Horse Back Riding Injuries Send Over 78,000 to Hospital Per Year

This past weekend, the office had a field trip to go horseback riding.  For at least one person, this was their first time ever mounting a horse.  Concerned, our coworker sheepishly asked about rates of horseback riding injuries.  It turns out that it's not pretty.  Every year, there are approximately 75,000 visits to the emergency room as a result of horseback riding injuries.  Considering over 7 million Americans ride horses every year, these rates of accident seem to be quite disturbing.

What are the Risks of Horse Back Riding Injuries?

Horseback riding can be fun, but it can also be dangerous.  When you mount a horse, you're up to 15 feet off the ground on a live animal who weighs in near 1000 pounds.  Horses can be unpredictable and can spook easily, prompting injuries. Commonly, horseback riding injuries are characterized by the following statistics:

• in 2007, 78,279 people were sent to the emergency room with horseback riding injuries
• 15% were due to head injuries, the leading cause of death
• 5% were concussions, which is double what most sports rate
• 41% were treated for sprains
• 33.3% fractured or dislocated something
• 40% were bruised
• an estimated 100 deaths per year

Often, stables offer horseback rides but can neglect to offer riders a helmet to protect themselves.  Given these rates of injury, it is a smart idea to use a helmet when you ride. Consider these ways to protect yourself from injuries when you're on a horse.

Prevent Head Injuries Next Time Your Ride a Horse

Head injuries account for approximately 60% of horseback riding deaths every year.  To protect riders, the Equestrian Medical Safety Association recommends the following safety tips:

• Wear a properly fitted helmet while on a horse
• Wear a protective vest
• Ensure stirrups fit properly
• Wear closed toe shoes, preferably boots
• Never walk behind a horse
• Keep your horse a safe distance from any horses in front of it
• Do not make sudden movements or noises near a horse

If you have suffered a horseback riding injury, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.  To determine whether you are eligible, please call a skilled personal injury attorney. 

The Hidden Cost of the Flu: Costly Workplace Accidents

This flu season has already claimed the lives of 20 children.  Hospitals are overcrowded with patients seeking treatment and are turning people away in droves. The media has dubbed this an epidemic, encouraging people to get vaccinated, especially if they happen to be in a high risk group.  But what of the hidden costs to business, the workplace injuries that are the result of workers who are weak, who trudge to work because they can't afford to stay home and rest?  These workers are not dying of the flu.  But they could be at risk for traumatic injuries as a result of their flu.  They could be putting other coworkers at risk for traumatic injuries as the result of careless mistakes and negligent behavior. 

Being Sick Can Cause Workplace Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that flu season costs businesses an estimated $10.4 billion in direct healthcare costs each year.  But that does not take into account lingering injuries as a result of accidents on the job.  

Workplace accidents are sometimes unavoidable realities.  Despite a worker's intention to pay attention and to carefully perform their job, sometimes accidents can happen.  When workers are sick with the flu, they can make careless mistakes because their mind and body are tired, or because they may be under the influence of a drowsy antihistamine or other medication. These accidents can cause the following injuries to workers:

• traumatic brain injury
• spinal cord injury
• back and neck injury
• knee injuries
• broken bones
• soft tissue damage
• concussions
• hearing loss
• blindness
• severed limbs
• paraplegia
• quadriplegia
• amputation
• death

According to the American Journal of Public Health, 1 in 3 American workers does not have paid sick days available.  This lack of sick days causes workers to go to work, whether they are sick, tired, stressed, and other conditions.  These people often cannot afford to take a day off because they are sick and this may cause an accident.  

If You've Suffered a Workplace Accident

All businesses are required to have Worker's Compensation insurance, which protects companies from being sued by the worker for their injuries.  Instead, the state maintains a worker's compensation fund that is intended to provide for employees' injuries. If you have suffered a workplace accident, you have rights.  And you may be able to collect compensation for your injuries.  You should seek out the advice of a skilled worker's compensation and personal injury attorney to help you navigate the complicated system of collecting worker's compensation for your injuries.  If you attempt to file the paperwork and collect on your own, there's a very real possibility that you can be denied money you desperately need for medical bills, or that you could receive pennies on the dollar for your injuries.  Call a skilled worker's compensation attorney today for the help you deserve.