Personal injuries can make it difficult for you to work or enjoy the things you normally do. For instance, if you fall and hit your head, you might struggle with your memory or have headaches that make it hard to concentrate. Another issue that some families find themselves faced with is a personal injury that leads to a loved one’s death. These injuries are normally covered by workers’ compensation if a death happens at work, but if not, it can mean lawsuits and claims to get the compensation needed.
One news report from July 27 stated that the number of unintentional injuries in the United States and Oregon have made it the fourth leading overall cause of death and the top cause of death for those between the ages of 1 and 44. Living in Oregon, this news in itself may be shocking, especially since it’s Oregon that suffers most.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that up to 40 percent of these unintentional injury deaths are actually preventable. In Oregon, people die from unintentional injuries at a higher rate than the national average, too. In fact, in 2010, there were 1,566 unintentional injury deaths in Oregon alone.
Not all unintentional injury deaths are the fault of other people, but some are. For example, men are more likely to suffer from unintentional injuries and death in the workplace. They account for 92 percent of all workplace injuries resulting in a fatality. In the state of Oregon, males are close to twice as likely to be killed than females.
After unintentional injuries take place, the case has to be reviewed individually to see what a family can do; in wrongful death cases, lawsuits may be the answer.
Source: Pamplin Media, “Unintentional injury deaths are mostly preventable,” Susan Johnson, July 27, 2016
