According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, roofers have the fifth-highest work-related death rate in the construction industry, with 29.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers. This equals out to twice the average for all construction workers and makes roofing the fourth-most dangerous job in the United States. About 50 roofers are killed on the job each year, primarily as a result of falls.
Government reports suggest these fatal falls are almost exclusively caused by inadequate fall protection. Many common roofing injuries can leave the worker hurt badly enough that they cannot return to work for some time. Roofers can slip and fall from significant heights; as a result, they may experience cuts, bruises, abrasions, broken bones, burns, traumatic head injuries, and spinal injuries.
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If you are a roofer who experienced on-the-job injuries, speaking to Peter Diiorio from New Orleans Legal, LLC could significantly benefit you. Most injured workers in Louisiana can substantially benefit from representation by a highly experienced workers compensation attorney. If your illness or injury is minor, resulting in only a few days off work and with no lasting effects, then you may not need a workers compensation attorney, but understanding the longevity of even a minor injury can be complicated, and guidance should be sought.
A knowledgeable attorney can definitely improve your chances of receiving the benefits you deserve. Since insurance companies may attempt to devalue your claim or even threaten your rights and future, an attorney from New Orleans Legal can protect your rights from start to finish.
Workers Compensation for Common Roofing Injuries
Roofing is undoubtedly no easy job, with steep heights and slippery surfaces. Most customers will not hire a roofing company that does not carry its own workers compensation since an injured worker could then potentially file against the homeowner’s insurance.
Many common roofing injuries result from little to no fall protection, while other times, accidents simply happen. Virtually every employer in the state of Louisiana is required to carry workers compensation insurance (or must be approved for self-insurance). Any part-time or full-time employee, including minors and seasonal staff, must be covered under workers compensation.
The only exceptions to this include domestic employees, real estate salespeople, those who volunteer for nonprofits (sometimes), certain performers and musicians, some public officials, and any worker covered by federal law, like railroad workers.
Filing for Workers Compensation as a Roofer
If you have been injured while working on a roofing job, you have several ways to report your workers compensation claim. You can no longer submit a report of a workplace injury or illness through the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s Office of WCA. Claims must now be filed directly through the insurance carrier of your employer’s workers compensation. You should report the injury within one hour since every minute you wait can significantly increase claim costs. You can file for Louisiana workers compensation online, by phone, email, or fax. A workers compensation attorney can help you with all the details associated with your claim.
Roofer Injury Statistics
A report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in December 2020 shows roofing fatalities in 2019 were up 15 percent from the prior year. Roofers accounted for 111 of the 5,333 fatal on-the-job injuries in 2019. The average rate of on-the-job death among all occupations is 3.5 deaths per 100,000 workers. For roofers, the rate is 51.5 deaths per 100,000 workers. About 11 percent of work-related deaths for roofers are due to electrocution when the roofer comes into contact with an electrical current. Non-fatal electrical injuries are also common. Electrical fatalities for roofers are generally the result of coming into contact with overhead power lines, wiring, transformers, or lightning strikes.
Common Roofing Injuries
Falls are dangerous to everyone, particularly to roofers who spend most of their time at work on roofs that can be far from the ground, steep, and sometimes slippery. Workers can be burned from hot tar splashes or spills, and these burns can be very severe. Slip and falls from a roof can result in serious spinal injuries, even paraplegia or quadriplegia. Traumatic brain injuries can occur when a roofer experiences a slip and fall from a roof, as well as broken bones, internal injuries, cuts, bruises, and abrasions.
Following a hurricane, roofers in Louisiana are in high demand. Not only are roofers attempting to work quickly to get residents back in their homes, but they can also be working in more dangerous conditions than usual. There may be debris on the ground that can make ladders uneven or fallen trees in the vicinity. Rain may still be falling sporadically, making surfaces slippery, and the excessive heat can result in heat exhaustion—a severe condition. If you are a roofer that has suffered a serious injury, New Orleans Legal, LLC wants to help you. We believe you deserve a strong advocate in your corner, and we want to be there to help you get the benefits you need.
New Orleans Legal, LLC—Helping Roofers Get Their Lives Back Following an Accident at Work
Attorney Peter Diiorio at New Orleans Legal, LLC, helps those who have been injured at work collect workers compensation benefits. We will fight for roofers and other workers to ensure they receive medical care, have their medical expenses paid, and are paid workers’ comp wages for their time away from work. Workers compensation injuries can change lives forever. At New Orleans Legal, LLC, we are strong, aggressive advocates for our clients. New Orleans Legal, LLC–We are Solving Problems, Making Things Right. Contact New Orleans Legal, LLC today.
