Report reveals how, why Americans are injured on the job

Jun 11 2016

While most of us would prefer to think that work injuries are a relatively rare occurrence, the reality is that they occur with alarming frequency, indiscriminately sidelining workers in every occupation and sector. If you have a hard time believing this, consider that statistics from the National Safety Council reveal that upwards of 4.7 million workers are injured here in the U.S. every year. Breaking these numbers down further, this equates to an astounding 12,900 workers per day and one worker every seven seconds. Given staggering figures like these, questions naturally arise as to the types of injuries workers are…

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Colorado farm workers have access to workers’ compensation — no matter their status

Jun 08 2016

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 167 agricultural workers suffer an injury severe enough to keep them from working every single day. Yet, even with that disheartening statistic, many states do not require farm employers to provide workers’ compensation for migrant workers. Even in states like Colorado that do require workers’ compensation, many workers are afraid to come forward and ask for workers’ compensation after a work injury, some because they are undocumented. Others are afraid they won’t get the money they need to support their families. We need to work together as a society…

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The Work Comp Insurance Company Isn’t On Your Side

Jun 01 2016

They’ll make that very clear to you. Many people think the workers’ compensation process involves simply letting your employer know of your injury, visiting a doctor and then receiving benefits for treatments and lost income. Even though we would be out a job, we truly wish it were that simple. The reality is that insurance companies are businesses that are in the game to make money. Giving every injured worker the full benefits they deserve would mean less money in their pockets. That is why they lowball claims. It is also why they become unresponsive and delay payments, putting the…

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Colorado Workers’ Compensation FAQ

Apr 01 2016

If you have been injured in an accident at work, or you have developed a condition or disease as a result of your work activities or environment, you probably have many questions. At Alverson + O’Brien, we have answers. We are here to provide you with advice and guidance aimed at getting you the maximum compensation available to you under the law. Following are some of the most frequently asked questions about workers’ compensation in Colorado: Do I Have a Valid Workers’ Compensation Claim? Any injury that clearly occurred on the job qualifies the employee for workers’ compensation benefits. However,…

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Nurses risk their health to protect us

Mar 30 2016

“To do what nobody else will do, a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through; that is to be a nurse.” ~ Rawsi Williams, RN When people think of dangerous jobs, they often recall images of construction workers falling off scaffolding or police officers shot in the line of duty. Very few people understand the dangers nurses face. Nurses are the heart of our hospitals, their role the cornerstone of our care. They risk their health every day in order to protect us. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), more…

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Colorado oil field deaths related to toxic vapor exposure

Mar 18 2016

America’s oil boom has created high-paying jobs for workers willing to put in long hours and a lot of hard work. Unfortunately, however, oil field jobs also come with serious dangers – both known and unknown. Too many oil workers have suffered serious injuries or lost their lives because oil companies put profits ahead of safety. Over the past five years, nine oil workers – including three in Colorado – have died while “tank gauging,” or manually opening storage tanks to gauge the level of crude oil inside. When these tanks are opened from above, they often emit high levels…

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Daylight saving time & the increased risk of workplace accidents

Mar 15 2016

If you felt unusually tired at work on Monday, it was probably due to the beginning of daylight saving time. While this tradition is certainly beneficial for those who want to enjoy more sunlight in the afternoon and evening hours, the one-hour time shift comes at a surprisingly high cost. As it turns out, “springing forward” by an hour is far more disruptive to us than we may realize. Studies have shown that in the days following the beginning of daylight saving time, workplace productivity declines and the rate of workplace injuries goes up. Human beings are creatures of habit…

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Colorado woman’s battle for denied work comp benefits drags on

Mar 05 2016

We often write about the need to hire a workers’ compensation attorney when you have been injured at work and are seeking benefits. Companies try to find any reason to deny benefits, which means that injured workers are often forced to fight for benefits that they should be entitled to. One case recently in the news is a good example. It concerns a woman who lives here in Colorado but traveled out of state for work as a United Airlines flight attendant. In 2011, the woman drove to the Denver airport, where she had free parking and free plane travel….

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Fatal falls are still very common in the construction industry

Feb 26 2016

Our post earlier this week focused on a basic but crucial idea in workplace safety: Employers need to take responsibility for making sure that a work environment is as safe as it can be. This means safety training must be thorough, safety equipment must be administered and employee compliance must be monitored. If any of these factors is missing, the result may be an injurious or fatal accident. As an example, consider deadly falls. These accidents are almost entirely preventable if safety gear is in place and being used. Yet in 2014, 40 percent of deaths in the construction industry…

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Dangerous work requires extensive safety training, OSHA warns

Feb 24 2016

Although antiquated, the term “lumberjack” still conjures a powerful image in the minds of most Americans. The difficult and exhausting work lumberjacks undertook helped settle the West and build our nation’s infrastructure. Unfortunately, this line of work was among the deadliest jobs in America, and that remains true today. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the forestry industry recorded 77 deaths in 2014 – a number far higher than most other occupations. The tools and practices may have changed, but moving around items of such size and weight is still incredibly dangerous. In August 2015, a 20-year-old logger in…

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