Hero isn’t too strong a word to use when describing firefighters. These dedicated public servants risk their lives daily to help protect your lands and our property from damage and it is a dangerous job to say the least. Those that put their lives on the line are facing more and more dangers as the weather cools down a bit this fall and the risk of wildfires begins to increase.
The dangers that wildfires present often lead to injuries for firefighters and once the fires are put out they can face lengthy recovery times and time away from work. The state Supreme Court has ruled that as long as a firefighter works an average of 20 hours per week she/he may be eligible to file a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim for injuries suffered while performing the duties of the job.
The fall is a time of year when wildfires become more and more likely as the air is much drier than it is in the summer and temperatures can still elevate leaving many areas at risk of either accidentally catching fire or naturally catching fire due to a lightning strike. It doesn’t matter how a fire is started because firefighters are our first line of defense against them spreading and causing significant damage which means they will undoubtedly be put in a position where they may experience an injury while working to fight the fire. Here are some injuries that may occur when a firefighter is on the job.
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Burns are one of the most significant risks that a firefighter faces in the line of duty. Of course there are quite a few pieces of protective equipment that keep a firefighter from getting burned while fighting a fire, but this equipment does not completely eliminate the risk of being burned. If a firefighter is busy fighting a blaze, she/he can become quite badly burned as they are in the deepest heat of the fire to try to put it out. If a burn were to occur it could be serious enough to cause an injury that could keep her/him out of work for multiple days, weeks, or months.
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Falls. In an ideal world a firefighter is standing with two solid feet on the ground on a surface that she/he can see and traverse with no danger, but fighting fires does not always happen in an ideal world, in fact, it is often one of the most unpredictable terrains you can experience. Depending on the situation there could be uneven surfaces, treacherous flooring that could give out at a moment's notice or even slippery surfaces that are covered with water while combating the flames. Whatever the surface is, there is always a danger that the firefighter may lose her/his footing and fall, leaving them to face an injury that could keep them out of work.
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There are many jobs that can put you in harm’s way of being exposed to chemicals or other hazardous materials and being a firefighter is one of those jobs. The unpredictability of a fire can lead to being in circumstances that you may not even know exist and your exposure to chemicals or hazardous materials can be a surprise to you until it is too late. In this case as well, the protective equipment can be of help, but it is not always fool proof and exposure can happen. If it does, it can lead to serious injury and in some severe cases death. If a firefighter is exposed it could lead to many days, weeks or months away from the job.
While firefighters are often held up as heroes, they are not immune from danger, illness or injury, therefore they need the protections that a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim provides to them. When a job presents you with so many chances to become injured it is important to know that you have rights too and should be fairly compensated in the event that you are injured and have to miss time at work, whether your work is a fire station or an office building. The first step in filing a claim is to report your injury to your supervisor as soon as it happens.
There may come a point in the process where you will need to speak with a board certified workers’ compensation attorney and if that is the case, contact our office. One of our attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
