Restaurant workers often suffer work-related injuries for a variety of reasons. Many service establishments are understaffed The work hours are irregular causing many workers to be tired. There’s constant commotion between the dining center and the kitchen. The quarters are typically quite tight. For many cooks and servers, getting hurt is almost a prerequisite for the job. Minor injuries can often become major injuries. Some injuries can be permanent and prevent the worker from ever working again.
It doesn’t matter if a worker works full-time or part-time as long as they are an employee. My office represents chefs, cooks, servers, bussers, dishwashers, hostesses and maitre’ d’s, delivery drivers, and anyone who works in any type of restaurant.
Common restaurant- related injuries
Restaurant workers can suffer the following types of injuries:
- Lifting injuries. Workers often have to lift large bags or items because food is often delivered to the restaurant in large quantities. Any worker who is hurt lifting, carrying, or pushing these large containers has the right to bring a North Carolina work injury claim based on the theory that the injury was due to a work-related accident.
- Burn injuries. Any contact with a stove, oil, hot grease, scalding hot coffee, or any hot item can cause first, second, or third-degree burns which can require multiple skin grafts. Burns often cause disfigurement.
- Back and neck injuries. It’s easy to wrench your back or twist your neck while preparing and serving food or lifting heavy pots, pans, or other food items. Most restaurant workers are on their feet all day long except for breaks. Back and neck injuries can cause chronic pain. Sometimes, injections can help. Often, workers have to take time off to manage the pain.
- Cuts and lacerations. Anyone using a knife or chopping items to prepare feet, cut meat, trim, slice vegetables, or otherwise cut and dice food can suffer a cut or laceration. Cuts can lead to infections. If not treated properly and timely, an infection can require that an arm or hand be amputated.
Common causes of restaurant injuries
While there are many ways restaurant accidents can occur, these are some of the more typical causes and injuries.
- Slips and falls. Floors at restaurants always need constant mopping because beverages or food falls to the floor and of course, grease. Servers often bang into other service workers or slip on greasy floors that are overdue to be mopped.
- Mopping, snow, and ice removal. Floors must be continually cleaned of debris. The outside parking lots and entrances have to be shoveled and cleared so customers don’t slip and fall. This type of clean-up can cause back injuries or a slip and fall.
- Criminal attacks. Because restaurant workers, especially cashiers, work with money, these workers can be the target of criminal attacks and muggings. Any violent crime which occurs while working is compensable in North Carolina, so long as it is not the result of a personal argument or situation.
- Upset customers. Sometimes, a customer does worse than fail to leave a tip. An angry customer strikes a worker, that worker is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if the strike causes injuries and is related to the work performed.
- Explosions and product defects. Heaters, boilers, dishwashers, and other appliances that don’t work can cause explosions, electrical burns, and other serious injuries.
Chemicals used in the restaurant profession can also cause injuries. Loud noises can cause hearing loss or damage.
Repetitive stress injuries
Servers, food preparers, and busboys are constantly lifting and carrying plates and dishes filled to the brim with food. The constant movements can cause lifting injuries and repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The argument that experienced North Carolina workers compensation lawyers use in repetitive stress injuries is that the repetition is covered as an occupational disease.
To be sure, these types of injuries are much more difficult to prove than a traumatic injury. That being said, North Carolina work injury lawyers can often successfully argue that a catch-all provision of the state’s workers compensation law applies. That provision holds that a worker can obtain benefits if he/she can show:
- That the work environment exposed the employee to a greater risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome than for members of the general public and
- That the work environment was a leading reason for the carpal tunnel syndrome.
These two conditions generally apply in restaurant work. Members of the general public may clean their dishes three times a day. They don’t carry plates filled with seven servings and they don’t carry and clear items hundreds of times a day. Doctors can usually verify that the repetitive stress injury was due to the restaurant work.
Injuries outside the restaurant.
Restaurants often employ delivery staff to transport meals to offices, homes, and venues where parties or celebrations are being held. Delivery personnel who get into a vehicle accident while traveling to these locations can suffer a full range of injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injury, and spinal damage. Drivers can also be killed. Any restaurant delivery worker who is hurt while making a delivery would be entitled to North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits.
Make the call to an experienced North Carolina restaurant injury lawyer today
If you are suffering minor aches or a major injury due to work at a fast-food restaurant, local diner, hotel restaurant, five-star attraction, or any type of food service establishment; you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Benefits include 2/3rds of your average weekly wage loss and payment for your medical bills. If you are permanently injured, you may be entitled to additional benefits.
North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer Joe Miller Esq. has been fighting for the rights of injured workers for over 25 years. You may have a strong recovery coming your way. Please phone attorney Miller at (888) 694-1671 to schedule an appointment with a respected work injury lawyers.
