Reportedly, more than 5,400 fatal work-related injuries occurred in the United States in 2022. This was a nearly 6% increase from the total number of work-related injuries in 2021. Injuries are particularly a problem in the construction field in New Jersey and other states.
A look at construction site injuries
According to a recent report, the number of fatalities among workers in extraction and construction occupations ranked number two in 2022 compared with other occupations. The total number of work-related construction industry fatalities that year was 1,056. Trips, slips and falls contributed to more than 420 of these deaths.
The rate of fatalities for extraction and construction workers increased from more than 12 deaths per 100,000 full-time-equivalent laborers in 2021 to a total of 13 deaths in 2022. A major cause of these deaths was exposure to extreme temperatures, which caused the number of fatalities to increase by more than 18 percent from 2021 to 2022. Another cause of fatalities was being struck by equipment and objects, which sparked a 4.7 percent increase in the number of fatalities from 2021 to 2022.
How a workers’ compensation attorney may help
Construction workers injured on the job in New Jersey would be wise to contact a workers’ compensation attorney right away. A lawyer can help an injured worker file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits to cover work accident–related losses, including lost wages, medical bills and ongoing health care expenses. In addition, if the individual’s employer denies the claim, the attorney can help the individual file an appeal to receive the benefits to which he or she is entitled in light of his or her injuries.