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Amputations

Of the many types of injuries that occur in the workplace, few are as life-altering as the loss of a limb. If you lose an arm or leg, foot, or hand while on the job, so many day-to-day activities you took for granted before your injury can become monumental challenges. After the initial pain, trauma and shock of an amputation, you may no longer be able to do the job you’ve trained for and worked so hard at. You may have to spend years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in physical therapy and rehabilitation as you struggle to adjust to the new realities of your life.

Thousands of Workplace Amputations Every Year

American workers lose limbs in workplace accidents at an alarmingly high rate. A 2016 report from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) shows American employers reported a total of 10,388 severe workplace injuries in 2015, and 2,644 of those injuries were amputations, meaning that approximately 25 percent of all reported workplace injuries involved the loss of a limb.

Common Causes of Work-Related Amputations

No industry or job is immune from the possibility of an amputation injury, but some workers are unquestionably more at risk than others. According to OSHA, almost 60 percent of all job-related amputations in 2015 occurred in the manufacturing industry, followed by construction workers, who accounted for 10 percent of all workplace amputations.

Workers who lose limbs commonly include those operating unguarded or inadequately safeguarded:

  • Mechanical power presses
  • Power press brakes
  • Powered and nonpowered conveyors
  • Printing presses
  • Roll-forming and roll bending machines
  • Food slicers
  • Meat grinders
  • Drill presses
  • Milling machines

Limbs are also frequently lost during materials-handling activities, such as those involving forklifts, trash compactors, and powered and nonpowered hand tools.

How We Can Help

The practical, physical, psychological and financial challenges that follow the loss of a limb in a workplace accident can overwhelm families. For individuals struggling to adjust to life after an amputation, the last thing they need is a struggle to get the compensation and resources to which they are entitled, and which can be vital to their recoveries.

While workers’ compensation insurance covers amputations from on-the-job accidents, workers seeking their benefits often run into obstacles or resistance from employers or their insurers, or they may be awarded less than what they deserve. Additionally, third-parties other than your employer, such as the manufacturer of a defective piece of equipment, may be liable for the injuries their product caused.

At Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, our experienced San Diego workers’ compensation and personal injury attorneys use the extensive resources and experience of our firm to make the workers’ compensation process as simple and straightforward as possible for our clients. At the same time, we use creative solutions to try to get our clients paid as quickly as possible so that they can focus more on their recoveries and less on their legal issues.

CALL Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, TODAY TO ARRANGE FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION.

If you or a loved one has lost a limb in a workplace accident and need assistance obtaining the benefits and compensation which can help you move forward, please call us at 619-369-3323 or use the form on our contact page to set up your free consultation.

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