Workers’ compensation, in the most hopeful scenarios, comes into play for only minor or recoverable injuries. As nice as that might be, meatpacking plants and other industrial workplaces pose far greater—and more permanent—risks to workers.
A fall on the job resulting in a broken arm is a setback. A slip on a vertical band saw may result in permanent loss of fingers or even limbs. It is important for any employee to understand industry risks and options for workers’ compensation when facing such catastrophic odds.
Higher odds in the meatpacking industry
As The Guardian reports, US meat workers are three times as likely to suffer a serious injury on the job. These include repetitive strain injuries as well as high-risk accidents involving hospitalization, amputation, or even the loss of an eye.
Many of these accidents result in the loss of fingertips or whole fingers, but other accidents have seen the loss of an entire limb.
Options for recovering medical costs
Once the initial harm is through and employees begin the long process of recovery, workers’ compensation steps in to assist. For those returning to work with permanent injuries, there may be options for permanent disability benefits, as the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court details.
These serious accidents are traumatic and create lasting impacts on the employees who fall victim to them. Exploring the options provided by workers’ compensation law around all that recovery may be the last thing a worker wants to do. There are resources available to anyone looking to learn more on the topic or recover their own costs from a workers’ compensation case.