Tripped and Fell at Work? What You Need to Know
Posted November 21st, 2017 by Anthony Carbone, PC.
Categories: Slip and Falls.
You might say your bad day just got worse. After all, you were already running late for an appointment. As you enter the salon, you head to your station. Before you even have a chance to motion your customer to come to your chair, you trip over some tangled wires. Somehow, the curling and straightening irons intertwined and created a tripping hazard. You can’t believe it.
Of course, your first instinct is to pick yourself up off the floor. However, your body won’t cooperate, your ankle has already started to swell and is throbbing. You are in pain and embarrassed. Meanwhile, you can do nothing more than apologize to your customer. Your boss decides to call for an ambulance as you are immobile.
In the end, it turns out that you need surgery on your broken ankle. You’ll be out of work for weeks. More than likely, your first concerns are how your medical bills will be paid. Next, you’ll be worried about receiving disability payments while you’re out recovering from your injuries.
The good news is that if you’re hurt at work, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. For starters, this means payment for authorized medical treatment. Next, you will receive a weekly percentage of wage reimbursement known as temporary disability benefits. Finally, you may also be due a certain amount of money for partial or total permanent disability.
In any case, you should consult with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney if you tripped and fell at work. The lawyer will not only work to make sure your rights are protected, but may also start an investigation to see if you have an additional type of claim.
Trip and Fall Work Accidents
In our example, it’s more than likely that the employee or a co-worker left the tangled mess of hair appliances. Therefore, workers’ compensation benefits would be the exclusive remedy. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, a third party can cause a tripping hazard. They may, therefore, have a role in the conditions that caused your injuries. You may be able to pursue legal action against them as well.
As you may realize, most trip and fall accidents fall under the umbrella of premises liability claims. Here are some examples of work-related accidents that may involve negligence on the part of someone outside your employer’s control:
- Plumber is installing pipes in new building. Another tradesman does a poor job of cleaning up debris and the plumber trips and falls and is badly hurt.
- Grocery store employee trips and falls over small boxes scattered by local food distributor from an outside company.
- Factory worker trips and falls over cleaning equipment left on the floor by outside maintenance company.
The National Safety Council offers some tips intended to prevent slip, trip, and fall down accidents. Although many employers focus on a safe environment, the fact is that accidents do happen. Unfortunately, you could easily become a victim.
Contact Us
Did you trip and fall at work? The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone has nearly three decades of experience in assisting those injured on the job. There is no cost to meet with us, and all fees are court ordered at the successful conclusion of the case. Please call us to see how we can help!
