Authorities currently spearheading the investigation from New York State Police have issued a prepared statement to the public that has definitively identified the individual they suspect was injured in an industrial accident in Barker, New York at the AES Somerset LLC plant on Monday, March 25th, 2013. Police and accident investigators currently suspect Douglas Ripson sustained injury when he was struck in the head by a metal pipe and fell from an unknown height.
Scene of the Accident
According to the report, Douglas Ripson sustained unspecified injuries and was transported to nearby St. Mary’s Hospital where an update on his condition was not made immediately available by hospital staff. It is not immediately clear if officials from the occupational safety and health administration will be investigating the accident. Authorities expect to release more information regarding Ripson’s accident as their evaluation progresses.
Commentary
On-the-job injuries are a common occurrence nationwide, especially in industries where heavy machinery and equipment is commonplace. Most states use a workers’ compensation approach to workplace injuries. The problems with this approach are twofold. On one end, any workers compensation claim is an administrative one. Workers’ compensation is essentially an insurance claim that prevents the worker from filing a lawsuit against their employer. The second problem with a workers’ comp claim is that the injured worker will more than likely be treated by a company doctor or doctor recommended by the company. These physicians have a vested interest in maintaining their relationship with the company, and will sometimes make light of injuries that could be more serious. Although the injuries in this particular accident do not appear to be serious, my office has handled many cases, particularly with head injuries, where the symptoms do not become apparent for a long while after the incident. Months or weeks can pass before the extent of the damage is fully understood. If the injured employee has already seen a doctor, then the employer will likely not acknowlege any further or more serious injuries, because in their eyes, the claim has already been handled.
This is the primary reason I suggest seeking out an independent doctor for a proper evaluation and diagnosis as soon as possible. This provides the claim with a degree of credibility and independent analyses that would otherwise be discouraged. This practice protects the injured party in order to ensure both their medical expenses for any future conditions and any lost income are adequately covered as they should be. People were injured attempting to aid their employer in profiting, and these individuals should be treated as such, not cheated by a system that is often quite harmful to those hurt on-the-job.
