Healthcare Workers Face Various Injury Risks in Hospitals

At the personal injury law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we are committed to fighting for the rights and compensation of healthcare workers who have suffered on-the-job injuries. To speak with an experienced lawyer about your injury case, contact us at one of our offices in Wilmington, Newark, or Seaford.

Hospitals are supposed to be places of wellness, health, and recovery from life-threatening medical conditions. Given this environment filled with caretakers trying to help people, it may seem strange to learn that hospitals themselves are often hazardous places to work. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that hospitals are one of the most hazardous workplace environments in the U.S.

The number of workplace injuries and illnesses reported in recent years at hospitals has exceeded those occurring in other typically hazardous industries such as manufacturing and construction. To give you an idea of the numbers, in 2011 alone, nearly 254,000 work-related injuries and illnesses occurred in hospitals.

If you are a hospital employee in Delaware and have sustained an injury on-the-job, you likely have the right to secure considerable workers’ compensation benefits.

Reasons for hospital workplace dangers

The reasons why workplace injuries in hospitals occur are numerous. Some of the factors that precipitate these injuries among hospital staff include:

• Slip and falls. There are various types of liquids that are used and transported in a hospital environment. These include chemicals, bodily fluids, and water. When any of these fluids end up on the floor they can create a dangerous, slippery surface. As well, workers may accidentally trip over obstacles such as equipment, bed frames, and wires. Slip and fall accidents can lead to broken bones and even head trauma.
• Patients with restricted mobility. Elderly, ill, or injured patients can require significant help in carrying out the smallest movements. Hospital workers are constantly moving to and fro, transferring patients from gurneys, ambulances, and wheelchairs. They help patients get in and out of bed and reposition as necessary. The lifting involved in these activities can lead to back, neck, and shoulder injuries, some of which may include repetitive stress injuries.
• Unpredictable events. Sometimes hospital workers must make quick decisions during stressful situations. These decisions can also potentially lead to injuries.
• Ethical responsibilities. The duty of care incumbent upon medical professionals may sometimes involve placing their own welfare behind the welfare of their patients. At times, in an effort to protect or assist a patient, a worker may put his or her own physical safety at risk.
• Dangerous patients. Unfortunately, in hospital settings, some patients lack full mental stability when they are admitted. These patients are prone to becoming frustrated and exhibiting anger at hospital workers in the form of yelling and outbursts. In the worst cases, hospital workers may become victims of physical violence leading to injury.
• Sharp instruments and objects. Due to the various types of instruments hospital workers handle on a routine basis, such as surgical devices, needles, and other sharp objects, they are susceptible to piercing and laceration injuries.
• Hospital personnel are continually exposed to various elements, such as toxins and bodily fluids that may carry infectious diseases. Without proper sanitary conditions and procedures, a worker may be at risk for contacting contaminants and contracting serious illness or disease.

Regardless of the nature of the injury you may have suffered as a hospital worker on-the-job, you deserve the full amount of workers compensation available under the law.

If you have sustained a work-related injury or illness as a hospital or medical care professional that is costing you both physically and financially, the trusted workers’ compensation attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman can help. We have the experience to fight intelligently and vigorously for the financial compensation you deserve. Call us today at 302-888-2900 or complete our contact form to request a free consultation in Wilmington, Newark, or Seaford about your case.