While every job has unique risks, there is no denying that some jobs are more dangerous than others. Learn five of the most dangerous jobs in the country and what you can do after suffering an injury at work.
How Common Are Work Injuries?
Work accidents and injuries happen far too often. In fact, there were 5,250 workplace deaths in 2018 alone. The occupations listed below are considered the most dangerous based on their rate of fatal injuries per 100,000 workers:
#1. Logging Workers
Logging workers face innumerable hazards on the job, including falling branches and trees. Logging is the most dangerous occupation in the country when taking into consideration the number of fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. In 2018, logging workers suffered 74 fatal injuries, which amounts to 97.6 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. The most common fatal accident involved contact with objects and equipment.
#2. Fishers
Professional fishers work on boats in large bodies of water and handle dangerous equipment including nets and traps. There were 30 fatal injuries in this field in 2018, which amounts to 77.4 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. The most common fatal accident involved transportation accidents, most often on the boats used to harvest fish.
#3. Pilots
Although air travel has become much safer over the years, pilots still experience a great number of work accidents and injuries. In 2018, there were 70 fatal injuries which were equivalent to 58.9 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. The most common fatal accident involved transportation accidents, including plane crashes. Such incidents most often happen in the private sector.
#4. Roofers
Roofers spend most of their time at great heights on top of buildings. As such, they are at an extremely high risk of falls. In 2018, there were 96 fatal injuries which were equivalent to 51.5 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. The most common fatal accident involved slips, trips, and falls.
#5. Garbage Collectors
Garbage collectors handle heavy equipment and operate dangerous machinery every day. They also spend much of their time in the road, moving trash cans into garbage trucks. In 2018, there were 37 fatal injuries, which were equivalent to 44.3 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. The most common fatal accident involved a transportation accident, including getting hit by cars or falling off a garbage truck.
What to Do After a Work Injury
If you have been injured in a work accident, you have several options to pursue compensation, including the following:
- Workers’ compensation claim: A workers’ compensation claim is the easiest and fastest way to recover compensation after a work injury. However, you may not recover as much compensation as you would through a product liability or personal injury claim.
- Product liability claim: In certain situations, you may sue a product’s manufacturer for your work injury if your accident was caused by the product’s defect. While this type of claim can take more time, it can provide you with greater compensation for your recovery.
- Personal injury claim: It may be possible to sue your employer or your co-worker if their direct actions caused your work accident and injury. This is often only permissible if your employer or co-worker were acting “willfully, recklessly, or wantonly negligent.”
If you have been injured in a work accident, it’s in your best interest to contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can determine the best course of action for your unique case. As one of the top-rated personal injury firms in Alabama, Cunningham Bounds can fight to obtain the maximum compensation you may be owed.
Contact us today at (844) 417-0930 to schedule a free consultation.