While construction workers and other employees working with heavy machinery have high rates of workplace injury, many people are surprised to find office workers in Homestead and other communities also sustain on-the-job injuries with some frequency.
There are several reasons why office work can lead to injuries:
At this time of year, many workers take on seasonal jobs. In Southern Florida, retail, agricultural, and construction sectors, especially, hire seasonal workers. If you are among those hired at this time of year, do you understand your rights under Homestead and South Florida workers’ compensation rules? Do you know what to do if you are injured on the job?
Seasonal Workers and Workplace Injury
As a worker, including as a seasonal worker, you have the right to be paid for your work and you have the right to a safe workplace. Unfortunately, seasonal workers do tend to have higher rates of injuries when compared with full-time workers working year-round. There are a few reasons for this:
Retail workers face high rates of injury. Although their jobs do not usually include heavy equipment, in some years the rate of retail worker injuries is on par with the injury rate in the construction industry. Unfortunately, at this time of year, retail workers may be especially at risk.
If you are a retail worker in Homestead or anywhere in South Florida, worker injuries are a real concern at this time of year for a few reasons. Retail workers during the holidays are often hired as seasonal workers, and this may mean they are less used to the hazards of the workplace. Since this is the busiest season for retail, workers may also be more likely to deal with crowds, aggressive shoppers, long hours (leading to on-the-job fatigue), and large stacks of inventory.
At this time of year, many people in Hollywood and South Florida look for seasonal work to earn extra money in time for the holidays. More jobs open up in the retail and even manufacturing sectors during the holiday rush as more customers shop.
While a seasonal job can mean more money, however, seasonal workers run the risk of serious injury. Unlike full-time workers, seasonal workers may not get a chance to get used to their work environment and may get less training when compared with traditional, full-time employees.
The companies you trust with your business may be storing more information about you than you realize. In order to make transactions fast and to market their products effectively, some companies keep your name and address on file. Other organizations may have your credit card or financial information, Social Security number, or even driver’s license number and other data stored digitally. If companies fail to keep your information safe, they can be held liable and you may have a legal claim against them in Homestead or your community.
How Can I Be Impacted by a Security Breach and Class Action Lawsuit?
Security breaches occur when data or computer systems are compromised in some way. It could be that personal data is stolen from a company by an unscrupulous employee or is not protected carefully. In some cases, breaches occur due to hacks committed by criminals.
After a big disaster, it is quite common for everyone in the immediate area to have their lives permanently affected. Whether the disaster is a big fire, storm, or natural disaster, massive damage and multiple claimants involved can also complicate the insurance process.
If your home and property have been damaged in this type of incident, your very first priority will be to get to safety and to get any emergency medical help you need. You will also want to contact your insurer as quickly as possible to start the claims process. In addition, be sure to keep records and receipts of everything possible. This may mean taking photos of the damage, making an itemized list of all the damage, writing down the details of the incident which caused the damage, keeping receipts for hotels and every other expense you have incurred. Do not throw away any damaged property.
At this time of year, many children are interested in dressing up for Halloween. Some adults also dress up for parties and ever festivities. While many costumes sold in stores are perfectly safe and while home-made costumes can be safe as well, each year some costumes cause serious injuries. Some even launch Homestead or South Florida products liability cases.
Whether you are making your own costumes or buying completed costumes, follow these tips to have fun on Halloween safely:
School trips are an enriching activity and are something most students look forward to. Field trips in Homestead and South Florida allow children to have fun while also getting hands-on learning in the region’s many points of interest. Unfortunately, when schools fail to take reasonable precautions to keep children safe.
When you have school-age children looking forward to an excursion to a museum, historic site, or some other point of interest, here are a few tips you can use to reduce their risk of injury:
Electronic cigarettes release water vapor, flavorings, and in some cases tobacco. They have become a popular alternative to cigarette in recent years. Unfortunately, they have also been in the news for serious injuries. The lithium batteries used in e-cigarettes have sometimes burst into fire or exploded, causing serious injury to e-cigarette users. There have even been fatalities linked to these devices. If you are injured by an e-cigarette, contact a Homestead or South Florida products liability attorney to discuss your options.
In Homestead and across South Florida, we rely on our mobile devices and various technology to do our jobs, entertain us, and more. Whether you’re checking the weather on your tablet, typing work emails on your laptop, or getting to a sports event by using your car’s GPS, you are surrounded by electronic devices. Of course, you expect these devices to be safe, but each year Homestead and Florida residents suffer serious burns and injuries caused by malfunctioning, exploding, and poorly-deigned electronic devices.
Electronic devices are complex and are usually made from parts sourced all over the world. While there are consumer protection groups aimed at evaluating these items for safety and while there are state and federal standards for safety, it is difficult to closely monitor all products entering the country. If you have been injured by a dangerous electronic product, consult with a Homestead products liability attorney to find out whether you have a claim.
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