According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, slips, trips, and falls are actually the leading causes of injuries that result in missed time at work in Ontario.
According to the most recent data, 11,495 lost-time injury (LTI) claims were the result of falls—nine of them were traumatic injuries.
Common hazards in the workplace include slippery surfaces, snow and ice, spills (both dry and wet substances), and changes in walkway levels, but this doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.
Given the high numbers of slips and falls that happen at work, it’s important that you are up to date on current procedures so that you set yourself up for the best possible outcomes in the event that you experience a slip or fall at work or have recently experienced one.
Above all, workers have the right to work in a safe and healthy environment. If you have injured yourself at work because of a slip or fall, you may be entitled to compensation. Here is everything you need to know about slips and falls at work.
Slips and Falls At Work: What You Need To Know
- What the Law SaysOntario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires that employers take reasonable steps to protect employees, provide adequate instruction, and ensure that employees wear and use equipment correctly.If an employer is found to be negligent and the result is a slip and fall claim, you may be entitled to compensation in the form of various damages, such as pain and suffering, loss of income, loss of competitive advantage, loss of household capacity, and the reimbursement of medical costs and treatment.
Keep in mind that if you choose to pursue legal action, you are not eligible to receive any benefits under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIB). However, pursuing legal action may result in a larger sum of compensation, particularly when it comes to damages for pain and suffering. In some situations however, a worker is not entitled to make a claim against his or her own employer and is obligated to make a claim through WSIB.
- What to DoAfter a slip and fall accident, the first step is to seek medical attention. This medical record will be helpful should you decide to pursue legal action.Following the appropriate medical treatment; the next step is to report your slip and fall accident to the proper local authorities and to notify your employer of the hazard.
If it’s not too late, it can be helpful to take photographic evidence to support your case, but sometimes this is not always possible.
The next step is to contact a personal injury lawyer, who will handle all aspects of your claim.
The personal injury lawyers at SG Injury Law have extensive experience, including prior experience practising insurance defence law, which gives them knowledge of insurance company tactics used to respond to your claim.
Wewill get you the compensation that belongs to you. To schedule a free consultation or for more information, please contact us here.