Health care workers deserve proper benefits if they are injured on the job. They have the same right to workers’ comp that employees can get in virtually any other industry. In fact, the health services industry is known to be one of the more dangerous industries in this country with the highest injury totals. This is why it’s very important for these employees to understand their rights to compensation for work-related accidents and illnesses.
The Mayo Clinic organization employs more than 60,000 people; 30,000 of which work in Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo Clinic, Mayo Hospital and its various campuses across the Midwest and around the world make for a very large company, so injured workers may sometimes feel like they are invisible. Many feel that the company does not care about their mental and physical health because it is too busy taking care of paying patients. But Mayo employees still have a right to benefits if they are injured, and they deserve respect and attention as they seek rightful compensation.
What risks do Mayo workers face?
If you work in the health care setting, you’re likely aware of risks that you and your co-workers face on the job. Reports have found that education and health service employees experience the highest number of illnesses and non-fatal injuries that cause people to miss work. So, although other industries may have higher fatality totals – such as construction or agriculture – it’s clear that health care workers face a lot of on-the-job injury and illness risks.
In some cases, these risks come from patients, as health care workers can be injured in physical altercations or assaults. In other situations, workers are simply trying to do a physically demanding job. For example, a lot of back injuries happen when nurses try to lift or move patients on their own. Finally, there are numerous exposure risks, such as exposure to harmful chemicals or medications. Even some of the tools of the trade, such as scalpels, can be very dangerous. Many workers are injured by needlesticks, which can result in varying degrees of risk, depending on how the needle was being used at the time of a stick.
Seeking legal guidance
Workers do not necessarily need to hire a local attorney. Many cases are handled remotely anyway, so the location isn’t as important as it once was. Getting an experienced workers’ comp lawyer from the Twin Cities can potentially help you to feel more secure that they are on your side and not Mayo’s. At the end of the day, it’s important to have an experienced legal team that you can trust, no matter what, given the high stakes nature of the matter at hand.