Workers’ compensation is money paid by employers or their insurance companies to workers who are injured while performing their work duties. The purpose of the money is to pay the worker’s medical expenses and, in some cases, to make up for the worker’s lost income, until he or she is well enough to return to work. Anyone who gets injured on the job could find himself or herself in need of a workers’ compensation attorney if the employer makes it unnecessarily difficult to collect the money or denies that the injury was the result of the employer’s negligence or a workplace hazard. Even though work injuries can happen to anyone, some industries carry a greater risk of injury-causing accidents than others. Based on data from Missouri, these are the jobs that carry the greatest risk of injury.
Truck Driving
Even people who have never been to Missouri can tell you how centrally located it is in the United States. Therefore, it is an important link in transporting food and other goods from one state to another. Although strict regulations about truck maintenance and rest periods for truck drivers aim to prevent truck accidents, truck drivers still have a higher rate of work injuries than any other profession. The most dangerous place in Missouri to drive a truck is the downhill part of the northbound 70-63 interchange.
Farming
If you have eaten meat, eggs, or dairy products in the United States, you probably have Missouri’s farmers to thank. Missouri is one of the nation’s biggest agricultural producers. Working on a farm has its hazards though; farmers are vulnerable to tractor accidents and to injuries caused by other types of farm machinery.
Construction
After truck driving and farming, construction accounts for the greatest number of work-related accidents in Missouri. From falls to the everyday strains of heavy lifting, construction sites have many hazards. Drywall might sound less risky than building skyscrapers from the ground up, but even that has its risks. Working on ladders can be dangerous, and in some cases drywall workers have become ill from allergic reactions to the material.
Logging
The main risks associated with logging are falling trees and branches. The saws and other equipment used by loggers can also cause work injuries. One of the biggest causes of logging accidents is when a falling tree knocks over nearby small trees or breaks branches off of neighboring trees.
Fishing
Missouri is landlocked, but its rivers are a source of freshwater fish and caviar. Commercial fishermen are at risk for being injured in boating accidents, especially in bad weather. The unpredictability of floods makes commercial fishing an even more dangerous job.
Contact Walton Telken, LLC About Work Injuries
Because of safety regulations, almost all industries have fewer work injuries than they used to have. If you have been injured in an accident at work or become ill because of hazardous chemicals in the workplace, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. Contact Walton Telken, LLC to discuss your case.
