Helping Workers Injured in Slip and Falls at Work
An unfortunate reality for those who live in Chicago is that a slip-and-fall accident can happen at any time. Whether you are out shopping, at home with your family, or even walking the streets of the city, you may find yourself the unwilling victim of an accident and may even suffer harm as a result.
There is a common perception among some that slip-and-fall accidents are always minor. However, that could not be further from the truth. While some instances are minor and do not cause any damages, others are extreme and can lead to serious, debilitating injuries or even death. This can be true whether a slip-and-fall accident happens on a work site or in an office.
Slip-and-fall accidents are one of the most common
on-the-job injuries. They account for 25 percent of annual injury claims, according to the United States Department of Labor. Slips, trips, and falls also account for 15 percent of accidental deaths, second only to motor vehicle accidents in America. These accidents are very common in the food service industry and with factory workers. This is because products often to spill onto the floor. Hospital and school employees are also likely to experience a slip. Also, those who work in a factory, on an assembly line, in a construction zone, or with hazardous materials. Slip-and-fall incidents are also likely to occur with those who work on boats or docks.
Why Do Slip-and-Fall Accidents Happen?
There are many reasons why slip-and-fall accidents happen in a workplace setting and any of them can prove to be a dangerous condition. In some instances, an employee does not receive proper training for their position. This can lead to a hazard that threatens both her own safety and the safety of others. In other cases, defective machinery may cause fluids to leak and/or pool in an area heavily traffic by workers. This may cause slip-and-falls while they are going about their assigned tasks. And yet in other cases, the nature of a specific job may make falling more likely than others, including positions which require outdoor work in the elements or jobs that focus on cleanups of spills.
Experts agree that the culture of some employers leads to situations where slip-and-falls are not only possible but likely. If a company demands its workers hustle from location to location, for example. Or, they skip important safety steps while working. Those employees are more likely to suffer an injury. Further, a culture at work that makes light of employee safety is one where work accidents will be more common.
Regardless of why the situation happened, in Illinois, it is an employer's duty to make sure employees remain safe from harm, including harm caused by a
premises liability accident. Failing to do so may make an employer liable or may assert liability onto another, like the owner of a building, a corporation, or an employee of another company.
Relief for Chicago Slip-and-Fall Accident Victims
It is always an undesirable event to suffer an injury at work. The good news is that employees in Illinois have the protection of several laws so that they can obtain the help they need and deserve following a workplace accident. Injured employees have the right to seek
workers' compensation benefits which may entitle them to paid medical treatment, wages while they are off work, and a lump sum payment to cover their damages.
Injured workers sometimes will have the additional right to bring a third party against a negligent party. The facts surrounding a particular incident will determine whether a third party claim is possible.
Whether you are interested in a workers' compensation claim, a third party negligence claim, or both, working with an experienced
personal injury attorney can be very beneficial as a lawyer can make sure your best interests are represented. From complying with court deadlines to ensuring you receive fair compensation, an attorney can be an invaluable asset to your claim.
Contact a Slip & Fall Work Injury Attorney in Chicago
The legal team at Abels & Annes, P.C. has represented countless victims of personal injury accidents over the years and if you have been hurt, we want to help you as well. We will offer you a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation when you call us toll free at (855) LAW-CHICAGO (529-2442), locally at (312) 924-7575, or
contact us online. To help you, we have a licensed lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Further, we will never charge a fee unless a recovery is made on your behalf.
If you were hurt in a slip-and-fall accident at your job, call Abels & Annes, P.C. today at (855) LAW-CHICAGO for a free case consultation.