Every day, North Carolina workers face risks on the job. While safety protocols and protective equipment have improved over the years, workplace injuries remain a harsh reality for thousands of employees across Charlotte and beyond. Understanding these common injuries can help you recognize when you need help – and when you deserve compensation.
At Collier Law PLLC, we’ve helped countless injured workers navigate their claims. Here are the workplace injuries we see most often:
- Heavy Machinery Accidents Industrial equipment, while essential for many jobs, poses significant risks even with proper safety equipment. Equipment failures, inadequate training, or momentary lapses in attention can lead to crushing injuries, amputations, or worse. These accidents often result in life-changing injuries that require extensive medical care and rehabilitation.
- Vehicle-Related Incidents Forklifts, delivery trucks, construction vehicles – these powerful machines help get work done but can cause devastating injuries. Rollover accidents, collisions, and equipment malfunctions don’t just harm operators; they endanger everyone in the vicinity. These accidents often involve multiple injured parties and complex liability issues.
- Burns, Fires, and Explosions Workers in manufacturing, restaurants, laboratories, and construction face daily exposure to heat sources and combustible materials. Burn injuries are particularly traumatic, often requiring specialized treatment and leaving permanent scarring. The physical and emotional toll of burn injuries extends far beyond the initial accident.
- Overexertion and Repetitive Stress Injuries Not all workplace injuries happen suddenly. Warehouse workers lifting heavy boxes, nurses moving patients, and office workers typing all day – repetitive motions and overexertion cause gradual but serious damage. Back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and torn muscles can end careers just as surely as acute accidents.
- Electrical Injuries From construction sites to office buildings, electrical hazards lurk everywhere. Electrocution doesn’t always mean fatality – survivors often face severe burns, neurological damage, and chronic pain. These invisible dangers require constant vigilance and proper safety protocols.
- Struck by Falling Objects Hard hats save lives, but they can’t prevent every injury. Construction workers, warehouse employees, and others working beneath scaffolding or storage areas face daily risks from falling tools, materials, and equipment. Head injuries, even seemingly minor ones, can have lasting consequences.
Your Rights Matter
If you’ve been injured at work, you’re likely facing medical bills, lost wages, and uncertainty about your future. North Carolina workers’ compensation laws exist to protect you, but insurance companies don’t always make it easy to get the benefits you deserve.
Don’t navigate this difficult time alone. At Collier Law PLLC, we understand what you’re going through because we’ve helped hundreds of injured workers get back on their feet. We’ll handle the legal complexities while you focus on healing.