Cambridge Workers' Compensation

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, there are more than 118,669 workers including self-employed entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, employees and other categories of workers. The majority of people working in Cambridge are employed in Professional and Technical Services. Educational services; health care and social assistance; accommodation and food services; and the retail trade are also top industries, according to the City of Cambridge.

Although professional and business services may seem like a safe field, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 408 workers in this sector were killed on-the-job in 2013. Workers lost their lives due to workplace violence; transportation accidents; slips and falls; fires and explosions, exposure to toxic substances; or contact with objects. Workers in any industry could be at risk of injury or death from these and other causes of workplace accidents. When an incident occurs, a Cambridge workers’ compensation lawyer should be consulted to help victims or their family members to obtain benefits. 

Cambridge is directly north of Boston and is located along the Charles River. The city is home to both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, which are two of the most prominent colleges in the United States. Cambridge is the fifth most populated city in Massachusetts and is bordered by Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, and Watertown. Because its commercial districts are set up in squares that act as neighborhood centers, Cambridge is referred to as the “City of Squares.”

The economy in Cambridge used to be dominated by manufacturing before shifting to technology. While some tech firms still operate in Cambridge, today most of the workers in the city are employed at educational institutions as well as many nonprofit groups and think-tanks that are attracted by the proximity of top universities.

With so many academic institutions, there are many new graduates who enter the workforce in the Boston area. These new workers lack training and on-the-job experience and, as a result, are at greater risk of getting hurt on-the-job. The Institute for Work & Health reports that a “higher injury rate among new workers is a persistent problem,” and indicates that the danger is greatest the first month that a new employee enters the workforce.

Employers need to provide proper training to new and seasoned workers and need to ensure they follow all workplace safety regulations. Many employers in Cambridge have failed to fulfill these obligations. In recent years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited employers in or near the Cambridge area for workplace safety violations including:

• Failure to monitor oxygen levels and failure to provide adequate training and safety equipment for workers in confined spaces.
• Exposing employees to cave-in hazards due to inadequate trenching equipment.
• Improper storage of chemical equipment

Regardless of the actions an employer takes or whether OSHA regulations are followed, employers are responsible for preventing workplace injuries and workers hurt doing work tasks can make a claim to receive benefits.

Those injured on the job should notify their employer in order to initiate a workers’ comp claim for benefits. Workers may also complete Employee Claim - Form 110 and submit the form to the Department of Industrial Accidents.

When an injury occurs as a direct result of work tasks, the employee or surviving family members should be entitled to coverage of medical bills as well as disability or death benefits. A dedicated legal team can provide assistance in making a claim, appealing a denial or resolving workers’ comp benefits disputes.

Schedule your free consultation with a Cambridge workers’ compensation lawyer at the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers. Call (617) 777-7777 or contact us online.