Every year, employers pay more than $95 billion for worker’s compensation insurance. These benefits help employees injured while on the job, covering lost wages as well as medical expenses and physical rehabilitation costs. When you consider the number of people injured or killed as a result of workplace injuries, the amount paid into worker’s compensation benefits makes sense.
The Missoula, MT attorneys at Murphy Law Firm would like to consider nationwide statistics on work-related injuries and illnesses. We will also take Montana statistics into account to offer perspective regarding national trends and why having an attorney on your side is so important.
National Non-Fatal Work Injury Statistics
According to statistics from the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 2.9 million non-fatal work injuries in the year 2016. This averaged out to 2.9 injuries for every 100 full-time equivalent employees that year. Roughly one-third of these non-fatal work injuries resulted in employees missing multiple days of work.
National Fatal Work Injury Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recored a total of 5,190 fatal work injuries in 2016. This is up from the 4,836 fatal work injuries recorded in 2015, and part of an upward trend in work-injury fatalities since 2013.
Industries with the Most Work Industries
The industries with the most injuries and accidents were as follows:
- Manufacturing
- Retail trade
- Construction
- Whole sale trade
Montana Work Injury Statistics
The state of Montana in particular recorded the following work-related injury statistics for the year 2015:
- The state of Montana recorded 14,400 OSHA recordable non-fatal injuries due to workplace incidents
- The injury/illness rate month Montana employees was 4.4 for every 100 full-time equivalent workers. The numbers note that the national work injury rate in 2015 was 3.0 injured workers for every 100 full-time employees. These numbers come from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics has 2016 numbers on fatal work injuries in the state of Montana. According to their data, there were 38 fatalities related to work injuries or work illnesses that year.
Most Common Injuries in the Manufacturing Industry
Manufacturing leads the nation and the state of Montana in work-related injuries. The most common kinds of injuries sustained in manufacturing tend to be the result of the following:
- Falls, slips, and trips
- Contact with harmful objects
- Exposure to harmful substances
- Fires and explosions
- Physical violence
How Our Work Injury Attorneys Can Help
After sustaining an injury at your workplace, it can be difficult to know what your legal options are. There may also be challenges in receiving your workers’ compensation benefits, which can cause financial hardship and frustration.
Our workplace injury lawyers have years of experience dealing with these matters. We can offer our help in filing appeals to receive worker’s compensation benefits, and guide you through the process of initial filings as well. If your injury the loss of a loved one was the result of negligence at the workplace, we can look into legal actions against employers. Workers and their families should not suffer because of poor working conditions or bad safety standards. Our expertise will offer peace of mind during a difficult period of recovery or mourning.
Learn More About Work Injury Lawsuits
To learn more about your legal rights and options following a work-related injury, we encourage you to contact an experienced work injury lawyer. The attorneys at Murphy Law Firm are here to offer insight and legal assistance following catastrophic accidents.
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