Common Workplace Accidents In Warehouse Distribution

Warehouse workers are exposed to a variety of occupational hazards during their daily tasks. They must frequently transport heavy quantities of goods and products, through both heavy lifting and the use of powerful machinery like forklifts. Even when proper safety protocol is followed, accidents still happen and warehouse workers still get injured.

Injury Benefits After A Warehouse Accident

If you've been injured in a warehouse accident, it's important to be aware of your right to compensation. Like virtually all other Pennsylvania employees, you are entitled to benefits through Workers' Compensation. If your injuries are severe enough to prevent you for working for more than 12 months, you may also qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.

This system is meant to simplify the claims process by providing coverage for injured workers, regardless of who was responsible for causing the accident and your injuries. In exchange for providing this coverage, you give up the right to sue your employer, even if employer negligence directly caused your injury.

However, getting the compensation you deserve may be difficult. Your employer and his or her insurance carrier may attempt to limit your coverage of deny your claim altogether.

Most injured workers don't have the time or money to go through these delays, but an experienced work injury lawyer can help you earn full compensation in a timely manner.

Common Warehouse Accidents

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict safety guidelines for the warehousing industry. It's absolutely crucial that employers follow these guidelines in order to keep their workers safe. However, even small mistakes and oversights can lead to serious accidents and injuries.

Forklifts

Forklift operators must be properly trained in how to safely operate this potentially dangerous piece of heavy machinery. Accidents endanger the operator as well as coworkers in the immediate area, as they could be struck by the machine or the cargo being carried. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that forklifts cause 100 deaths and over 20,000 serious injuries each year.

Slips, Trips, & Falls

Falls are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries. Warehouses in certain industries may store large quantities of liquids which could create a serious slip and fall hazard when they leak or spill. Warehouse workers should be trained to stay vigilant of these hazards and to promptly clean up any slick surfaces in order to keep the work environment safe.

Pallet Rack Collapses

It's extremely important to follow warehouse best practices when stacking large pallets with goods. Pallets which are improperly loaded or wrapped may become unstable and tip over. This can be especially disastrous when pallets tip over from elevated surfaces, and even small objects falling from heights can cause serious injuries if they strike employees working below.

Overexertion

According to the Insurance Journal, overexertion was the number one cause of workplace injuries in 2012, accounting for over 25% of injuries. Overexertion happens when a worker pushes themselves a bit too hard physically while engaged in strenuous labor such as lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying. This can cause sudden injuries like pulled muscles and also slowly acquired musculoskeletal conditions.

How Can A Lawyer Help Me?

In an ideal world, injured workers would simply receive the compensation they need for medical bills, lost wages, and other injury-related expenses while they're out of work. However, insurance companies needlessly complicate this process by attempting to deny coverage to workers who rightfully deserve it. This is how the insurance industry works - each denied claim means a profit for the carrier.

Our experienced work injury lawyers have seen it all from employers and their insurance carriers. We know how to provide detailed evidence for claims and how to respond to attempts to limit or deny coverage. We have also helped injured workers recover additional compensation in personal injury claims when defective products or negligent third parties caused their injuries.

Having dedicated legal counsel by your side is often the best way to streamline the claims process and earn the compensation you deserve quickly so that you can focus on recovering and getting back to work. We'll make sure that you don't need to worry about money while you're out of work and will only ask for payment after you've received your compensation.

Further Reading

• The ins and outs of Workers' Comp
• Common workplace injuries in warehouse distribution
• Accidents related to machinery (e.g. forklifts)
• Muscle and nerve conditions related to overexertion