By KENNETH
North Carolina Workers Compensation Lawyer
Raleigh, N.C. (PRWEB) January 27, 2012
The new Workplace Safety Index by insurance company Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., shows the heavy financial burden that can result from workplace injuries, North Carolina workers? compensation lawyer Ben Cochran said today.
According to the Index, the most disabling, non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2009 accounted for a staggering $ 50.1 billion in direct workers? compensation costs.
In fact, the top five injury causes ? overexertion, fall on same level, fall to lower level, bodily reaction and struck by object ? resulted in nearly $ 36 billion in costs, or 72 percent of the total cost burden, the Index showed.
?Fortunately, our state?s workers? compensation system provides a way for injured employees to cover their individuals costs, including funds that pay for medical bills and partially compensate for lost wages,? said Cochran, a partner in the Raleigh accident and injury law firm of Hardison & Cochran, Attorneys at Law, and a Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.
?However, the rules and regulations governing workers? compensation claims can be very complex,? said Cochran, whose firm assists injured and ill workers throughout North Carolina, including Raleigh and its surrounding areas.
?That?s why it?s important to work with an attorney who can help navigate your claim through the system and make sure you secure the benefits you need and deserve.?
Liberty Mutual bases its Workplace Safety Index on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Academy of Social Insurance and its own workers? compensation claims on injuries causing at least six missed days of work.
The 2011 Index is based on labor statistics from 2009 ? the most recent year for which data is available. The index ranks injuries by their direct costs.
According to the Index, the five causes of disabling injuries in 2009 were:
