Employees are susceptible to a variety of injuries each day. One type of injury, called a crush injury, often leads to severe complications, including death. Due to the nature of this type of injury, victims usually need a lengthy recovery period that often leads to expenses, including hospital bills and lost wages.
What are Crush Injuries?
Crush injuries occur when an individual is pinned between two items. Ultimately, these incidents can lead to fatalities, nerve damage, internal bleeding, amputations, and other severe injuries.
Crush injury complications include:
- Spinal damage, including paralysis
- Tissue damage from blood flow disruption
- High risk of infection in damaged areas
- Severe brain injuries or internal bleeding
- Risk of Compartment Syndrome, which may lead to the death of essential muscles and tissues
- Risk of Crush Syndrome, which often leads to organ shock and renal failure
Common Crush Injuries
Employees can obtain crush injuries whenever they are crushed between two items. However, there are a few common ways to obtain crush injuries. An employee may experience a crush injury from falling objects. For instance, if a construction worker is working in an unstable building, ceilings, walls, or other objects may collapse, causing a crush injury.
An individual may also obtain a crush injury from being run over. Employees may experience this from a large piece of machinery, such as a forklift. The equipment used in construction settings is often extremely heavy. Therefore, severe injuries and fatalities may occur. Trench collapses can also cause injuries. Trenches are built by employees working on the inside. When trenches collapse, it often leads to unexpected deaths.
Motor vehicle accidents may also lead to crush injuries. Professional drivers spend a lot of time on the road, so when an accident occurs, it may result in a crush injury. Mechanics may also obtain crush injuries if a vehicle falls on them due to a faulty jack stand.
Obtaining Workers’ Compensation for Crush Injuries
Due to the nature of crush injuries, employees may be unable to work. This can lead to financial difficulties for victims and their families. Injured employees should consult with a Workers’ Compensation lawyer. This will help families secure funds for medical bills and lost wages. Similarly, if an external party caused an injury, it is possible that the victim can file a third-party personal injury claim. This would apply to parties, including construction site managers, vendors, and contractors. This option may be used if a party’s negligence led to the injury.
Work Injury Lawyers at Rhoades & Morrow Advocate for Injured Employees
If you or a loved one obtained an injury at work, please consider contacting an experienced lawyer at Rhoades & Morrow. Our lawyers work closely with clients to fight for the compensation they are entitled to. If you are interested in speaking to one of our lawyers, contact Rhoades & Morrow for a free consultation. With offices in Wilmington, Newark, Milford, and Lewes, we proudly serve clients throughout the state, including Elsmere and Seaford.
