With the hurricane relief effort in full swing and the winter moving in upon us, many people have been utilizing chainsaws and other machines to aid them with yard clean-up. Landscaping businesses are familiar with the usage of this dangerous equipment, but accidents can still occur and can cause serious injuries. Injuries that occur in the workplace are covered by workers' compensation, the funds from which can aid in paying off medical bills and curbing the financial burden of being unable to work.
According to the director of the Yale Hand and Microsurgery Center, following a tropical storm last year, the surgeons saw a streak of hand mutilation injuries. The main cause of these injuries, he said, here wood splitters, commonly used in storm clean-up. Other bladed machines, such as chainsaws, circular saws and hand saws, can cause similar injuries.
It is important to always remain vigilant while working on a site, but these injuries can occur regardless of an employee's attention if proper protocols are not being followed. For foremen, supervisors and employers, the health and safety of their employees ought to be of the utmost importance. Workers' comp will be earned no matter what, but if an employee can prove negligence on the part of the employer, they may be able to receive additional fund to aid in their recovery and the maintenance of their family.
An experienced workers' compensation attorney can be an excellent recourse for people who are injured on the job and are unsure where to turn for help or advice. In addition, if denied workers' comp for any reason, and attorney can assist in getting the fund necessary to recover.
Source: The Connecticut Post, "Chainsaws, woodsplitters major culprit in post-storm injuries," Amanda Cuda, Nov. 5, 2012
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