In 2020 alone private industry employers reported 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses. Missed work can mean lost income and financial troubles a worker does not deserve —all on top of the pain of the injury itself.
Ohio Workplace Accidents: An Overview
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 91,000 nonfatal workplace injuries occurred in Ohio in 2019, the most recent year for which data is available. This averages to a rate of 2.8 injuries for every 100 full-time workers.
A workplace injury can occur at any time in any environment, and can cause serious harm or death — 166 fatal injuries were reported in Ohio in 2019 alone.
Work-related injuries are more common and wide-ranging than you might think. Repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome can be covered under work-related injury laws as well.
Nearly 40% of fatal workplace injuries, by far the largest percentage, are the result of motor vehicle collisions, according to OSHA. The next most common cause of death is from falls, slips, and trips, which account for nearly 20% of Ohio’s fatal workplace injuries.
In many cases, fatal workplace injuries can be grounds for successful wrongful death cases, as well as workers’ compensation claims. In cases where the injuries were not fatal, workers’ compensation settlements are reached and provide substantial compensation to victims and their families.
Common Workplace Accidents
Workplace injuries often occur in the construction and manufacturing industries. Injuries can include:
- Falls: Workers at construction sites, factories, power plants, and other industrial sites are at risk for falls from scaffolding, cranes, roofs, ladders, and other heights;
- Falling objects: Construction workers are at risk of being struck by objects from above, such as tools used by other workers and construction materials that are not properly secured. This can lead to serious brain and spinal injuries;
- Equipment-related injuries: Heavy machinery can fail and become dangerous. Forklifts or dumpsters can overturn. Power tools can misfire. These incidents may also call for a product liability lawsuit;
- Vehicle collisions: Workers are at risk of being run over by trucks backing up or crushed between vehicles and other objects;
- Fire and explosions: These incidents occur and can cause injury at construction sites which often contain hazardous chemicals, leaking pipes, or flammable materials;
- Building or trench collapses: Buildings undergoing demolition or under construction can suddenly collapse, seriously injuring or even killing those inside;
- Heat stroke or hypothermia: Anyone who regularly works outdoors can be subject to extreme temperatures;
- High lead levels and respiratory diseases:This includes asbestos and silicosis.
Other common injuries that can occur in other workplaces include:
- Lifting injuries;
- Falls from ladders;
- Exposure to hazardous chemicals;
- Fire or explosions;
- Automobile collisions during work-related travel such as when transporting goods on roads.
Most Common Types of Job Injuries
Workplace accidents can lead to many different injuries, both serious and less severe. Here are some of the most common workplace injuries our Ohio workplace injury attorneys see:
- Overexertion: This includes injuries from pulling, lifting, pushing, holding, or carrying heavy objects at work;
- Falls: You don’t have to fall from a great height to suffer a serious injury. It can happen on level ground;
- Struck by an object: Workers may be struck by objects or walls, doors, cabinets, glass windows, or furniture;
- Assaults and violent acts: Arguments in the workplace can turn into altercations that can lead to serious injuries;
- Brain and spinal cord injuries: These can leave victims partially or completely disabled;
- Occupational diseases: Miners, manufacturing workers, and others are at heightened risk of exposure to toxic substances;
- Loss of hearing: Many workplaces are loud enough to cause serious hearing loss; explosions or other loud incidents can also lead to hearing loss;
- Fractures and sprains: Many accidents can lead to broken bones and serious sprains;
- Psychological conditions: Workplace conditions can be physically safe but emotionally detrimental if management allows employees to be treated unacceptably.
Contact a Workplace Injury Lawyer
Only a skilled and experienced workplace injury lawyer can help you secure the maximum compensation when you are injured on the job in Ohio. The workers’ compensation lawyers at have the passion and experience to help you get the settlement you deserve. We have successfully represented Ohio workers for decades.
If you or a loved one are injured in the workplace, contact the workplace accident attorneys of Plevin & Gallucci at1-855-4-PLEVINorcontact us online.The consultation is free and without obligation.
We serve residents ofCleveland, Columbus, and Waverly.
Ohio Work Injury FAQs
Are workplace injuries covered when the employee is partially at fault?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. This means it doesn’t matter whether a worker was careless when injured. Claims made by employees who hurt themselves while drunk on the job or fighting, however, are often rejected as outside the bounds of work-related activity.
Are repetitive motion injuries covered by the Ohio Workers’ Compensation System?
Yes. In fact, repetitive motion injuries are the most rapidly growing category of workplace injuries. These injuries commonly affect the wrists, hands, and forearms.
Are stress-related injuries covered by Workers’ Compensation?
It depends. You cannot have a claim for this in Ohio. Only in certain circ*mstances can mental injury be added to a claim that involves physical injury.
What are occupational illnesses?
An illness can become an occupational illness when a worker becomes sick with a condition directly linked to their job duties. A good example is carpal tunnel syndrome, a repetitive movement stress injury.
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