A recent on-the-job tragedy reminded workers across the United States of the inherent dangers of working in the construction industry. On August 23rd, 2018, a 27-year-old construction worker was fatally injured while he and his construction team were working on a private preparatory school in northeast Maryland. The accident occurred as the construction team was attempting to move a portable building, and the worker was struck during the move. The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Department are conducting an ongoing investigation in hopes of gaining further insight into how the accident occurred. 

In 2016 alone, 5,190 American workers were killed while at work. Over 20% of American workers that suffered fatal injuries in 2016 were involved in construction accidents. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has worked extensively to minimize workplace fatalities, work injuries continue to plague a number of American industries, none more so than the construction industry. If you or a member of your family suffer an injury while at work, a knowledgeable workers' compensation attorney can help you receive the financial benefits you deserve. 

Why Are Construction Fatalities So Common? 

In 2016 alone, insurance companies billed out over $45,000,000 in workers’ compensation claims throughout the United States. While the financial numbers for workers’ compensation nationwide only increased by 0.6%, there has been a massive uptick in workers’ compensation claims since 2010. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that in the span between 2010 and 2016, insurance claims for workers’ compensation have increased by over 30%. 

At Salvi & Maher, L.L.C., our personal injury attorneys assist with filing workers' compensation claims and addressing the denial of benefits. We put our decades of experience to work to help clients receive the compensation they deserve. 

Workers’ Compensation Statistics 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), workplace injuries are on the decline. The incident rate within the private sector workforce has declined from 4.4 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2006, to 2.9 cases in 2016.

In the state of Illinois, the average of 2.7 injuries per 100 full-time workers lies below the national average. Moreover, Illinois is ranked as the 9th safest state to work in throughout the United States.

A look at the long term trend in workplace safety shows that the commitment to improving worker safety has been a success. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there were 10.9 worker accidents or illnesses per 100 workers annually in 1972 compared to 3.0 per 100 workers in 2015.

As part of an effort to spur job growth and decrease persistently high unemployment in Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner wants to reform the state’s workers’ compensation system.

Gov. Rauner recently unveiled “The Illinois Turnaround,” a 44-point plan addressing maladies he sees in the economy, public schools and governmental structure. That proposal includes three workers’ compensations reforms. First, the plan would apportion occupational disease claims; for example, if a worker develops back pain, the Workers’ Compensation Commission may divide responsibility between the worker’s job and the worker’s weekend skydiving lessons. Governor Rauner also wants to make it harder for out-of-state workers to file a claim inside Illinois and tighten up the standards for determining a disability.

All these measures are designed to decrease workers’ compensation premium payments, which would theoretically attract out-of-state companies and give local enterprises more incentive to expand.