Do Workplace Injuries Increase Around Holidays?

The holidays are supposed to be a time of enjoyment and relaxation. But it can also be a time of stress at the workplace. This stress increases if you are injured at your workplace. And unfortunately, your chances of being injured near the holidays are higher than at other times of the year.

If you have been injured at your workplace, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the situation. With all the other responsibilities that you have during the holiday season, the last thing you need is to deal with insurance companies and paperwork. At Morgan & Morgan, we understand this and will help make the recovery process easy.

Get the stress relief you need after a holiday workplace injury. Contact us immediately to schedule a free case evaluation and learn how you can pursue compensation.

Why Do Workplace Injuries Increase Around Holidays?

Workplace injuries typically increase when certain risk factors are present. Holidays tend to be a time of the year when many risk factors are present at the same time. You can’t do much to prevent the danger, but you can be aware of what causes injuries and take steps to avoid getting hurt or hurting others.

Weather

Several major holidays take place during the winter months. For much of the country, this means that roads and entryways are often slick with snow and ice.

If your workplace doesn’t take care to keep the entryways clear of tracked snow and ice, it probably has slick floors. This can lead to more slips and falls, especially in retail businesses, where there is often increased foot traffic around the holidays.

Slick roads are also a danger if you work in the transportation industry. The holidays that occur in the winter tend to involve increased travel and deliveries compared to other seasons, so people who work in transportation can be at greater risk of being involved in accidents.

Increased Traffic

Nearly every major holiday results in an increase in travel, which can lead to extra accidents. If any part of your job involves driving during the holiday season, you should be extra careful.

This danger also applies to parking lots. Parking lots tend to be packed during most holiday seasons. While a car accident in a parking lot is less likely to result in serious injuries than one on the street, it still reflects a greater danger for workers.

Greater Work Loads

Most industries see an uptick in work during the holiday season. This doesn’t meaningfully increase your danger if you are a CPA or a secretary, but if you perform physical labor, this may increase your chance of experiencing a workplace injury.

The more physical labor you perform in a day or week, the greater the chance that you will suffer an accident. Workers in retail or warehouses, for example, can be injured while handling heavy boxes or scaling ladders. This danger may be compounded by tighter deadlines that are common during the holidays.

Seasonal Workers

Another reason that the workplace can be more dangerous during the holidays is that seasonal workers typically aren’t as well trained as regular workers and may be less likely to follow safety rules. This puts both the seasonal workers and others around them in danger.

Typically, there are two times of the year when seasonal workers are prevalent. During November and December, seasonal workers are often employed in retail locations. Those involved in warehousing and delivery may be most at risk of causing injuries.

When it comes to the other seasons, do workplace injuries increase around holidays? Seasonal workers are also commonly employed during the summer months when more people are on vacation. This can increase the risk of accidents during Memorial Day weekend, Labor Day weekend, and Independence Day. Typically, seasonal workers are hired in the food services and entertainment industries during these months.

Stress and Fatigue

Even though they are supposed to be relaxing, the holidays are often a stressful time for many workers. Demand for services usually goes up during holidays, which increases the stress on workers and makes them tired.

When you are exhausted at work, you are in greater danger of getting injured, particularly if you perform any type of manual labor or work involving heavy machinery. Delivery drivers, for instance, can be involved in accidents when fatigue impacts their ability to drive safely. 

Alcohol

Nearly every workplace prohibits employees from drinking alcohol while working, but those rules may be broken easily during the holiday season. This is particularly true if your job throws holiday parties. Keep an eye out for employees who are under the influence. They may pose a danger to you and others in the vicinity.

Carelessness

Often, when a break from work is coming up, anxious employees will become increasingly unfocused. This can lead them to behave carelessly while handling dangerous materials or moving about in the workplace.

The biggest threat from carelessness is typically near the end of the workday. Distracted employees can forget to unplug electronics or clean up work areas, resulting in a dangerous work environment. Regardless of how much you are looking forward to a vacation, try to stay focused on your job throughout the final hours before a break.

What to Do if You Are Injured in the Workplace Near a Holiday

Typically, if you are injured at your workplace, your employers are responsible for any medical bills or other expenses that you incur. However, sometimes it can be tricky to get compensation. To help you receive the money you deserve, take the following steps after an injury:

Document Your Injury

Even if your employee is responsibly paying for your injury, you will need to provide them and their insurance company with documentation proving that you were injured. Take pictures of the injury and the scene of the accident immediately after being injured, and write down a description of the incident while it is fresh in your mind.

If your employer tries to deny you compensation, this documentation will serve you well when you fight that decision. Your Morgan and Morgan attorney can use it both during negotiations with the insurance company and during a civil trial if one is required.

Contact an Attorney

You probably don’t want to let your employer know, but you should contact a lawyer before reporting your accident. The earlier you have legal representation, the more likely you are to get the compensation you are owed.

Additionally, while it is illegal to fire someone for reporting a workplace accident, some employers might do it anyway. If you have already retained a lawyer when that happens, there will be somebody who can step in and defend your rights immediately.

Report the Injury to Your Workplace

Most businesses have a process for reporting injuries in the workplace. Typically, you will need to advise your direct boss and then fill out a bunch of paperwork. Even if you think your employer will be antagonistic to your claim, you should use the designated process.

If you are worried about some form of retaliation for reporting the injury, tell your attorney before you report, and make sure they are apprised of everything you do. Sadly, it is just a good idea to prepare for your employer to act in bad faith.

Enjoy the Holiday as Best You Can

Once you have reported the injury, there is usually little you can do other than wait. Your attorney may take action while you are waiting, but usually, your work is mostly done. Since it is a holiday, you should try to relax and release stress. This can help you recover from your injury more quickly.