Call Zinda Law Group’s Colorado Workplace Accident Lawyers At (800) 863-5312 For Free Today
Workplace injuries are all-too-common in Colorado. If you are hurt on the job, these types of injuries may leave you with expensive medical bills and therapy costs. To recover compensation for these damages, you may need to bring a legal claim. If this is the case, Zinda Law Group’s Colorado workplace accident lawyers are available to discuss your potential case.
After being injured in a workplace accident, contact a knowledgeable Colorado personal injury attorney at Zinda Law Group as soon as possible. Our team can guide you through the entire legal process and answer any questions you may have regarding your potential case. Call us today at (800) 863-5312 for your 100% free initial consultation. We are available 24/7, and you do not pay us anything unless we are successful in winning your case.
Is there a workplace injury lawyer near me in Colorado?
After suffering from a workplace injury, you may be left with serious medical expenses, pharmaceutical costs, therapy bills, and more. To receive compensation for these costs, you may need to speak with a reputable workplace injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group as soon as possible.
If you have been injured in a workplace accident in Colorado, contact our experienced team as soon as possible. We have the resources and ability to help you with your claim.
Common causes of workplace injuries
The extent and subsequent costs of workplace injuries will likely depend on how the injury took place. For example, if an employee slipped and fell on a wet surface, the damages will not likely be as devastating as if there were an explosion, which could injure or kill multiple employees at once. Understanding how workplace injuries take place may help you to be more cautious and avoid harm in the future. Common causes of workplace injuries are described in more detail below:
Overexertion
Overexertion or is the second most common non-fatal workplace injury or illness that causes workplace accidents. Overall, this accounts for 22% of these injuries. Overexertion has many causes, including:
- Lifting
- Pulling
- Carrying
- Repetitive use of tools
- Bending
- Crawling
- Climbing
- Kneeling.
The most common overexertion injuries include sprains, strains, and tears.. Further, the service industries, such as trade, transportation, and utilities, are the most common fields where workers suffer from overexertion injuries.
Slips and Falls
Slips, falls, and trips account for approximately 18% of all workplace injuries, with 211,640 individuals harmed in the year 2020. These injuries may occur when an employee falls from a collapsing structure, trips over a hazard left on the ground, falls from a ladder, or from a variety of other events.
These accidents may result in neck, shoulder, or back injuries, head injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or more. Therefore, if you must work from a great height, such as on scaffolding, do so with extreme caution and always wear the proper safety equipment. Further, always alert management to potential hazards, such as puddles on the ground.
Being Struck, Caught-In, or Compressed by Equipment
Injuries resulting from contact with certain objects, including being struck, caught, or crushed by equipment, accounts for the third-leading cause of work-related deaths and the fourth leading cause of non-fatal injuries involving time away from work. In fact, these accidents caused 716 worker deaths and 196,140 worker injuries in 2020 alone. The service industries accounted for 65% of these kinds of injuries, including in retail trade and transportation and warehousing, with cuts and lacerations being the most commonly-reported injuries.
Motor Vehicle or Roadway Accidents
Injuries resulting from roadway incidents are one of the leading causes of work-related deaths. For instance, in 2020, 1,038 workers died and 25,830 were injured due to roadway accidents. Roadway accidents include injuries to vehicle occupants on highways, streets, or roads, as well as those on shoulders and surrounding areas. Further, service industries, such as transportation and warehousing, saw the highest percentage of roadway accident injuries.
Electrocutions
Electrical injuries are extremely serious and may be life-threatening, as the electrical current may cause deep burns, muscle and organ damage, and heart issues. Those who have suffered from an electrical injury may be left confused, disoriented, feeling weak, and suffering from hearing loss. Always seek medical care for serious electrical burns or injuries.
Although anyone who works near or uses electricity in their job is at risk of electric shocks, there are certain occupations which pose a greater risk of these types of injuries, including linemen, construction workers, electricians, and lighting specialists.
Fires and Explosions
Fires and explosions at the workplace are especially dangerous, as they can cause extreme injury to many individuals within an instant. The extent of worker injury will depend on several factors, including whether the explosion occurred indoors or outdoors, the material that blew up, how close the workers were to the explosion, and a variety of other elements.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, municipal fire departments responded to an average of 37,910 fires at industrial or manufacturing properties each year between 2011 and 2015. The annual losses from these fires included 16 deaths, 273 individual injuries, and $1.2 billion in property damage. Further, the leading causes of structural fires in industrial properties were electrical distribution and lighting equipment.
Any of these injuries could cause you extreme physical and emotional trauma. If you have been injured in a workplace accident, contact an experienced Colorado personal injury attorney at Zinda Law Group today. We can help investigate how your accident occurred and help you pursue the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries.
How to prevent workplace injuries
Workplace injuries can be devastating for both the injured employees and for the business itself. Although not all workplace injuries can be stopped, there are certain things that can be done to prevent several accidents from occurring. The Insurance Information Institute has put forth some of these steps, listed below:
Engage Management and Workers
Companies are more successful in improving workplace safety when both management and employees work together. This means that everyone is responsible for workplace safety. Also, specific employees and managers should be tasked with implementing, maintaining, and improving safety programs and procedures.
Evaluate Workplace Operations
Evaluating workplace operations means that the entire business should be analyzed from top to bottom. This includes reviewing equipment, examining worker activities, and speaking with employees about their own safety concerns. New operations and equipment should also be analyzed for risks prior to implementation.
Mitigate Workplace Hazards
It is also important to identify and mitigate workplace hazards. This is more than just being aware of hazards, such as broken equipment. Once these hazards are identified, they should be removed or controlled. For example, broken equipment should be replaced or fixed right away. Workplace hazards can also be mitigated by the addition of new safety measures and changing workplace operations.
Implement Workplace Safety Training
Employees should also be trained on workplace safety, which should include how to identify hazards. Workplace safety training should be included in the employee’s onboarding and should be offered as a refresher course on a regular basis. Employees should also be trained in first aid so that they are able to properly and effectively respond if an accident does occur.
Following these steps will not only prevent many injuries from occurring, but these programs have also been found to increase the morale, retention, and productivity of workers. If, however, you are still involved in an accident at work, contact a Colorado personal injury attorney at Zinda Law Group today. We can help investigate your case and fight for your legal rights, every step of the way.
Workers’ compensation benefits in Colorado
Workers’ compensation insurance provides medical and lost wage benefits to those individuals who have been injured while on the job. Under Colorado law, every business with employees operating in the state is required to maintain workers’ compensation insurance, regardless of the number of employees and no matter if the employees are working part-time or full-time.
As stated, workers’ compensation insurance allows injured workers to recover for their lost wages or permanent disability. To receive lost wages, the worker must have missed a minimum of three shifts from work. There are two main types of lost wages that you may obtain, namely:
- Temporary Total Disability. With Temporary Total Disability, you will receive two-thirds of your average weekly wage every two weeks. This is only provided if your doctor takes you completely off work or gives you restrictions that your employer cannot accommodate.
- Temporary Partial Disability. Temporary Partial Disability is available when you return to work but are not making your normal pay or working your regular hours due to your injury. The total amount received for Temporary Partial Disability is determined by subtracting the amount paid from the amount you would have been paid if you had not been injured.
To received permanent disability, you must be able to show that you have a permanent loss of function of a body part or system. The two types of permanent disabilities include:
- Permanent Partial Disability. Permanent Partial Disability are benefits which compensate the worker for permanent loss of function or impairment to a particular body part. The total amount received will be calculated using the percentage of loss determined by both your doctor and state statute.
- Permanent Total Disability. For Permanent Total Disability, you must be able to show that you are unable to earn any wages for the rest of your life. These benefits are paid in the same way as Temporary Total Disability, outlined above.
If you have been injured while on the job, contact a workplace injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group today. Our team has years of experience in workplace injury claims, and we are available to help you as well. We can help to explain workers’ compensation and your legal rights.
How long do I have to file a workplace injury claim in Colorado?
Workplace accidents may result in serious physical and emotional injury. Unfortunately, these injuries may cost the victim thousands of dollars in medical bills and related expenses. To receive compensation for these injuries, you will likely need to file a workers’ compensation claim against your employer. The time limit to file this claim does not last forever, however.
Under Colorado law, you have four days to report the injury to your employer, However, if you are physically unable to provide notice, your foreman, superintendent, or other individual in charge who is aware of the injury may submit notice to the employer. Further, if the employer fails to file the appropriate claim, you will have two years to file the claim yourself.
Further, if you believe your employer has not filed your claim in a timely manner, contact a workplace injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group as soon as possible. We can help investigate your claim and help you pursue the maximum amount of compensation available for your various injuries.
Call one of our Colorado workplace accident lawyers at zinda law group as soon as possible
Have you been involved in an accident at work, such as falling from scaffolding or from a ladder? If so, you may be injured and unsure of how to proceed with your legal claim. The legal process for a workplace injury can be long and daunting. It is important to contact a personal injury attorney at Zinda Law Group as soon as possible.
If you have been injured while at work, call an experienced Colorado personal injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group today. Our team has the knowledge and expertise needed to help you pursue the maximum amount of compensation in your unique case. We are also here to help guide you through every step of the legal process. Contact a Colorado personal injury lawyer at Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 as soon as possible to discuss your potential case. Your initial consultation is 100% free and you do not pay us anything unless we are successful in winning your workplace accident case. That is our No Win, No Fee Guarantee.
Meetings with attorneys are available by appointment only.
Additional Links:
- Arvada Personal Injury Lawyers
- Aurora Workplace Accident Lawyers
- Boulder Personal Injury Lawyers
- Colorado Springs Workplace Accident Lawyers
- Denver Workplace Accident Lawyers
- Durango
- Fort Collins Workplace Accident Lawyers
- Grand Junction
- Greeley Personal Injury Lawyers
- Lakewood Personal Injury Lawyers
- Longmont Personal Injury Lawyers
- Loveland
- Northglenn
- Parker Personal Injury Lawyers
- Pueblo
- Thornton Personal Injury Lawyers
