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Brain injuries that occur in the workplace can lead to significant long-lasting disabilities for employees. There are a variety of ways that brain injuries can occur in a workplace in California. Here, we want to review how these injuries most often occur, as well as whether or not individuals will be able to recover compensation if they sustain a workplace brain injury.
Did you know that approximately one out of every four mild traumatic brain injuries in adults occurs in the workplace? Workplace traumatic brain injuries can have a significant impact on the victim. Aside from the obvious medical difficulties, individuals who sustained brain injuries are at greater risk of a delay in return to work and other negative health outcomes than those injured outside of the workplace.
Workplace brain injuries can occur in a wide variety of ways, but there are certainly some common causes of TBIs that occur over and over again.
Slip, trip, and fall incidents can occur anywhere, but seeing as we spend so much time in the workplace, this is an area where individuals need to take extra precautions. Every workplace is different, but a slip, trip, or fall can occur as a result of spills on the floor, cluttered workspaces, electrical wires running across the floor, poorly constructed stairs, loose floor mats, and more. Depending on how hard the fall is or what type of service a person falls onto, these types of injuries can be life-altering.
There are many workplaces where items are placed on higher shelves or spaces above workers below. When objects fall from heights, they can strike workers in the head and lead to a traumatic brain injury. Some of the most common places where these types of injuries occur our factories or warehouses and construction sites.
It is not uncommon for individuals in the construction industry to work from heights, though they are supposed to be adequately secured in place with harnesses. Unfortunately, falls from scaffolding, ladders, and not yet constructed walkways can lead to significant injuries. A fall from heights can lead not only to a traumatic brain injury but also serious external trauma and internal damage.
Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of workplace injuries. Individuals often drive or ride in motor vehicles as part of their job duties. Motor vehicle crashes can occur in a wide variety of ways, just like any other non-workplace crash. Additionally, we have to consider that some workplaces have different types of motor vehicles, including forklifts, golf carts, ATVs, and more. A crash with any of these can lead to a severe traumatic brain injury.
All too often, individuals become complacent in the workplace. Complacency can lead to workers failing to recognize hazardous conditions that could lead to a severe traumatic brain injury. Companies, supervisors, and workers should all conduct safety sweeps of their areas on a daily basis in order to recognize and prevent common causes of brain injuries.