There are dangers with any kind of job in Louisiana and across the nation, but some types of employment are riskier than others. Since so many people are employed in somewhat dangerous jobs in oil and gas across Louisiana, there are many who are injured and killed in workplace accidents. Adding in the number of incidents that occur in other kinds of employment, Louisiana places in the top 10 in the latest statistics for fatalities on the job. People who have been injured or whose loved one died because of a work injury should be aware of the statistics and know what steps they should take in hopes of recovering workers’ compensation benefits, including death benefits.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest numbers for workplace fatalities and stated there was a reduction in the most recently completed assessment from 2017, but the number of fatalities has still risen in a troublesome way since 2009. For every 100,000 workers, there were 3.5 deaths. Most often, people died from falls, motor vehicle accidents, exposure to dangerous substances, and workplace violence.
Some states were worse than others. Alaska was the riskiest state in which to work. Its rate for worker fatalities was nearly three times the average in the U.S. North Dakota and Wyoming were also high-risk for workers. Three states on the East Coast were deemed safest, with Rhode Island, New Jersey and New Hampshire at the top. Louisiana was the eighth most dangerous to workers with 6.3 fatalities for every 100,000 workers. In 2016, Louisiana had 95 workplace fatalities. There was an increase of 22 in 2017. Since many workers in Louisiana work in construction and for oil companies, workers in those fields are at greater risk.
Regardless of the type of work a person does, accidents and injuries can happen without warning. For those who are hurt, and find themselves unable to work and in need of medical care, workers’ compensation benefits are often critical to make ends meet and obtain necessary medical treatment. When there is a fatality, family members need to know what they should do to recover compensation for their losses. A law firm that helps people with workers’ compensation should therefore be called for advice immediately after a work accident.
