The True Cost of Construction Injuries
When you are hurt on a work site and you have to miss work, you know first-hand that a workplace injury can be costly. On a larger scale, a new study shows that those among us who earn the least can cost the nation the most when hurt at work.
In 2010, injuries and illness among workers who made less than $11.19 per hour cost the country $39 billion. This isn’t just the price tag on their medical costs—it’s the cumulative effects of being out of work.
An injured person suffers in multiple ways. From the pain of their injury to having to cut back to make ends meet. Someone who can’t work because they are hurt won’t likely shop for unnecessary things and may even cut back on groceries and utilities.
Worker’s compensation only goes so far and is often not nearly enough to support a family which was already struggling before the accident. Often times, it’s this that prevents people from reporting an accident or from missing work to recover when they really should.
“When low-wage workers miss even a few days of pay while recovering from an occupational injury or illness, the effects spread quickly,” said a researcher who worked on the study.
The study suggest policymakers should do more to prevent workplace accidents like this and help implement strategies and policies to lessen the blow that a workplace accident can cause.
Construction accidents can happen on any job site. From falls to faulty equipment, they can often be prevented. But when you do everything right and an accident happens that is out of your control, you still end up being the one “paying” for it.
The cost of an accident isn’t realized until you are in the midst of it. Even if you are fortunate enough to have medical insurance, it doesn’t cover everything. And neither does worker’s compensation. These things often don’t take into consideration the long-term effects of a serious construction accident.
Whether you fall or suffer burns, you need access to justice when the accident isn’t your fault.
The construction accident lawyers of Ginarte know how difficult it is to recover from a serious accident. We know because we’ve represented countless injured workers. If you find yourself the victim of a preventable construction accident, contact us. We’d like to help.
