According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “Nursing aides, orderlies, attendants and psychiatric aides have some of the highest non-fatal injuries and illness rates for all occupations…. Work as an aide can be physically demanding as Aides and caregivers spend many hours standing and walking, and they often face heavy workloads”.
It is particularly important for health care Aides to guard against back injury. These injuries are the most common because they frequently have to move patients in and out of beds or help them stand or walk.
Home health care aides may be entitled to benefits in addition to worker’s compensation when they suffer on the job injuries from: defective sidewalks, broken stairways, failure to clear snow and ice, wheel chairs that get caught in poorly maintained sidewalks or roads.
Home healthcare workers who are helping others may end up needing care themselves. They may be injured while performing caregiver duties as a result of:
Accidents from unsafe conditions in apartment buildings, stores, laundromats and supermarkets and other locations where negligent or unsafe conditions exist.
According to recent studies, caregiver injuries often result in greater lost time from work and accompanying costs, which may indicate greater severity of injury.
Unfortunately, serious injuries have resulted from mishaps in the care giving environment. If you have been injured you should seek immediate medical attention.
Caregivers do have legal rights, and on the job injuries cannot be tolerated. If this happens to you or a loved one, a personal injury lawyer at Hill & Moin LLP can help, Contact us today for a confidential consultation.