Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Number of workplace injuries down since last year

On behalf of Godwin and Rubin posted in Workplace Injuries on Wednesday, December 13, 2017.

Millions of workers report to their jobs every day in California and all around the nation. While many hours are worked safely by employees without incident, there were almost 3 million workplace injuries and illnesses in 2016, according to statistics. Despite the fact that this number appears high, it actually represents a decrease in reported incidents over the past year.

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that employers recorded over 2.9 million non-fatal illnesses and injuries in the workplace last year. This number represented 48,500 fewer reports of incidents than the previous year. This appears to be a positive trend in workplace safety. However, experts fear that many employees fail to report incidents that occur while they are on the job.

The main reason cited for failing to report an accident or illness is job security. Employees are fearful they will lose their job if they report an incident. Workers observe their employers’ concerns about costs and are worried how a claim might affect a company’s bottom line. However, it is the responsibility of a company to provide appropriate coverage for their workforce. In fact, should it be determined that an employer discouraged employees from reporting incidents, the company would be in serious trouble.

Workplace injuries and illnesses can occur in any place of employment, no matter what size or type of business. Even when appropriate safety equipment and procedures are in place, accidents may still happen. Employees have the right to receive workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace incident. A California workers’ compensation attorney will work with clients to ensure that they receive all the benefits to which they are entitled.