Springfield Workers' Compensation Blog

There are many things that could be valid grounds for termination, but your workers' compensation status would not be one of them. If your employer were to tell you that you were being fired because you were receiving benefits, they would probably be violating your rights under Missouri law. 

Even if your boss were to give a different reason for firing you -- other than your workers' comp, that is -- there could be more to the story. Looking into the situation surrounding the incident could help you in multiple ways, by illuminating what you did wrong or revealing the fact that your company is trying to illegally fire you, for example.

Common sense reveals that those who work with dangerous equipment are likelier to sustain injuries on the job. Statistics confirm that assumption, as areas such as manufacturing, construction, forestry and warehousing experience high injury numbers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, just because an occupation may be inherently hazardous does not mean industry leaders cannot reduce risk through proper measures. Government regulations supply one source of safety, yet even then, adherence does not happen. In machining, myths regarding safety standards share responsibility in noncompliance.

If you have a severe injury to an extremity, the doctor may suggest amputation. Unless it is an emergency situation, the doctor will generally consult with you beforehand and get your consent to do the surgery. It is always a good idea to be informed and to know why the doctor is making this recommendation. It also can help to reassure you that this is really a necessary procedure.

To begin with, amputations are something that are often done as a last resort. According to WebMD, they generally only occur if you have a situation where there is damage to the arteries, death of tissue or an infection that will not get better with treatment. Amputations are typically performed to prevent the spread of infection or necrosis to healthy surrounding tissues, preventing further loss of viable tissue and even loss of life. In fact, in many instances an amputation is a lifesaving operation.

One of the standard pieces of safety equipment on every construction site is the hard hat. If you work in construction in Missouri, wearing a hard hat should be second nature to you. You should slip the hat on before you enter the work zone and only remove it when you get your vehicle to go home at night. However, some workers see hard hats as a nuisance. Those people are putting themselves at great risk.

According to Safety and Health, hard hats offer amazing protection against serious head injuries that could cause severe effects and even death. There were 1020 death in 2012 alone due to head injuries on worksites. That is why hard hats should be worn all the time when in a construction zone.