Experts: good health reduces risks of on-the-job injury

When business owners get together, one of the things they talk about most frequently is ways in which they can cut costs. Health experts recently told attendees of Business Insurance’s World Captive Forum that owners can cut costs by helping employees to improve their emotional and physical health.

When workers are physically and emotionally healthy, they are less likely to have workplace accidents that result in injuries and claims for workers’ compensation benefits, a doctor who is a spokesperson for an online medical service told attendees.

“If your health is not good, your chances of having an accident are so much greater,” the physician said.

The most common cause of on-the-job injuries is overexertion. “A back surgery doesn’t happen because you overexert your back one time,” Dr. Ann Hawkins said. “It happens because you did that overexertion 100 times and nobody stopped it at the beginning through some preventive ergonomic tools.”

According to an analysis of workers’ comp insurance claims, other work-related injuries are caused by the following:

• Slips and trips and falls (16 percent)
• Being struck by or colliding with an object (10 percent)
• Accidents involving tool use (7 percent)
• Damage done by repetitive motion (4 percent)

If you have been injured while working for a Charlotte company and then had your workers’ comp claim denied, speak with an attorney experienced in appeals. You can contact Ayers, Whitlow & Dressler to schedule a free consultation about how a skilled Charlotte workers compensation lawyer can help you get the wage replacement and medical care you need and deserve.