Depending on your profession and job responsibilities, you may spend a lot of time on ladders throughout your workday. For example, if you’re a painter, you often feel like your ladder is your second home.
Even when you follow all applicable safety tips, there’s still a chance you could suffer an injury in a ladder accident. The most common types of injuries include:
- Broken bones: Even if you don’t fall from a height, you’re at risk of breaking a bone (or several). For example, an awkward last step could cause you to break your ankle or foot.
- Head injury: If you fall and hit your head on the ground or another object, you could suffer a concussion or traumatic brain injury. This is among the most serious type of ladder accident injuries.
- Back or neck injury: From a fracture to a strain to nerve damage, a fall from height has the potential to seriously injure your back and/or neck.
- Lacerations: Depending on where and how you fall, deep lacerations are always a possibility. For instance, if you fall outdoors and land on a concrete or blacktop surface, lacerations and abrasions are more likely.
If you’re injured in a ladder accident, don’t attempt to “walk it off” and get back to work. You could be ignoring a serious injury that has the potential to alter your life.
Once you receive treatment, you’ll better understand the type of injuries you have, how to treat them and the impact on your life. If you’re unable to immediately return to your job, look into your legal rights for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
