It is that time of year again, time for festivals and fairs to be all around us. The state is abuzz with excitement of kids anxious to get cotton candy and ride on all the rides, but let’s not forget the people who actually make these festivals run. Without the ride operators, game purveyors and food workers, festivals wouldn’t be the same. It is with that in mind that we look at the possibility that these festival workers may find themselves in a situation where they are needing to file a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim.
When you are having fun on rides and playing games at festivals it may not be something you’re thinking about, nor would you. However, this is a very real thing that happens to those who are operating these festivals for all of our enjoyment. If you are a worker at one of these festivals you may be in a situation where you get injured while in the process of doing your job. Some examples of these types of injuries may include;
-
Getting an extremity caught in the mechanics of a ride. When operating a ride, it is possible to make a mistake that gets your hand or foot caught in gears or other mechanical elements of the ride. This can cause serious lacerations or worse lead to an amputation of a foot, hand, or other extremity. It is also possible that a piece of your clothing can get caught in these gears and cause serious injury.
-
Slip, trip, or fall. A festival is filled with the possibility that you will fall from a slip or trip. There are wires stretched across the grounds of the festival, along with stakes and straps to hold down booths that could lead to you getting tripped up and could lead to a very bad fall and cause an injury.
-
Crowds. Spending time at a festival often means spending time among large groups of people. This will not, in and of itself, be a cause for injury, but spending time in a large crowd can make it challenging to safely navigate throughout the grounds of the festival. As a worker, you will be spending a lot of time in crowds that could lead to issues like muscle strains, ankle sprains, or other unexpected injuries.
Workplace injuries can occur among any group of workers no matter how “enjoyable” their workplace may be for others. If you are on the job and an injury occurs you may need to file a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim. As you go throughout the summer, if you’re working at festivals throughout the state you may run into an injury and have reason to lose time from work.
However an injury occurs, if you’re at work, you may need to seek the expert advice of a board certified workers’ compensation attorney. If you are in need of this advice, contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will reach out to review your claim and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
