Work-Related Injuries up 9.5% in 2017
Updated: Jul 12, 2022
Work Injuries Up in 2017
According to the 2017 Annual Report of Workers Compensation and Workplace Safety published by the PA Department of Labor, there were 174,216 cases reported in 2017. There were 159, 170 injuries in 2016. That’s an increase of 15,046. 2017 was the second-highest number of reported injuries in the last ten years. Over that time, annual reported injuries averaged 123,000. The trend during the last three years is that workplace injuries are increasing significantly. The actual number of workplace injuries is likely much higher.
Work Injuries Are Underreported
Employers are required to report work injuries to the PA and US Departments of Labor. The federal government believes that about half of serious injuries go unreported. In some cases, injuries are unreported because companies, especially small ones, are unaware of new report requirements. Others do not report because they have no workers compensation insurance or fear the cost of dealing with a workers compensation claim.
We believe the underreporting is significant. Some injured workers tell us that their employers refuse to report work injuries. Others are discouraged from pursuing treatment or other rights to which they are entitled under the law. Many workers are misclassified by their employers as “independent contractors” and mistakenly told they are ineligible for benefits. Some workers don’t want to deal with the hassle of reporting. That can be a big mistake because what seems like minor injuries can linger or not heal and become much bigger problems later.
Get Your Benefits
A workplace injury presents not just physical and emotional challenges but also financial ones as well. Workers’ compensation is designed to help ease some of the financial burden caused by a work-related injury. However, the process of claiming your rights can be complicated and confusing. Our workers compensation attorneys can help you. We help many injured workers understand their rights and get the benefits they deserve. We help them fight for what’s right.
Learn more about Workers' Compensation on our website: www.fiffiklaw.com/workers-compensation.