Crush Injuries and Workers’ Compensation

The severity of any type of workplace injury in Maryland depends on the kind of injury, the location on the body, and the overall health and well-being of the injured worker. Some injuries by their nature tend to be disabling and often catastrophic. Crush injuries are one such type of injury. Crush injuries can occur in many different types of professions, but they tend to be most common in jobs where employees are working with heavy machinery. Our Maryland workers’ compensation attorneys can provide you with more information about crush injuries in workplaces.

What is a Crush Injury? 

What is a crush injury? According to MedlinePlus and the National Library of Medicine, a crush injury “occurs when excessive force or pressure is put on a body part,” and it typically occurs “when part of the body is squeezed between two heavy objects.” The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) provides a similar definition, explaining that a “crush injury is defined as compression of extremities or other parts of the body that causes muscle swelling and/or neurological disturbances in the affected areas of the body.”

Any part of the body can sustain a crush injury, but these types of injuries tend to occur with more frequency in certain parts of the body than others. According to the ACEP, lower extremity crush injuries are most common (accounting for about 74 percent of reported crush injuries), followed by upper extremities (about 10 percent of all reported crush injuries) and the trunk (about 9 percent of reported crush injuries).

When crush injuries are particularly severe, they can require amputations and can even result in life-threatening conditions such as traumatic rhabdomyolysis and the release of toxins into the victim’s circulatory system. In some workers with crush injuries, according to the ACEP, crush injuries can also lead to renal failure and heart failure.

Jobs Where Crush Injuries Are Common 

Workers who are required to use or to work around heavy machinery are most likely to sustain crush injuries on the job, including but not limited to:

• Factory work and manufacturing;
• Warehousing; and
• Construction.

At the same time, crush injuries can also occur in retail jobs, among hospital and medical workers, and in various other professions.

Types of Crush Injuries on the Job 

What types of crush injuries are most common? Varying in severity, crush injuries frequently include but are not limited to:

• Bruising and contusions;
• Cuts and lacerations;
• Fractures;
• Traumatic amputations;
• Nerve damage, which can include paralysis in the most severe cases;
• Compartment syndrome; and
• Psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Contact Our Maryland Workers’ Compensation Lawyers 

Anyone who has been injured in a Maryland workplace should find out more about seeking workers’ compensation benefits. Some injuries, including crush injuries, can be catastrophic and permanently disabling. When these kinds of injuries occur, it is especially critical to seek legal advice to ensure that you have access to the medical care you need and payment for lost wages due to the severity of your disability. An experienced Maryland workers’ compensation attorney at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC can speak with you about your case today. Contact us for more information.

Sources:

medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000024.htm

acep.org/imports/clinical-and-practice-management/resources/ems-and-disaster-preparedness/disaster-preparedness-grant-projects/cdc—blast-injury/cdc-blast-injury-fact-sheets/crush-injury-and-crush-syndrome