What Are the Leading Causes of Job Fatalities in North Carolina? 2024

Workplace accidents can be frustrating and humiliating and can result in catastrophic injuries. It is important to take the proper steps to protect yourself by documenting your accident, should you wish to pursue a workers’ comp claim. If, however, you are wondering what the leading causes of job fatalities are in North Carolina, you may be one of the many seeking to protect themselves properly on the job.

By understanding the tragic causes of workplace fatalities, you can ensure you are employing proper safety, training, and regulatory guidelines to keep you and your coworkers safe.

Leading Causes of Job Fatalities in North Carolina

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 220 fatal workplace injuries in North Carolina in 2022. This is a significant increase from the amount of fatal workplace injuries that occurred during the previous year. Workplace fatalities can happen when you least expect them. These incidents take a particularly rough and devastating toll on families who lose loved ones because of such incidents.

The North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act lays out the requirements for deceased workers’ families to seek death benefits in the unfortunate event of a loved one’s death in a workplace accident. Families who find their loved one died due to employer negligence may also be eligible to file a wrongful death claim.

Common Causes of Workplace Deaths

Falls can occur in a number of workplace environments. Depending on the nature of the fall, you could suffer fatal injuries. Workers who do their jobs at great heights, such as construction workers, firefighters, or roofers, have a considerably increased chance of dying in a fall from a high elevation. A bad fall can be caused by sheer misfortune, and there’s nothing to be done. To avoid a fall accident, it is recommended that you try to avoid a cluttered workspace.

Trauma is another leading cause of workplace fatalities. People are struck by objects all the time, particularly factory and industry workers who deal with heavy, unpredictable machinery. In some work areas, an out-of-control vehicle could strike a worker while they’re on the job. An effective way to avoid traumatic strikes in the workplace is to employ proper training and remain observant.

Fatalities due to crushing can also happen largely in agricultural and industrial workers. Sometimes, a worker can become caught between two different machines or trapped in an excavated trench by a large machine, resulting in being crushed to death.

Practicing workplace safety can always go a long way toward preventing workplace fatalities. Employers have a responsibility to keep their employees safe through proper training, providing proper safety equipment, and ensuring the work environment is appropriately maintained. Considering additional safety courses for employees can ensure that safety remains a top priority.

Filing a Wrongful Death Claim

While a workplace fatality to a loved one can be devastating, holding employers and other employees responsible for such incidents can help to recover damages suffered by the loss. No amount of compensation will bring back a loved one, but many families suffer from the lost income and expenses that come from wrongful death instances. Because of this, an attorney can help recover damages.

Working with an attorney, you can file a claim against the employer or their insurance company. The resulting medical expenses and lost income can be recovered when the death is caused by the fault of another employee or the negligence of the employer. Recovering this compensation first begins with a legal consultation in which you can evaluate the circumstances of what happened and determine the next steps.

FAQs

Q: What Are the Leading Causes of Death in North Carolina Workplaces?

A: Some of the leading causes of death in workplaces in North Carolina are struck-by collisions or trauma, falls from high locations, car accidents, crush fatalities, and electrocutions. It depends on your workplace and the kinds of dangers you face daily. Someone who works in an office may not have to worry about being crushed by machinery the way that a factory worker might. Practicing workplace safety can help avoid workplace deaths.

Q: What Is the Number One Cause of Death in the Workplace?

A: The number one cause of death in the workplace nationwide is transportation accidents. This includes car accidents, truck accidents, construction vehicle accidents, delivery vehicle accidents, and other vehicular accidents involving workplace vehicles. Many different companies across the world use vehicles for a multitude of reasons, particularly delivery and worker transportation.

Q: What Is the Number Two Cause of Workplace Fatalities?

A: The number two causes of death in the workplace nationwide are slips, trips, and falls. A sudden slip and a bad fall can happen at any workplace in the world. Depending on your fall, you could end up with a severe, life-altering injury or even injuries that lead to death. It is important to constantly stay vigilant in your daily routine.

Q: What Occupation Has the Highest Death Rate?

A: According to a 2020 study from Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, the occupation with the highest death rate was logging workers. Logging workers have an estimated death rate of 111 per 100,000 workers. They work outdoors with heavy, dangerous equipment daily. Accidents can happen when you are dealing with unpredictable machines that have the power to devastate you.

North Carolina Wrongful Death Lawyer

Many different jobs have the potential to cause a workplace accident, and you never know if that accident will result in a tragic death. It is important to practice safety in the workplace frequently in order to avoid such accidents. If you lose a loved one to a workplace accident, you may want to consider seeking death benefits through a workplace injury or wrongful death lawyer.

At Bridgman Gantt Law Offices, we understand the kind of legal assistance you need, and we are prepared to help you seek compensation for this tragic loss. We can help you build up your case, gather the necessary evidence, and make sure you aren’t taken advantage of during your time of grief. Contact us to schedule a consultation as soon as you can.