Louisiana Has Unusually High Rate of Work-Related Illnesses and Injuries

When neighbors gather on a summer evening in Houma, one of the most fun ways to pass the time is to listen to people trade stories of the physical and emotional strength they have had to display just to do their jobs. Many of the jobs that fuel Houma’s economy are physically demanding. You may have a grandfather or uncle who worked as a shrimper or fisherman, and the oil industry and shipbuilding jobs that employ many members of the younger generations carry even more risk of serious injury. Thus, the report on occupational health published by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, which states, unsurprisingly, that Louisiana has a high rate of on-the-job accidents and occupational illnesses is another depressing statistic about Louisiana being one of the least healthy states in the nation. The numbers reflect the physically risky jobs that help Louisianans earn a living and the people who courageously risk their safety to perform them. Work injuries and occupational illnesses negatively impact your finances as well as your health. If you have been injured at work, contact a Louisiana maritime injury lawyer.

The Data on Occupational Health in Louisiana

Here are some highlights from the report by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

• The rate of non-fatal accidental injuries in the workplace in Louisiana is consistently slightly below the national average, but the rate of work-related fatalities is consistently higher, sometimes more than twice the national average.
• Among musculoskeletal disorders cited as occupational diseases, chronic back pain was the most common, followed by neck and shoulder pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Pneumoconiosis is an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling mineral dust over a long period of time. In Louisiana, 92% of cases of pneumoconiosis were from asbestos exposure.
• Mesothelioma is a type of incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos; Louisiana’s rate of mesothelioma is consistently higher than the national average.
• Even though the percentage of Louisianans employed in occupations deemed high risk for occupational injuries in close to the national average, the rate of injuries in Louisiana is proportionally much higher.
• Louisiana ranks near the national average in the amount of money paid for workers’ compensation claims.
• Approximately half of hospital visits for asthma in the United States are from work-related exposure to asthma triggers.
• The numbers, of course, do not tell the whole story. Each work injury and occupational illness case is unique. Your work injury might keep you out of work indefinitely, and you could be entitled to long-term financial compensation for lost income.

Contact Patrick Yancey About Maritime Injury Cases

If you have been injured in a work accident in a high-risk industry, you may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey in Houma, Louisiana to discuss your case with a personal injury attorney.