Health care employees make huge sacrifices for their profession. At Burg Simpson, we have the utmost respect for these workers and all they do. Our health care injury attorneys have represented hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals to help them get the compensation they deserve from workplace accidents.
These accidents can not only rob a family of a health care worker’s earnings, but can quickly incur extra expenses for care and treatment. If you or someone in your family has been hurt at work, call Burg Simpson at (720) 400-8558 or fill out our FREE case evaluation form now.
Health care makes up one-sixth of the U.S. economy, so it’s no surprise that health care workers and nurses make up one of the country’s largest workforces. It is also experiencing record growth, which shows no signs of letting up, as demand for these services outstrips the supply. If you or a loved one in the health care field has been injured at work, Burg Simpson can help.
There are a couple major drivers of this phenomenon. The first is America’s aging baby boomer population – and their increased number of expected hospital days. Experts predict roughly 16 percent of the population will be over 65 years old in just three years.
Additionally, because of the Affordable Care Act, nearly 20 million more people have acquired health insurance. The sudden influx of new customers has created more job openings than there are trained health care workers to fill them. Hundreds of thousands of health care jobs remained unfilled at the end of 2016. In fact, open jobs in health care sit vacant an average of 48.6 days, far longer than any other occupation.
Which Health Care Workers Are Likely to Get Hurt?
Nurses make up the single largest group of the nation’s health care workers, and the perils they face only increase with their growing workloads. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses have the highest rate of nonfatal workplace injuries among all occupations. Some of the other health care workers Burg Simpson represents include:
- Doctors
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician assistants
- Licensed practical nurses
- Registered nurses
- Pharmacists
- Emergency medical technicians
How Health Care Workers Get Hurt
Health care workers face more workplace dangers than other historically hazardous occupations. Nursing homes/residential care facilities, hospitals, and outpatient health care services are some of the most dangerous facilities for employees. All types of health care workers risk several hazards on the job, including:
- Stress: Nurses point to workplace stress as their foremost health and safety risk. Nearly half of all nurses report having suffered from workplace bullying.
- Lifting: Health care professionals – and nurses in particular – spend much of their time either lifting heavy objects or repositioning patients during their shifts, and the strain can take a toll.
- Assault: Medical professionals face higher rates of assault, either from patients or their family members. Roughly one in four nurses are assaulted at work every year.
- Infections/blood-borne diseases: Medical facilities are notorious for the prevalence of germs, and most health care workers deal with blood-borne infections daily.
Contact a Burg Simpson Workers’ Comp Attorney Today
If you are a doctor, nurse, or a health care worker who has been injured or become ill at work, call the experienced workers’ comp attorneys at Burg Simpson.
Our health care injury lawyers can help you with:
- Securing fair compensation for any on-the-job injuries or illness you may have suffered
- Finding compassionate medical care and rehabilitative services to help you get back to work sooner
- Receiving reimbursement for any out-of-pocket related expenses
- Applying for Social Security benefits
- Considering third-party personal injury lawsuits
Do not attempt to tackle a workers’ compensation claim on your own. Call us today at (866) 234-7768 or complete our FREE case evaluation form to get started.