Kansas City Metropolitan Area Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Take precautions to avoid spending the holidays in a hospital

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Monday, November 5, 2018.

Beware winter is here, and in Kansas City, temperatures can range between mild and bitterly cold. If you are a part of the workforce that serves in the manufacturing, production, material moving or transportation industries, you might want to take timely precautions to prevent injuries that might spoil the upcoming holidays and festivities. The most common safety and health threats at this time of the year are vehicle accidents, slips and trips that lead to falls, and illnesses such as colds and flu.

Along with slushy or ice-covered walkways, the cold weather can reduce the blood circulation to your feet, and the limited sensation in your toes might jeopardize your ability to maintain balance. Furthermore, decreased focus levels can result from fewer daylight hours along with the energy-zapping cold temperatures.

How to best stay safe as a young employee

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.

When young workers start their careers, everything they learn about workplace safety during those first few months will form the basis of their personal safety culture. It can instill in them the sense of independence in knowing that they are responsible for not only their own safety but also to look out for their co-workers.

If you have just recently joined the Kansas City workforce, developing positive safety protocols might serve you well throughout your working life. You may have had summer jobs working in restaurants or retail stores, gaining valuable experience. However, the volumes of customers during the busy summer months could have possibly conditioned you to speed through your work with little or no consideration of safety. Unfortunately, when you start certain full-time jobs, rushing has the potential to cause serious harm, and so can other factors like fatigue, frustration and complacency.

What can you do if your job made you sick?

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Tuesday, September 4, 2018.

Every job, no matter what type, comes with certain risks. There are certain types of employment that come with an elevated chance of physical injury, but Kansas workers may also face the threat of occupational illness. It is possible exposure to certain things while doing your job made you sick.

If your job is the reason for your illness, you could have grounds to seek support and benefits through a workers' compensation claim. This type of insurance is not only for those who suffered injuries in workplace accidents but also for those who became sick but to environmental hazards and other reasons. Sick workers may find it beneficial to seek a complete understanding of their rights before moving forward with a claim.

Isn't it time to teach your boss about ergonomics?

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Monday, August 6, 2018.

If you work at a plant nursery in Missouri, your daily tasks likely include pruning plants, moving containers, filling trays, pulling plugs and digging. It might not seem like a hazardous occupation, but you might develop musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) that cause chronic pain for years to come.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to provide safe workplace environments, and recommends regular ergonomic assessments to reduce the risk of MSDs. What if you develop an MSD anyway?

Your boss might have no sympathy for your invisible work injury

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Monday, July 9, 2018.

Millions of workers nationwide suffer occupational injuries every year, many of them live in Kansas. If you suffer the consequences of an on-the-job injury, you might face mounting medical bills, lost work time, and permanent or temporary disability. Workplace injuries can follow slip-and-fall accidents, electrocution, vehicle collisions, caught-in or between objects, struck-by accidents or one of many other hazards.

However, you might be a victim of one of those hidden injuries that are invisible for others to see, although they can cause extreme pain. Regardless of your occupation, you could suffer one of these injuries that might be either a musculoskeletal or a repetitive motion injury.

Forklifts are hazardous in the hands of untrained operators

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Monday, June 11, 2018.

Employees in the manufacturing or warehousing industry in Missouri face a variety of hazards, of which one of the most significant is forklifts. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says thousands of workers suffer forklift-related injuries every year, and many injured victims do not survive. For this reason, the agency prescribes safety regulations for forklift operators, and it governs compliance strictly.

If you are the operator of one of over 850,000 forklifts working in facilities nationwide, you will likely know that you have a significant responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner that will not endanger the lives of your co-workers. Forklift accidents typically involve crushing or pinning workers against hard surfaces or tip-overs, which often result in the operators' deaths.

Appropriate compensation for repetitive stress injuries

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi on Wednesday, May 9, 2018.

If you are a Kansas worker who suffered injuries in the workplace, you know that your pain and suffering is more than just an inconvenience. Any type of work-related injury is a direct threat to your ability to earn a living, and it can lead to expensive medical bills and other complications in your life.

This is also true if you are suffering from repetitive stress injuries that developed as a result of your job. These are real injuries that can cause extreme pain and diminished physical abilities. Because this injury is related to your job duties, you likely have a rightful claim to workers' compensation benefits.

You can protect yourself from construction site hazards

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi posted in blog on Monday, April 9, 2018.

Construction companies in Missouri and Kansas have many responsibilities when it comes to the safety and health of their employees. They must provide work environments that are free of known hazards, and allow workers to communicate and report unanticipated dangers they come across. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration prescribes safety guidelines and regulations to cover almost all known hazards, and employers must provide the necessary safety training while also ensuring compliance with federal safety rules.

If you work in the construction industry, you will know that the list of potential hazards is endless. Unfortunately, not all employers prioritize employee safety, and it might be up to you to look after your own safety.

Don't let a trench be your last resting place

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi posted in blog on Monday, March 12, 2018.

If you are a construction worker in Missouri or Kansas, you will likely have to risk your life frequently. Some of the most hazardous surroundings in this industry are trenches, and although these are known risks, trench collapses continue to cause severe injuries and claim the lives of employees. If your employer prioritizes profits over employee safety, your life may be at risk.

Some business owners avoid the expenses of equipment to support trench walls, while others have grown complacent and fail to consider collapsing excavations. If your life is at risk in this way, you may want to learn about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's safety regulations with which your employer must comply.

Why the year 1970 may be crucial to your workers' comp case

On behalf of The Law Office of Michael J. Joshi posted in blog on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.

In 1970, there were approximately 14,000 fatalities on the job throughout the nation, and some were probably here in Kansas. Then-president Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act into law. That same Act protects you in the workplace with OSHA-written and enforced safety standards nationwide. Whether you work in an office or on a scaffold 100 feet in the air, your employer is obligated to adhere to the standards set to keep your risk of injury as low as possible.

The law expects your employer to provide you with proper training and all the equipment necessary to keep you safe at work. Most employers are also obligated to purchase insurance through which you may file a claim to collect benefits if you suffer injury during work hours.

Kansas City Workers' Compensation Law Blog