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Why Are Work Injuries Due To Heat So Underreported?

Climate change has increased temperatures across the globe to unprecedented levels. This has led to an increase in heat-related workplace injuries, concentrated amongst the poorer workforce. Climate change has effectively worsened inequality. Naturally, workers living below the poverty line rarely report heat-related injuries because of job instability.

Heat-related work injuries compromise focus, leading to accidents that can cause serious damage. These can include a fainting spell that leads to a fall from a scaffold and dehydration that impairs the driving skills of a truck driver and others.

What Is Hyperthermia?

Hyperthermia is a heat-related illness. It results from exposure to extreme heat, during which time the body is unable to cool itself, leading to a rapid rise in internal temperature. We remain cool if sweat evaporates steadily, but if high humidity levels slow down that process, we retain more heat than healthy.

Quick treatment of these illnesses and instant access to fluids can cool the core body temperature down to healthy levels and prevent a fatal outcome.

What Is Heat Exhaustion?

Exposure to extreme heat can cause health concerns that worsen pre-existing conditions such as heart and respiratory disease. Heatstroke/exhaustion are the most common and serious. Common symptoms include:

  • Fatigue.
  • Muscle cramps
  • Dizziness.
  • Headaches.
  • Fainting.
  • Vomiting.
  • Nausea.

Besides outdoor workers, high temperatures also threaten the lives of indoor workers in plants, factories, and warehouses. The resulting injuries can lead to high medical bills and lost wages that workers’ compensation may not cover.

Even if it covers damages and offers compensation, since most outdoor and plant workers live below the poverty line, most refuse to take time off work to heal for fear of being fired.

Workplace injury risks, such as heat-based ones, are not spread evenly. Low-paid workers suffer from five times more heat-related injuries than the highest-paid workers. The difference is logical if we consider the work conditions both types of workers are in.

The former are exposed to hazardous conditions that their workspaces are rarely air-conditioned. On the other hand, the latter work in temperature-controlled environments, so their chances of getting a heat stroke are rare.

The bottom line is that heat-related work injuries are getting more common by the day, and outdoor workers living below the poverty line are bearing the brunt. To ensure employers take you seriously, do not hesitate to file a workers’ compensation claim with the company.

Contact The Law Offices Of Robert T. Edens For A Consultation Today

If the insurance company or your employer denied your workers’ compensation claim for heat-related work injuries, contact Woodstock personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens today. We will take a detailed look at your case’s facts and form a strategy that can help you get the compensation you deserve.

The consultation is 100% free of cost, and you will not be asked to sign anything during it either. That’s now how we work. We want our clients to be as comfortable and stress-free as possible as they fight for their rights. You don’t have to pay out of pocket for job-related injuries. Get in touch with us today!

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What Are the Most Common Personal Injuries in Illinois?

personal injuryCommon Personal Injuries

Personal injury law helps an injured person seek compensation when their suffering is the result of someone else’s negligence or intentional abuse. It encompasses a wide range of claims, each of which has differing legal implications. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 31 million people around the U.S. face personal injuries that require medical treatment.

If you’re faced with a personal injury and wish to file your claim, you’ll typically need to hire a personal injury lawyer who specializes in the type of personal injury you’re suffering from. Therefore, developing an understanding of different personal injuries is important.

Here are some of the most common personal injuries in Illinois:

Injury from Slip and Fall

Property owners have a legal duty to ensure that their premises are hazard-free and reasonably safe so that anyone entering the space doesn’t get injured. If someone falls and gets hurt due to a hazard that exists due to the negligence of the property owner, the victim can file a personal injury claim against the owner. This is referred to as a slip and fall case. The exact nature of liability varies from one case to another, and not all injuries necessarily lead to liability.

Injury from Car Accidents

Injuries associated with car accidents are the most common type of personal injury in the US. Auto accidents typically result from reckless driving or violation of traffic rules. When someone gets hurt from a car collision due to the negligence of a careless driver, the latter can be held financially and face legal action. While exceptions exist in around a dozen “no-fault” states, Illinois is not among them. It adheres to the traditional fault-based system in which drivers that cause accidents are responsible for paying the damages.

Injury from Medical Malpractice

Most medical practitioners are well-trained individuals who are extra vigilant to deliver the best possible care. Yet, even the most skilled physicians can commit mistakes, many of which relate to medical malpractice.

Medical malpractice can include failing to cure a condition, exposing a patient to a dangerous substance, giving an incorrect dose of a dangerous drug, failing to diagnose a condition correctly, suggesting a treatment that violates the standards of care, and so on.

If a medical malpractice results in a brain or spinal cord injury, you’ll need to prove that the doctor deviated from the standard of care.

Injury from Assaults

As part of a violent society, we all are exposed to chances of assaults. Gun-related assaults, for instance, have become an everyday problem in the US. According to the CDC, gunshots lead to 115,000 non-fatal injuries and 15,000 fatalities every year. If you’ve been assaulted, you have the right to sue the other party. Even if the assailant doesn’t have enough money to cover the damages, you might be able to sue the property owner for not providing sufficient security or the gun manufacturer. Your personal injury lawyer will explain what options you have.

Contact Our Waukegan Personal Injury Attorneys

By now, you should have developed a fair understanding of the different types of instances that can be categorized as personal injury. Each case pertaining to personal injury is a broad area with its own set of complications. If you’re hurt in Waukegan, you’re probably searching for Waukegan personal injury attorneys. Robert Edens is one of the most reputable personal injury lawyers in the area. To seek legal help, reach out today!