Warehouse work is labor-intensive and thus often results in a high number of workplace injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), laborers handling freight, stock, and materials in warehouses were among the top ten most injured types of workers in 2020. Reports show a rate of around 300 incidents per 10,000 workers from 2019 to 2020, which comes out to a significantly high rate of incidents when you consider the 3.4 million who are employed as warehouse workers in the U.S.

If you are injured in a warehouse incident, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation for your injuries. Mississippi workers who are eligible can receive benefits that can help them cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages related to their workplace injury or illness. However, filing for workers’ compensation is not always easy. If you have questions or concerns, you should contact an experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation attorney who can help guide you through the process to ensure full benefits are paid.

Common Warehouse Accidents and Injuries

Warehouse work is strenuous, and workers can come into contact with dangerous equipment, materials, and other hazards daily. Often, accidents in this type of environment occur due to poor workplace safety, insufficient supervision and training, and fatigue from long hours of physical labor. Even when safety standards are followed, accidents still happen.

Some of the most common warehouse related accidents and injuries include the following:

1. Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are very common in warehouse settings. Workers can easily fall from elevated surfaces such as loading docks or ladders. It is also common for workers to trip over materials that are lying about or to slip and fall on spilled materials such as liquids or oils.

2. Forklift Accidents

Warehouse workers use forklifts to move heavy materials around the warehouse. If the operator is not careful, they can run over other workers, or items can fall off of the forklift and crush workers nearby. It is also common for forklifts to overturn and fall on top of workers, resulting in severe injuries and death.

3. Overexertion

As previously mentioned, warehouse work is very labor-intensive. Combine the physical labor with long working hours, and you end up with a significant number of overexertion injuries. The back, knees, and shoulders are all common areas that get overworked, and over time, the stress placed on these parts of the body can lead to injury.

4. Blunt Force Trauma

With so much going on and so many things being moved about, it is common for workers to run into objects or be struck by falling objects, leading to blunt force trauma or even crush injuries. When a worker runs into an object or if an object such as a pallet falls and hits a worker, they can suffer from contusions, puncture wounds, lacerations, and crushed limbs. If an object strikes a worker’s head, they can suffer from a traumatic brain injury which can be quite severe and even fatal.

5. Hazardous Material Exposure

Shipments and items containing hazardous materials can break open and spill, exposing workers to noxious chemicals. Short-term, direct exposure can cause chemical burns, headaches, eye injuries, and convulsions. Long-term exposure can cause organ damage and even cause cancer.

Connect with an Experienced Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Warehouse work is labor-intensive and puts workers at high risk for injury or illness. If you or a loved one are injured or become sick due to warehouse-related work, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can help you cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages while you recover from your injuries.

Filing for workers’ compensation, however, is not always an easy process. In some cases, your claim may get denied, or you might not receive the full benefits that you deserve. If you suffer from a workplace injury and need help with your worker’s compensation claim, our team of experienced attorneys can help.

For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Mississippi, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. After-hours visits are available.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), over 13 million manufacturing workers are at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Of all industries in the United States, 8% of workplace fatalities occur in the manufacturing industry.

If you are injured as a factory worker in Mississippi, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Applying for workers’ compensation can sometimes be a hassle, and in some cases, your claim may get denied, or you may not be awarded the full benefits you deserve. However, it is your right as an injured worker to receive the benefits you need while recovering. Working with an experienced Mississippi workers’ compensation attorney can ensure your claim is approved so you can get the full benefits you deserve.

Common Manufacturing Industry Injuries in Mississippi

Manufacturing workers come in contact with various elements daily that can put them at risk, such as heavy machinery, hazardous materials, and high noise levels. Typically, the manufacturing industry has high safety standards and protocols in place to protect workers, but unfortunately, accidents still happen. Some of the most common injuries that occur in the manufacturing setting include the following:

Slips and Falls

Often, factory work requires accessing raised platforms, ladders, or other elevated structures. For this reason, injuries from slips and falls are the most reported in the manufacturing workplace setting. A fall from a great height can cause severe injuries such as broken or crushed bones, damage to internal organs, and traumatic head and brain injuries. In many cases, fall injuries are fatal.

Overexertion

Manufacturing work often requires intense physical labor under extreme conditions. As a result, it is common for workers in this line of work to strain or overexert themselves while performing their daily tasks. When this occurs, the body may be pushed past its physical limits, leading to exhaustion, muscle fatigue, strains, and back injuries.

Repetitive Motion Injuries

Workers in factories also often perform the same type of tasks repeatedly on a daily basis which can lead to repetitive strain. The lower back, shoulders, knees, and other joints are commonly affected by repetitive strain.

Thermal and Chemical Burns

Working with high heat, chemical substances, and other combustible materials can lead to chemical and thermal burns in the factory setting. Burns and shock can also occur when coming into contact with electricity from exposed wires or faulty machinery and equipment.

Exposure Illnesses

Workers not only suffer burns from hazardous material exposure, but they can also develop exposure illnesses that develop over time. The longer you are exposed to noxious chemicals, the sicker you can become.

Contusions, Fractures, Punctures, Lacerations, and Amputations

Coming into contact with various objects such as heavy machinery and equipment in the manufacturing industry can lead to a number of different injuries. Workers can sustain contusions, punctures, and lacerations if they get hit by an object or come into contact with dangerous equipment. Severe lacerations, fractured bones, and crushed limbs that lead to amputations can also occur when workers get caught in heavy machinery.

Connect with an Experienced Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Factory environments can be very dangerous and put workers at high risk for injury and illness. If you or a loved one are injured or become sick as a result of manufacturing work, you may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can help you cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages while you recover from your injuries.

However, it is not uncommon for workers’ comp claims to get denied or for workers to receive less compensation than they deserve. A professional workers’ compensation attorney can help guide you through the application process to ensure no mistakes are made. And if your claim does get denied, they can help you file an appeal to make sure you get the full amount of benefits you are owed.

For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Mississippi, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. After-hours visits are available.

According to the CDC, 87 deaths and 11,000 non-fatal injuries were reported among maritime workers from 2011-2017, which is nearly six times the rate of all workers in the United States. Fatality rates are high for this industry due to the extreme working conditions; even nonfatal injuries and illnesses are high and often result in severe injuries that leave workers permanently disabled.

While there are federal laws in place to protect maritime workers, Mississippi does not protect them through standard state workers’ compensation coverage. Understanding the laws that do protect these maritime workers and offer compensation for injuries and illnesses can be a challenge. For this reason, it is crucial for marine workers to connect with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to ensure they file the appropriate claim to get the compensation they deserve.

How Maritime Accidents Occur

Marine workers are often exposed to extreme working conditions, not to mention the fact that the ocean itself poses a dangerous threat, meaning accidents and injuries are quite common in this industry. Some of the most common reasons maritime accidents occur include:

• Unpredictable weather and swells
• Dangerous machinery
• Intense physical labor
• Long working hours and lack of sleep
• Prolonged periods of isolation and being away from home
• Confined spaces
• Bullying and abuse amongst the workers
• Diving accidents
• Fires and explosions
• Exposure to hazardous materials and chemicals
• Loading and unloading accidents

Common Maritime Worker Injuries

Due to the highly dangerous working conditions, injuries and illnesses sustained while performing maritime work are often more severe and deadly than those experienced in other industries.

Common maritime injuries include:

• Drowning
• Hypothermia
• Toxic exposure illnesses
• Chemical burns
• Thermal burns
• Head, neck, and back injuries
• Slip and fall injuries
• Loss of limbs
• Fractures and lacerations
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Damage to internal organs
• Assault injuries
• Suicide

Maritime Injury Compensation Law

While maritime workers are not eligible for standard state workers’ compensation benefits in Mississippi, there are federal laws in place that protect them in case of injury or illness. Of these federal laws, the Jones Act is the most relevant.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act is a federal law that protects maritime workers who have been injured due to negligent employers. This act ensures that vessel owners and supervisors are held responsible for the maintenance of the vessel and work equipment, as well as ensuring they provide a safe work environment for their employees.

Damages that can be awarded under the Jones Act include:

• Medical expenses
• Loss of wages
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Living expenses during recovery
• Wrongful death

Maintenance and Cure

In addition to coverage under the Jones Act, injured maritime workers are also eligible for a provision called Maintenance and Cure. This is essentially a stipend that compensates injured workers for living expenses and other basic needs while they recover. Additionally, it requires vessel owners to cover all necessary medical expenses relating to the injury until the worker reaches “maximum medical improvement.”

Connect with an Experienced Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Attorney

The process of filing for workers’ compensation can be challenging under normal circumstances. However, the process can be even more complicated for maritime workers as they are not eligible for standard state workers’ comp benefits. If you are injured as a maritime worker, an experienced workers’ comp attorney can help answer your questions and guide you through the process of filing a claim under the law that is most relevant to your situation.

For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Mississippi, contact Lunsford, Baskin, and Priebe, PLLC. After-hours visits are available.

What is known is that non-injury shoulder pain is always a wear and tear condition. Since most people spend about a third of their time at work, it is rather easy to put two and two together. Should pain almost always has a work-related origin, or it is at least aggravated by a work-related condition.

In either case, a Jackson & New Orleans shoulder & knee injury attorney can normally obtain compensation for these injuries. This compensation usually includes money for both lost wages and medical bills related to the victim’s shoulder pain.

Spine Issues

Frequently, shoulder pain is mysterious because the shoulder is not the issue. Disc and cervical spine issues often cause pain in the shoulders, specifically the shoulder blades.

Falls and wear and tear could cause these injuries. Frequently, fall victims land on their backs. They might not feel much pain at the time. But these falls often jar the cervical spine. That motion irritates nerves, causing pain in the shoulder. At first, the victim might not connect the fall to the shoulder pain. As a result, the injury gets worse.

Disc injuries are usually wear and tear injuries. A hairline or stress fracture in the spine allows the material inside the spinal cord to ooze out and put pressure on a nerve. Usually, that pressure causes back pain. But sometimes, it causes shoulder pain. Once again, the injury usually deteriorates before a doctor determines the problem.

Calcific Tendonitis

Doctors do not know what causes calcium deposits to accumulate around tendons and muscles in the shoulder. But they know it happens. Only an X-ray reveals the damage. Generally, injections and anti-inflammatory medications successfully treat calcific tendonitis. This condition normally affects people over 30.

Frozen Shoulder

The shoulder is essentially a ball and socket joint. Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is inflammation in the ball joint’s lining. At first, these victims experience discomfort. Soon, that discomfort becomes a range of motion limitation and overall stiffness. Exercises, steroids, and numbing agents typically loosen the shoulder joint.

Frozen shoulder is one of the leading causes of non-injury shoulder pain. The aforementioned treatments are usually not permanent. Frequently, this condition occurs again, often in the other shoulder.

Arthritis

This condition is usually genetic, and work activity exacerbates it. Other times, an undiagnosed injury causes arthritis. Usually, the effects are so gradual that the victim never seeks treatment. There is no cure for arthritis, although certain medications, as well as some surgical procedures, can alleviate the symptoms.

Bursitis/Tendonitis/Rotator Cuff Tears

Older people are more susceptible to bursitis and tendonitis. Time alters the shoulder joint. Then, as the tendon degenerates, the bone’s bursa lining becomes irritated. So, a combination of age and repetitive activity often causes these injuries. Manual laborers are especially at risk for tendonitis and bursitis.

A rotator cuff tear usually has the same feeling, but the cause is different. Weak tendons are susceptible to tears. These tears usually cause throbbing pain, as opposed to a dull ache or stiffness. 

Count on a Diligent Attorney

Shoulder pain is almost always work-related. For a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Jackson, contact Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe, PLLC. Home and hospital visits are available.

Resource:

orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/shoulder-pain-and-common-shoulder-problems/

https://www.lunsfordbaskin.com/does-louisiana-workers-compensation-cover-knee-shoulder-and-other-joint-injuries/

RSIs are occupational diseases. They do not occur immediately. Instead, these nerve and/or  musculoskeletal injuries occur slowly over time. As a result, these claims are procedurally different from other workers’ compensation claims, as outlined below.

RSI might be different, but the Louisiana workers’ compensation system clearly covers these occupational diseases. That coverage means that victims are entitled to compensation for their lowest wages and medical expenses. A New Orleans workers’ compensation attorney helps ensure that victims receive fair compensation, as opposed to the coverage the insurance company allows.

RSI Symptoms

Dull aches, pulsating pains, and debilitating weaknesses are usually the symptoms of RSI. However, most job injury victims do not go to the doctor when they first experience these symptoms. As a result, their condition deteriorates, and the claims deadline usually passes before they take action.

If victims do not see doctors and their conditions worsen, full compensation is usually still available. Victims have no legal obligation to mitigate (voluntarily reduce) their injuries until they are fully aware of their conditions.

Similarly, if the victim has an occupational disease and the claims deadline passes, the victim is normally still eligible for compensation. According to the discovery rule, victims have no obligation to initiate claims until they know the full extent of their illnesses and they connect that illness to a workplace condition.

RSI is an umbrella term for about a dozen conditions. Most of them involve repetitive muscle strain. The individual exertions are not dangerous. Instead, the damage builds up over time. Since the 1970s, carpal tunnel syndrome and other office-related RSIs have been almost as common as RSIs among manual laborers.

RSI Risk Factors

Occupational factors are the leading cause of RSIs. The amount of time required to develop a repetitive stress injury varies according to the type of work and the individual.

There is an emotional component as well. The mind-body connection sometimes comes into play. Statistically, people with poor attitudes about their jobs due to long hours, lack of control, and so on develop RSIs at an accelerated rate. On a related note, RSI is associated with the stress hormone catecholamines. Long-term exposure to this chemical could cause a brain injury.

Other factors include gender, age, alcohol/drug use, diabetes, and obesity. Pre-existing conditions and non-occupational risk factors like these typically do not affect the amount of compensation in Louisiana.

RSI Treatment

Rest and physical therapy are generally the best treatments for repetitive stress injuries. Rest allows the muscles and/or nerves to regenerate. Physical therapy strengthens these nerves and/or muscles. In other words, there is no quick fix. RSI victims might be off work, or be forced to accept light-duty assignments, for several weeks or months.

Once the victim returns to work, ergonomics are important. Office workers must have the proper furniture and blue-collar workers must have protective devices, like braces. Otherwise, the victim will develop another RSI, and the whole process begins again.

 Contact an Aggressive Attorney

Occupational disease victims might be entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Jackson & New Orleans shoulder & knee injury attorney, contact Lunsford, Baskin & Priebe, PLLC. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these cases.

Resource:

my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17424-repetitive-stress-injury