With countless companies across the world having to send their employees to work from home to reduce COVID-19’s spread, many employers may think they don’t have to continue providing for their workers’ safety, but that’s not the case. Even though employers have little to no control over their workers’ home environments, they still have an obligation to keep them safe. If you’re working from home and have been injured on the job, you may be able to file for workers’ compensation benefits or a personal injury claim. Proving your accident occurred on the job can be especially challenging when you’re at home and not in a more public space, like the office, but a work-related accident attorney can assess your situation and provide you with options.
While accidents can occur at any time and for a variety of reasons, there are several common accidents that can occur while you’re working at home, even if you may think you’re safer in a space that is familiar to you.
Common accidents and injuries that can occur while working from home include:
- Slip and falls: Slip and falls are the most common type of accident that produces workplace injuries, whether in an office or at a construction site, and the risks still exist in the home. While on the job, individuals can injure themselves by tripping over a rug, their pet, a spill that hasn’t been cleaned up, and other objects like trash cans. Individuals can also trip and fall down their stairs, producing injuries that can range from minor, like bruises and sprains, to more serious, such as broken bones, spinal cord and neck injuries, and head and brain trauma.
- Injuries sustained from a non-ergonomic workstation: Because many employees are working from home for the first time, they may not have a dedicated workstation at all, let alone one that is ergonomic to provide for bodily safety and comfort. Individuals can acquire injuries over time from risks like staring too closely and for too long at their screens and not having a chair that properly supports their backs.
- Injuries acquired from a sedentary lifestyle: While many workers know to take breaks to grab lunch with coworkers at the office, being at home can be so comfortable that workers can spend an entire day without leaving their desks. By not taking the time to stretch your legs, shoulders, and backs, you may develop physical injuries over time that require physical therapy and other forms of treatment.
- Being struck by falling objects: Even if you know the ins and outs of your home, that doesn’t prevent objects from falling off shelves from time to time. Being too comfortable with your surroundings can cause you to stop thinking about your safety, and you may do things more flippantly without thinking about the physical risks involved.
Even when you’re working from home, employers still are obligated to create a culture of safety. If you’ve been injured on the job, call our team immediately. Our work accident attorneys can learn more about your situation and collect the evidence we need to support your claim.
Looking Out for Clients for More Than 40 Years
At the Law Office of James M. Stanley, we genuinely care about our clients’ health and their futures. For over four decades, our personal injury attorneys have committed themselves to serving clients who have been injured by negligence, whether in a car accident caused by another driver or a workplace accident caused by an employer’s careless actions. We go above and beyond to provide clients with convenient solutions and skilled services backed by years of experience. From filing paperwork to appearing in court, we can stand by your side throughout the case and fight for your right to fair compensation to treat your injuries.
Injured on the job? Call (817) 591-4222, or contact us onlinefor a free consultation. The Law Office of James M. Stanley has advocated for injured workers since 1976 and has represented thousands of clients in both personal injury cases and workers’ compensation claims.