Many Texans are injured on the job each year, and some of them will be left either partially or totally disabled as a result. A new study shows that musculoskeletal injuries caused by overexertion are a leading cause of disabling workplace injuries.
The study, released by Liberty Mutual Insurance, reviewed injury data from 2013 for amounts paid out for various categories of workplace injuries. Almost 25 percent of the cost was accounted for by overexertion injuries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 32 percent of workplace injuries and illnesses in 2014 were musculoskeletal in nature.
Liberty Mutual reported that the leading five injury types in 2013 accounted for 64.8 percent of the total costs for claims during that year. The top 10 accounted for 82.5 percent of the total of $61.88 billion. Behind overexertion injuries, the second leading category of disabling injury were same-level falls, with falls to a lower level coming in third. The fourth leading cause of disabling workplace injuries was being struck by a falling object or a piece of work equipment.
A workplace injury may be financially devastating for both the workers and their family members. In some cases, an injury on the job may leave a person with lifelong disabilities. A person who has been severely injured while working may benefit by getting help from a workers’ compensation attorney. Legal counsel can outline the range of benefits that the worker may be entitled to under the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage, and an attorney can also be of assistance with the preparation and filing of the required claim.