.

Desk jobs are also extremely stressful. This stress can cause mental health problems which can lead to further physical complications such as heart conditions. There is also research that proves that sitting in general — even if you are comfortable — for extended periods of time can negatively affect your health.

Off-Site Risks

Another interesting area where injuries occur is at company events. This might be a holiday party held at a restaurant or a conference hosted by your company. Even if it is off-site and not held on company property, your employer may still be held liable for injuries. For example, if the event was mandatory, then that can be seen as your employer being held accountable to make sure the entire event is completely safe.

Additionally, if the company chose the site and did not do proper research to ensure its safety, then they can be held liable. Of course, there is a lot of nuance here that should be noted. A company may do all the research in the world and the venue is still not a safe place — at that point, the venue is the one liable for injuries.

Liability

For employers to avoid risks of injuries, they should supply proper equipment, ensure adequate research is done for off-site events, and create an open atmosphere. Employees should feel safe approaching management with concerns about safety both inside and outside the office.

Of course, personal injury cases involving employers are not always black and white. As our friends at Cohen & Cohen can share, there may be many parties liable for your injury and one may — or may not — be your employer. It is important to determine fault as that party is the one that will pay your medical expenses. If it is your employer, that will go through worker’s compensation. However, if it is another party then their insurance will be handling the claim which is why it is best to consult with an attorney near you after an injury to see if you have a case.