List of most common workplace injuries for 2013 released

No matter what kind of work you do, you face certain types of injury risks. From traumatic industrial accidents to sitting behind a poorly designed desk over a course of years, workplace injuries can arise from a wide array of sources.

While workers suffer on-the-job injury under a variety of circumstances, some risks are obviously more prevalent in the average American workplace than others. In a new list released to coincide with Labor Day 2013, U.S. HealthWorks, a nationwide treatment provider for workplace injuries, identified the most common injuries suffered by American workers.

Back injuries top the list

One type of injury easily secured the top spot on the U.S. HealthWorks list: back injury. Back injuries accounted for more than double the number of workplace injuries attributable to the second most common type of injury, finger cuts.

“The back is a great system of muscle and bone that can create tremendous force and withstand considerable abuse,” Dr. Leonard Okun, the National Medical Director for U.S. HealthWorks, said in a company press release. “However, when back injuries do occur they can be physically and emotionally debilitating – and often require drastic measures to heal.”

The category of back injury does not only include those injuries suffered by outdoor or industrial workers who commonly lift heavy objects. Back injuries are also prevalent among office workers, both from improper lifting and other causes like sitting at an improperly set up work station. Lower back injuries were the most common subcategory of back injuries suffered, and the lower back was the most common site of pain suffered by injured workers.

After back injuries and finger cuts, shoulder sprains were the third most common injury reported among workers. Sprained necks and leg/knee injuries came in fourth and fifth on the list, respectively.

Hurt on the job? Talk to a workers’ compensation attorney to get full benefits

Have you suffered one of the most common workplace injuries included on the list, or were you injured in some other way while on the job? If so, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

Workers’ compensation benefits can provide various types of compensation related to a workplace injury, like paying for medical bills, providing wage replacement and sometimes offering lump sum settlements. Workers’ comp benefits are available to workers employed in almost every field and occupation, and they are provided on a no fault basis, meaning that even if you bear some responsibility for causing your own injury, you are still entitled to compensation.

If you have been injured on the job, talk to a workers’ compensation attorney today. Too often, workers are misled into accepting less than they are owed or give up important rights when they attempt to navigate a workers’ compensation claim without an attorney. A workers’ comp attorney can ensure that you get the full benefits you deserve without undue delay.