Working in the restaurant industry can be dangerous. In fact, nearly 100,000 people suffer non-fatal workplace injuries each year. So, if you work in this industry, you might want to learn more about what leads to these workplace accidents so that you can try to avoid them.
What causes restaurant injuries?
There are several ways that workers can be put in harm’s way while working in the restaurant industry. Let’s look at some of the most common injuries that people in the restaurant industry suffer:
- Cuts and lacerations: Restaurant workers are often exposed to sharp objects that can pose a safety risk. Knives, machines meant for cutting bread and meat and broken dishes can all cause cuts, punctures and lacerations. Some of these injuries can be quite severe, too, leading to a need for stitches and surgery. Sometimes, workers even lose fingers in mishaps involving sharp objects.
- Burns: Hot surfaces, hot grease and boiling water can all come into contact with a worker’s skin, causing a severe burn. If these burns are bad enough, they can become infected and cause an even more severe medical condition.
- Eye injuries: While workers in the restaurant injury can experience hot grease and water splashing into their eyes, they’re also often exposed to harsh cleaning solutions. Some of these cleaning materials are so toxic that they can cause permanent eye damage and even blindness.
- Strains and sprains: Restaurant workers are also frequently required to lift heavy objects. This is especially true for those who move inventory and unload trucks. These individuals are at a higher risk of suffering a strain or a sprain. However, anyone who works in the restaurant industry can slip or trip and suffer a neck or back injury that causes long-term complications.
Restaurant workers are exposed to other risks as well. If you’re employed in this field, you need to make sure that you’re taking all safety precautions and asking your employer for proper safety equipment if you want to avoid harm as much as possible.
What if you’ve already been injured at work?
If you’ve already suffered a workplace injury, you’re probably trying to figure out how to pay for your medical care and recoup your lost wages. Fortunately, you might be able to offset your losses by seeking workers’ compensation benefits.
In order to succeed with one of these claims, though, you’ll have to show that you became injured at work and that your injuries prevent you from working. That may seem easy enough, but it’s actually a complicated process that, when inadequately approached, can leave workers with denied claims and without the financial resources that they need to secure stability while they focus on their recovery. That’s why you may want to consider whether you would benefit from having a legal professional’s assistance when pursuing your case.
How an attorney can help you with your workers’ compensation case
There are a lot of nuanced parts to a workers’ compensation case. An attorney who is experienced in these matters may be able to help you successfully navigate them by addressing the event that left you injured, analyzing applicable safety regulations, and working to secure the medical evidence that you need to support your claim. An attorney can also help you appeal a workers’ compensation claim denial if you’re unsuccessful on your first attempt to secure benefits.
So, if you’re ready to protect your interests and your ability to recover from your injuries, you might want to think about reaching out to an attorney of your choosing to discuss the matter further.