If you fell off a ladder at work, you may have suffered serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment. You are not alone. About 20% of work-related fall injuries involve a ladder. The risk is especially high for construction workers (roofers, house framers, steel and iron workers, etc.), power line workers, electricians, warehouse workers, shipping workers and retail workers.
Important: To get all the workers’ compensation benefits you need after a work injury, your injury needs to be medically documented, and you should have a workers’ comp attorney on your side to advise you and protect your rights. Employers and insurance companies will do what they can to minimize or deny workers’ comp benefits. A workers’ compensation attorney can handle your claim while you focus on your health and family.
Causes of ladder falls
One of the leading causes of ladder falls is incorrectly setting up the angle of the ladder. This leads to the ladder sliding out at the base as you climb higher on the ladder.
Choosing the wrong type of ladder can also lead to serious injuries. For example, the ladder might be too short, and you try to reach too far and fall, or a metal ladder is used while electrical work is being done, and you suffer a shock and a fall.
Many ladder falls also occur because of old, damaged ladders, or the weight placed on the ladder exceeds the weight indicated on the ladder’s duty rating. In other cases, the ladder was placed on uneven or unstable ground, and the ladder topples.
Workers’ compensation in Georgia
Whatever the cause of the accident may have been, you have a right to file for workers’ compensation benefits. Georgia’s workers’ compensation system is a no-fault system. That means you do not have to prove that anyone caused your injury for you to receive the benefits you need.
However, it’s important to have a workers’ compensation attorney on your side to guide you through the process, handle your claim, and ensure that you avoid any mistakes that could threaten your benefits. For more on what to do and what not to do after a work injury, please see our list of workers’ comp dos and don’ts.