Hayward WI Workers' Compensation Law Blog

Muscle strains are among the most common workplace injuries that you may sustain in Wisconsin. According to the Mayo Clinic, muscle strains occur when a muscle or tendon becomes stretched too far while in use. If you do not recognize the phrase "muscle strain," you may be more familiar with the term "pulled muscle," which describes the same condition.

While many muscle strains occur suddenly due to a forceful injury, some muscle strains are chronic, meaning that the injury develops gradually over time due to repeating the same movement over and over. 

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

As the snow melts and spring arrives in earnest, we will begin to see more riders on the road. Too many motorists think motorcycle safety messages are aimed at riders. In reality, it is vehicle drivers that are responsible for the vast majority of collisions involving motorcycle riders.

Each year, more than 5,000 riders are killed on the nation's highways and byways, accounting for about 1 in 5 road deaths, despite there being far fewer motorcycles on the road than passenger vehicles. Per mile driven, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates riders are at least 20 times more likely to be killed than automobile occupants.

Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Winter and Hayward urge drivers to exercise patience and caution when around motorcycles. Allowing a rider to pass before proceeding is typically the safest option when it comes to avoiding the risks of causing a serious or fatal traffic collision.

Wisconsin is a great state for riding and as a result we have a surprisingly high number of serious and fatal motorcycle collisions. Last year, 85 riders died in Wisconsin motorcycle collisions, according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association.

When people in Wisconsin talk about slip-and-fall accidents, osteoporosis is often part of the conversation. Though osteoporosis is not a cause of accidents or falls, it may make the effects of a fall worse if you have it, resulting in fractures and other serious injuries that may not have occurred in the absence of the condition. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, osteoporosis occurs when your body breaks down old bone without producing enough new bone to replace it. This causes your bones to become weak, brittle and more susceptible to fracture due to a fall or impact. There are many risk factors for osteoporosis, some of which are within your control. For example, you can help prevent osteoporosis with cessation or reduction of smoking and drinking alcohol, increased calcium intake and regular exercise. However, some risk factors for osteoporosis, such as your family history or your age, are beyond your ability to change or control. Certain medical conditions also increase your risk of developing osteoporosis, though treatment of the underlying condition may help improve your chances of avoiding it. 

I tragic demolition incident in Milwaukee illustrates the confluence of risk factors that make construction among the nation's most dangerous occupations.

FOX6 News reports the man was driving a forklift when it fell seven stories down an elevator shaft. The historic building is undergoing renovations for use as a storage facility, according to media reports.

Our workers' compensation attorneys in Hayward know statistically construction workers are most likely to be injured in both elevator and fall accidents. Last year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated 8 cases of employee elevator injury, six of them fatal.