Truckers have an important yet physically demanding job. They deliver goods that ensure that business can meet their operational needs, which keeps our economy and your daily life on track. Yet, the physical health and safety of these drivers is often overlooked.
Some think that they do nothing more than sit behind the wheel of their truck for several hours a day, so they’re actually relatively safe in their profession.
But this simply isn’t true. Semi-truck drivers have a host of other job responsibilities, including helping to load and unload their trailer, conducting vehicle inspections, and sometimes assisting with truck maintenance. And these activities can prove to be quite dangerous. Any of these activities, including simply driving their rig, can lead to workplace injury. And those who are injured on the job can struggle to make ends meet while they try to treat their medical conditions.
This is where workers’ compensation may be able to help.
Common workplace injuries suffered by semi-truck drivers
Given the breadth of their activities, there are several injuries that truckers can experience. This includes:
- Accident injuries: A trucker who is involved in an accident can suffer extensive, sometimes even catastrophic injuries. This can include broken bones, torn ligaments, head injuries and brain damage, and spinal cord injuries. These injuries require immediate medical care, but they may also result in the need for long-term rehabilitation.
- Back injuries: Truckers are at high risk of suffering a back injury. A back sprain, back strain, or herniated disc can be caused by lifting heavy cargo during loading or unloading, as well as simply sitting behind the wheel for hours at a time. Those who have to sleep in the cabin of their truck can also experience back problems.
- Shoulder injuries: Lifting cargo can also cause damage to your shoulder. But that’s not the only way that truckers suffer shoulder injuries. They can also develop shoulder pain by holding their arms in the same position when driving throughout the day or night, and they might get hurt when they have to pull the fifth wheel release.
- Fall injuries: Truckers regularly have to climb in and out of their truck, which puts them at risk of falling a significant distance to the ground below. The same risk exists when truckers have to enter and exit their trailer without using a loading dock. One of these falls can result in serious injury to the neck, back, knee, or head.
- Crush injuries: A trucker can be crushed when cargo falls over onto them, or when heavy equipment used to load and unload the truck, like a forklift or a power jack, pins them.
- Harm related to the trucking lifestyle: While physical injuries are often suffered by truckers, these individuals are also susceptible to other types of harm. Truckers might develop serious medical conditions like diabetes or cancer due to their sedentary lifestyle and poor food options out on the road, or they can develop mental health issues like depression due to the isolation of their job. These are all serious conditions that require immediate and extensive treatment.
Are you a trucker who has been injured on the job?
If so, then a workers’ compensation claim may be justified. Filing one of these claims could be the only way to recover the compensation you need to offset your losses. To learn more about what the workers’ compensation process looks like, please continue to browse our website.