When Fatigue Is To Blame For On-The-Job Injuries: Your Right To Workers’ Compensation In Maryland
Adjusting to recent time changes has many people feeling extra sluggish. Working long hours, not taking days off, taking care of family members, or even having an active social life can also leave you tired and fatigued. Unfortunately, this increases the risks of on-the-job injuries in Maryland, which jeopardize your health and can prevent you from working for months or years after.
Workers’ compensation covers fatigue-related work injuries, but these types of claims are often denied or disputed. Our Maryland workers’ compensation attorney explains how fatigue can impact you at work and your rights to benefits.
How Fatigue Increases The Risk Of On-The-Job Injuries In Maryland
The National Safety Council (NSC) warns that fatigue-related workplace accidents are common in the aftermath of Daylight Saving Time. Other factors that put workers at risk include working swing shifts, putting in overtime hours, being up at night with a new baby or sick family members, suffering from sleep disorders, or spending late nights out with friends.
Being fatigued can cause serious impacts at work. These include:
- Impaired decision-making, leading to dangerous mistakes on the job;
- Reduced reaction time, increasing the likelihood of falls and equipment accidents;
- Increased risk of distraction and mentally ‘checking out’, causing dangerous lapses in attention;
- Chronic exhaustion, increasing the risk of accidents and chronic injuries due to overuse, repetitive stress, and poor work posture.
When injuries happen due to workplace fatigue, filing a claim for benefits through the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission can help in covering your medical expenses and lost income. However, it is not uncommon for insurers to deny or dispute these claims.
Challenges in Fatigue-Related Maryland Workers’ Compensation Claims
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises that excessive fatigue poses risks to all workers, but particularly those in the healthcare, construction, and transportation industries.
Workers’ compensation benefits in Maryland can help cover your costs, but fatigue-related claims are among the most disputed. Employers and insurance companies may argue that:
- The injury was due to misconduct rather than workplace conditions;
- Lifestyle factors, not work-related duties, caused fatigue;
- The accident occurred off the clock or during an unpaid break;
- You had a pre-existing condition, such as sleep apnea, that contributed to your injury.
To overcome these challenges, you need strong medical documentation and photos of the scene or other evidence showing how your accident happened. To protect your rights throughout the benefit claims process, get an experienced Maryland workers’ compensation attorney on your side.
Injured On The Job? Contact Our Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
When workplace fatigue causes or contributes to on-the-job accidents and injuries in Maryland, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP fights to protect the rights of injured Maryland workers and helps them get the maximum amount they are entitled to in a claim. Call or contact us online today and schedule a consultation with our Maryland workers’ compensation attorney.
Sources:
injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/safety-topics/work-related-fatigue/
osha.gov/worker-fatigue
