Maryland Workers' Compensation Lawyer: 2015 Statistics for Common Workplace Accidents and Injuries

In 2015, there were fewer workers’ compensation claims filed than in 2014, with about 23,700 total claims filed.  Back injuries continued to be the most common part of the body affected, with 26% of all injuries.  Shoulder and knee injuries were the two next most common injuries in a workers’ compensation case.  The top four industries accounting for the most workers’ compensation claims are policemen and security, truckers, colleges or schools (including daycare centers), and hospitals.  Portner & Shure attorneys have represented clients in workers’ compensation cases for more than 25 years.  In addition, our attorneys have extensive experience dealing with insurance companies, employers, and the government with respect to obtaining injury benefits.  When you are in an accident at work, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits whether you, another employee, or your employer is at fault.

One interesting statistic to note from the 2015 data is the percentage of claims disallowed by the workers’ compensation commission.  Only 2.5%, or 584 of the more than 23,700 claims filed were disallowed by the commission.  That just goes to show that nearly every workers’ compensation claim brought against an employer is a valid claim.  Another important statistic to look at is the number of fatalities for workers’ compensation cases.  Unfortunately, the number of fatal accidents in 2015 increased to 67 compared to the previous two years, which both had numbers of 58 and 56, respectively.

The following are the most common accidents that occur in the workplace:

·         Construction accidents

·         Slip and fall accidents

·         Driving accidents (including coming and going to and from work)

·         Railroad accidents

·         Industrial accidents

·         Fire and explosion accidents

·         Electrocution and electric burn accidents

·         Heavy or defective equipment and machinery accidents (crane and forklift)

·         Falling from an elevation accidents (i.e. ladders, stairs, platforms, scaffolding)

The following are the most common injuries that result from the accidents listed above:

·         Arm, hand, and finger injuries

·         Back, neck, and spine injuries

·         Leg, knee, and foot injuries

·         Repetitive stress or overexertion injuries

·         Dog bites (UPS, FedEx, USPS)

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a Maryland work-related accident and would like to consult an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Columbia or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Workers-Compensation/

Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney: Common Reasons that Workers Comp Claims Get Denied and How an Attorney Can Help

Being injured at work can be one of the most painful, disruptive, and confusing events that can happen in a person’s life. If you are unable to work, the loss of income can be extremely burdensome on an injured worker and their family. If you don’t have health insurance, you may not know how to pay for medical treatment. And if you’ve sustained a permanent injury, you may wonder how you’ll ever make ends meet in the future.  Worrying about these issues on top of dealing with pain can be overwhelming.  Your attorney can help you get disability benefits, medical treatment, and even a lump sum award if you’ve sustained a permanent injury.

One of the greatest values of retaining an attorney is that you will have someone who is on your side to protect your interests, financial and medical, every step of the way.  Here are some of the most common reasons that workers compensation claims are denied and how hiring an experienced attorney can prevent these things from happening to you.

Injured workers’ claims are frequently denied on the basis that a causal connection is lacking, i.e., the injuries were preexisting.  Your attorney can set you up with a doctor of your choice to examine you and provide an unbiased opinion as to the cause of your injuries. Your attorney can negotiate with the insurance company using your doctor’s opinions to attempt to get your claim accepted.

Sometimes, an injured worker’s claim is initially accepted and you receive some medical treatment and some disability benefits.  But then the checks stop coming.

Your attorney can help you by setting you up with an unbiased doctor.  Your attorney can then use your doctor’s report to file issues on your behalf and obtain an order forcing the insurance carrier to pay your benefits.

If you or a family member have been injured or killed in a Maryland work-related accident and would like to consult an experienced Maryland workers' compensation attorney for free, contact our office at (301) 854-9000 to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in Baltimore or throughout Maryland or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Workers-Compensation/