Work is something that most of us have to do every day. For some, it can become so routine that it becomes monotonous. For others, their work changes daily, keeping them on their toes, while some work in professions that are inherently dangerous, requiring them to always be on guard. As different as these jobs may sound, they all have something in common: workplace injuries. Regardless of the profession an individual works in, a seemingly minor mistake can result in a workplace accident that has tragic consequences.
Just take one recent accident as an example. A worker performing duties on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge was injured after falling approximately 25 feet. The man's leg was injured, requiring him to be taken to the hospital. Although the exact cause of the accident is unknown at this time, this story illustrates all the things that can go wrong in the workplace.
There are many ways an on-the-job injury can occur. A worker, like this one, may have to work at excessive heights, he or she may not be given proper training or protective gear, other workers might act in a way that causes a dangerous situation, and workplace machinery can operate in a defective manner. Yet, those who are injured and incur damages as a result don't have to prove negligence before they can receive compensation. Instead, they can pursue workers' compensation if they were hurt while on the clock and performing their job duties.
These claims are often contested by employers and insurance companies, though. In this case, for example, it might be claimed that the injured employee was performing his job duties in direct violation of company policies. New Yorkers who have been injured in dangerous conditions and are facing pushback on their workers' compensation or negligence claims therefore need to make sure they put forth strong legal arguments to support their claims.
Source: Newsday, "NYPD: Verrazano Bridge worker injured in fall," Anthony M. DeStefano, May 15, 2017
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