Restaurant Worker Injuries Skyrocket

Restaurant workers operate in fast-paced environments full of potential hazards, and sometimes, injuries do happen. Data from a report by AmTrust Insurance shows that after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain types of injuries have occurred much more frequently, for a variety of reasons. If you have been injured on the job at a restaurant, know that you have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim for what you have experienced.

The AmTrust data reports that in 2021, there was an almost 90 percent increase in crushing injuries, with a 71 percent increase in claims of mental stress, a 61 percent increase in fainting-related injuries, and a 35 percent uptake in inflammation-type injuries. Other types of injuries that occurred more frequently were strains and dislocations. All of these can cause a restaurant worker to be absent for days or even weeks, depending on severity.

There are several different reasons why injuries in the restaurant industry happen in general, but the uptick in 2021 has primarily been traced to staffing shortages. As pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, most restaurants tried to reopen and ‘get back to normal’ – but too many had serious staffing shortages due to losing employees to COVID-19 or to other industries. With the remaining employees understaffed and trying to do the work of multiple people, it is perhaps only natural that injuries would occur more frequently.

If you are a restaurant worker, you may face higher risk of injury even if you yourself are as careful and prudent as possible. There are many types of injury that someone can sustain in a restaurant whose numbers have stayed roughly the same – for example, cuts from poor knife work or dropped blades, or falls on wet and slippery floors while on the line.

Know that workers’ compensation in Connecticut is no-fault – in other words, you can always file a claim for an injury sustained on the job, regardless of whether you played a role in causing it or not (with the exception of an injury where alcohol or drugs is a factor in your injury). Most of the time, when someone is hired, they agree to provide workers’ compensation coverage in exchange for a ban on suing one’s employer for negligence in these types of cases.

Contact A Stratford, CT Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Restaurant workers can operate in high-pressure environments at risk to themselves. If you are a restaurant worker and are injured on the job, you need to be able to rest easy with the knowledge that your bills will be covered, so that you can focus on healing and getting back to work. A Stratford workers’ compensation attorney from the Morizio Law Firm can guide you through the workers’ compensation process, and work hard to get your claim approved. Call our office today for a free consultation.

Sources:

amtrustfinancial.com/getmedia/62465b1a-df4c-4250-a24d-3bdc182936ef/ANA_AmTrust_Restaurant_Risk_Report_MKT6260.pdf
cga.ct.gov/PS97/rpt/olr/htm/97-R-0430.htm