Trucking Work Injury and Occupational Disease Cases in L&I Claims – Workers Compensation Legal Blogs Posted by Tara Reck, Esq.

As a labor compensation attorney in Washington state, I see a lot of L&I claims related to truck driver accidents at work. I can also confirm that truck accidents at work can be serious and costly. In my experience, slips, trips and falls are common. These accidents at work happen in different ways. Sometimes they need to get in and out of the rig. In other cases a collision can occur. In some cases, they occur during rig maintenance or other activity. For example securing the load or setting up chains. In addition, many truck-related accidents at work occur during loading, unloading and moving loads.

Accidents at work in the trucking industry

An occupational accident occurs when a sudden and tangible incident results in physical harm that requires medical attention. According to personal observations, accidents at work in truck traffic are quite serious. Perhaps it’s because most truck accidents involve large rigs, heavy equipment, and heavy loads. More specifically, I’ve seen examples of trucker injuries in the workplace, such as falling from loading docks and docks. Other examples are the opening of rolling or swinging doors as well as getting in and out when getting in and out of the cabin. Then there are also cases of occupational accidents in which truck drivers lift heavy objects or are hit by cargo. Finally, there are also motor vehicle accidents with trucks and work accidents with forklifts.

Obviously, truck injuries can affect any part of the body. After all, it’s an industry that is very prone to work accidents and devastating injuries. In many cases, we see shoulder injuries, knee injuries, and work-related injuries to the neck and lower back. In more severe cases, we also encounter traumatic brain injuries (TBI) during truck transport.

Occupational disease and industrial disease in the truck

Of course, L & I’s claim involving a truck driver could be due to an occupational disease. In particular, occupational diseases (also known as industrial diseases) are conditions caused by occupational activities. In addition, these conditions can develop over time. In my experience, truckers are more likely to develop an occupational disease in the workplace if they have been doing it for a long time. They are also likely to develop an industrial disease if their work involves frequent, repetitive, and heavy lifting activities. Over the years I have seen many work-related illnesses related to trucks.

There are special work activities that lead to an occupational disease for truckers. These conditions include repeated shocks from poor impact, poor seat design, or seat malfunction. This includes repeatedly hanging and unhooking large and heavy hoses, repeatedly getting in and out of the cabin for short journeys, and repeatedly loading large, heavy, awkward and bulky cargo. As a result, I have seen claimants from occupational accidents develop sprains and strains, shoulder tears, knee tears, herniated discs, and exacerbate degenerative conditions such as arthritis.

The Impact of Work Accidents on Truckers

There is no doubt that truck driving involves labor-intensive activities. Many accidents occur with large trucks and heavy equipment. Accidents at work and occupational diseases can therefore seriously impair the ability to work. In trucking, it is particularly difficult to change a job for light work. As a result, in addition to the medical and other costs of the L&I claim, a truck worker compensation claim is extremely costly to the industrial accident claimant. Too often, it can end a good career for injured truck drivers.

The L&I Trucker Safety Initiative

The Ministry of Labor and Industry (L&I) created the Safety and Health Assessment and Research Program (SHARP). Essentially, they designed the program to improve safety in the workplace. SHARP claims that accidents at work are due to avoidable exposures. The L&I SHARP program, in collaboration with funds from the National Institute for Safety and Health at Work (NIOSH), examines occupational safety in the trucking industry. This project is called Trucking Injury Reduction Emphasis or TIRES. In fact, the TIRES program has already covered a decade of research into preventing slips, trips, falls, strains and sprains, and the prevention of object impacts. In addition, L&I develops materials as part of the TIRES program to prevent frequent accidents.

L&I has published certain statistics related to truckers’ accidents at work. In short, truck drivers and truck drivers are often prone to work accidents and accidents at work. That is why the TIRES program is working intensively on the creation of a truck industry-specific safety program. In the case of compensation claims from truck workers, I attach particular importance to the high price that applicants pay for occupational accidents. Therefore, any safety enhancements that reduce the incidence of truck injuries and the incidence of illness are a worthwhile and blessed investment.

Further information: https://tarareck.com/trucker-work-injury-claim/


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Ms. Tara Reck is the executive L&I attorney at Reck Law – Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Washington State. If you would like further information, please contact Ms. Reck via:

* Seattle | Bellevue | Mercer Island Office: (206) 395-6141

* Tacoma Office: (253) 999-9828

* Renton office: (425) 800-8195

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* Email: [email protected]

* Your Workers’ Compensation blog at https://tarareck.com/contact/ or their company website at https://recklaw.com/contact/