Truck drivers face many dangers on the job, even when they are not actually traveling on the road at the time that an incident occurs. Accidents are always a possibility both inside and outside of the truck. Recently, one Illinois truck driver learned this the hard way when he suffered a work-related injury after falling from his truck during a stop in a nearby state.
The accident occurred as the truck driver was working with a tarp on the flatbed tractor-trailer, either placing it on a load or removing it. He fell approximately 12 feet to the ground. After his fall, the truck driver was conscious, but incapable of moving. Several units were dispatched to the scene, including an ambulance service and a fire rescue squad. Ultimately, he was flown to a hospital with unspecified injuries.
The federal OSHA is not investigating the accident. Typically, accidents only need to be investigated if they result in a fatality or the hospitalization of at least three workers. Because this accident only injured one worker, the OSHA does not need to get involved.
Being injured on the job can lead to financial hardship from mounting medical expenses and missed work. As this man recovers from his work-related injury, he is likely eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers in Illinois who are injured on the job may need guidance to ensure that they are being treated fairly and get the most out of the benefits to which they are entitled. Filing a successful workers’ compensation claim can make up for the bills, lost wages and other financial losses that resulted from the accident, taking some of the sting out of a painful situation.
Source: Daily Jefferson County Union, “Truck driver injured in fall while at Fort Atkinson’s Spacesaver,” Ryan Whisner, Dec. 7, 2012
