No matter what your job is, you always have a risk of being injured at work. While some jobs are considerably more physical, other jobs still commonly see injuries to various parts of the body. Whether you work with machinery or sit at a desk, lift heavy objects or drive a car for work, dangerous activities, repetitive motions, and even constant sitting can take their toll on the body. If you were injured at work, you may be able to seek Workers’ Compensation for your injuries. That means having your medical costs and lost wages covered through Arkansas’ Workers’ Compensation program. If you suffered injuries at work, talk to a Fayetteville workplace injury attorney like Ken Kieklak, today.
Typical Workplace Injuries in Arkansas
The following is a list of some common workplace injuries in Arkansas, and some examples of how they can occur. While these may not be the most common injuries, they are all certainly among the top 10 most common, according to the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission. If you are experiencing any of the conditions below, it is crucial to contact a reliable and experienced Benton County workplace injury attorney immediately.
1. Wrist Injuries
For those who spend a lot of time typing, driving, or even lifting, wrist injuries may be quite common. Carpal tunnel is one of those injuries that can result from repetitive motions every day at work. Constant typing or constantly gripping a steering wheel are frequently the cause of these kinds of repetitive stress injuries.
Other wrist injuries may occur in more dangerous jobs. Lifting and carrying heavy items can often leave your body worn-out, including your wrists. Falls and tumbles may cause broken, sprained, or strained wrists. Additionally, heavy machinery always has the risk of injuring workers and should be handled with extreme care.
2. Ankle Injuries
Most ankle injuries come from twisted ankles or repetitive stress on the joints. If you lift and carry things for a living, you may be vulnerable to ankle injuries. Walking on uneven pavement, up and down steps, or across construction zones and fields could easily result in a twisted ankle. If you are carrying something, you may not be able to see dangers on the ground, and could more easily take a wrong step.
Repetitive stress can leave any joint vulnerable to damage over time, especially joints like the ankles and knees, which often bear your full weight plus the weight of anything you’re carrying. If you are getting older, your ankles may not be what they used to be, and you may be more at-risk for ankle problems.
3. Finger Injuries
Unfortunately for machinists, construction workers, and others who operate power tools and heavy machinery at work, finger injuries are one of the most common in Arkansas. Operating machines often involves dexterity – you need to move belts into place, reposition gears or switches, or thread materials through tight machine spaces. Unfortunately, most of these areas contain moving parts. One accident could mean crushing or even amputating a finger.
With power tools, the risk of injuring your hands or fingers is ever-present. While proper safety techniques and gloves may help protect your fingers, accidents still happen. One slip with a piece of wood or a bad grip on a tool could mean losing a finger. While many of these injuries may be reparable if you get to a hospital quickly, you may still be unable to return to work for quite some time.
4. Multiple Body Part Injuries
The number one injury, according to the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission, is injuries to multiple areas of the body. While this may include close-together areas, such as the hand and wrist, it still highlights the fact that workplace injuries are often quite expansive. With 817 multiple body part injuries reported in 2016, this is the most common workplace injury in Arkansas.
Many jobs are full-body experiences. Not only does your mind need to focus on many work tasks, but your entire body needs to be coordinated to keep yourself safe. Injuries sustained in a serious fall or a factory explosion could not only injure many people, but could have widespread injuries across the body. Even the stress of sitting at a desk every day can take its toll on multiple areas of the body, with poor posture or typing technique taking its toll on your back, neck, shoulders, and wrists.
5. Low-Back Injuries
Last, but certainly not least, is lower back injuries. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that most serious back injuries are not caused by one, single event. Instead, “micro-trauma” to the bones, ligaments, discs, and other tissue in the back builds up over time. When you have an acute injury, like when you hurt your back lifting something, it may seem like that one event caused the injury. In reality, it may have been building for years.
This is why even low-intensity jobs may see employees suffering low back injuries. Desk jobs and driving jobs may require sitting for long periods of time, and not every employer is willing to spend money on supportive chairs or car seats. Because of this, most people are either injured by repetitive strain on the lower back, lifting or carrying heavy items at work, or repeated bending over.
Arkansas Workers’ Comp. and Workplace Injury Lawyer
If you were injured at work in Arkansas, consider taking your case to Fayetteville AR Workers’ Compensation lawyer Ken Kieklak. Ken has years of experience helping injured workers get the workers’ comp. coverage to continue providing for their family when they are injured at work. Call (479) 316-0438 today for a free consultation on your workplace injury case.