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Fatal accident statistics show scary increase

On Behalf of | Dec 29, 2017 | Wrongful Death

The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an annual census for fatal injuries that yield significant information about these accidents, in which jobs they are most prevalent, and about trends that should be watched. For people who are considering a legal filing for compensation after the loss of a loved one in a work-related accident, these statistics are also crucial.

According to the BLS numbers, there were 5,190 workplace fatalities in 2016. This was an increase of 7 percent from 2015. In 2016, or every 100,000 fulltime equivalent workers, there were 3.6 deaths. In 2015, that number was 3.4. The greatest number of fatalities occurred in transportation incidents. For every four deaths, one was in a transportation incident. An issue that is not frequently thought about when workplace fatalities are considered but is growing in occurrence is workplace violence leading to death. That rose by 23 percent and is the second most common reason for people to die at work. People are also overdosing on the job at a higher rate, rising by 32 percent in 2016. Since 2012, that number has risen by 25 percent.

A spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that the number of worker deaths on the job has risen for the third straight year and the number is the highest it has been in a decade. People are not just dying in accidents anymore as the opioid epidemic has reached into the workforce and is killing people at an alarming rate. Still, the total number shows that an average of 14 people die on the job per day.

Specifically, older workers age 55 and above were 1,848 of the fatalities – an increase of nearly 10 percent. There was an 18.6 percent rise in deaths of blacks, African-Americans and non-Hispanics to 587. A rise of 40.4 percent – 160 deaths – afflicted the Asian, non-Hispanic working community. 6 percent of deaths were due to falls, slips or trips – 849 deaths. Transportation deaths came to 2,083. Unintentional workplace fatalities came to 4,399. And homicides were 19.9 percent – 500 deaths.

Regardless of the cause of the fatal accident, the family left behind will face multiple issues such as how to make ends meet, learning to get beyond the unexpected loss of a loved one in a personal way and much more. Having legal assistance to consider a lawsuit is vital to getting compensation. A legal professional experienced in wrongful death can help.

Source: ehstoday.com, “Are American Workers in Danger? OSHA Reports Dramatic Increase in Fatal Occupational Injuries,” Sandy Smith, Dec. 19, 2017

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