California Healthcare Workers Routinely Face Workplace Injury Risks

At Hanning & Sacchetto, LLP, our Whittier workers’ compensation attorneys know that California healthcare workers are on the frontlines of danger every day. This is particularly true for nurses often at the forefront of patient care, providing hands-on assistance, administering medications, performing procedures, and monitoring patients’ conditions.

Not only does this close and prolonged contact with patients increase the risk of exposure to infectious diseases, bodily fluids, and other hazards, but their roles often require them to lift, move, or transfer patients, which can lead to musculoskeletal injuries such as strains, sprains, or back injuries. They may also face risks of slips, trips, and falls, especially when working in fast-paced or high-stress environments.

When nurses and other healthcare professionals are hurt at work, they are entitled to the same workers’ compensation benefits as other covered employees. Unfortunately, their injuries are often dismissed—by the employee, coworkers, or supervisors—as “part of the job.”

This is simply not true. The frequency of workplace accidents and injuries involving nurses throughout California and nationwide is overwhelming. Our Los Angeles County workers’ compensation attorneys help healthcare workers pursue the benefits they are entitled to and deserve for their injuries so they can focus on their complete recovery before returning to the frontlines.

How Often Are California Nurses Injured at Work?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that nurses suffer nonfatal job-related injuries and illnesses at a rate “significantly greater than the rate for all occupations,” whether they work in emergency rooms, hospital units, nursing homes, or doctor’s offices.

The Washington Post has underscored nursing as “One of America’s Most Dangerous Jobs” and revealed that “lifting and moving patients results in more injuries for nurses than for construction workers.”

Based on the BLS’s data, the most prevalent risks of all injuries and illnesses for nurses are:

• 6%: Overexertion and bodily reaction.
• 0%: Falls, slips, and trips.
• 2%: Violence and injuries caused by other persons.
• 8%: Contact with objects or equipment.
• 8%: Transportation incidents.
• 3%: Exposure to harmful substances or environments.

If you have been injured at a California healthcare facility, we want to help ensure you have access to the benefits you are entitled to regain control of your life.

What are the Eligibility Criteria for California Nurses Pursuing Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

The essential eligibility criteria for California nurses to pursue workers’ compensation benefits include:

• The injury or illness is job-related.
• The nurse is an “employee” and not an “independent contractor” of their organization.

Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Today

If you are a nurse or another healthcare industry employee who has been hurt at work in California, call (562) 698-6446 to schedule a free consultation with our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys in Whittier today to discuss the full scope of your financial recovery needs. We can help you understand your legal rights and options to pursue the compensation and benefits you are entitled to by law so you can focus on getting your life back on track.