Construction industry is the most dangerous and hazardous industry when it comes to accidents and slip and falls. It is due to this reason that the workers’ compensation benefits law is different for this industry. In all other industries, employers having at least four workers are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance; whereas in the construction industry, an employer having even a single employee is required to provide this coverage.
Common Construction Employees’ Accidents in Orlando Florida
A large percentage of the total workers’ compensation claims that the state receives from the construction industry are the result of falling from heights at the construction site. It is the cause of the most catastrophic yet the highest number of accidents in the construction industry.
Next in line of the most common accidents are the scaffold accidents that occur mostly because of weak planks and supports. Many accidents are also caused due to the trench cave-ins, slippery surfaces, moving machine parts and tool malfunctions. All these accidents and the resulting disability are covered under the worker’s compensation benefits in Orlando Florida.
Occupational Diseases in the Construction Industry Workers
Occupational diseases are very common in the construction industry. Some of the chronic yet most common diseases developed by the construction industry workers are asbestosis, silicosis and mesothelioma.
Being a construction industry worker, you must have seen the silica containing rocks on the construction sites. When these rocks are chipped or drilled, they release the fine crystalline particles of silica in the air. Silica when inhaled can scratch and stiffen the lungs which can in turn lead to silicosis.
Mesothelioma and asbestosis are caused when asbestos is inhaled, which is a common component at construction sites. Mesothelioma is a chronic cancer that takes decades to develop and even longer to diagnose as its symptoms surface at a very later stage.
However with the increasing research and advancement in the medical society, the survival rates of Mesothelioma patients are also increasing. All the medical expenses associated with it are covered under the workers’ compensation benefits.
You can consult a workers’ compensation attorney if your employer is showing resistance in approving your claim.
Accidents Causing Permanent Disability in Work
Accidents occurred in the construction industry are mostly so devastating that at times they make the injured worker physically handicapped. In such cases, not only are the medical expenses covered under the workers compensation law, but also the reimbursement for lost wages and inability to work. While these benefits are not as well paid as the highly lucrative salary packages in the construction industry, the injured worker can hire a workers’ compensation attorney to help him get maximum possible reimbursement.
Construction accidents are very common and also one of the major causes of death in Orlando, Florida. Although the workers’ compensation benefits cannot undo the unfavorable event, it can reduce some of your financial worries regarding the medical expenses and inability to work.
