With autumn approaching, weather in Vermont is about to change drastically. Already, overnight temperatures are falling into the 40s, and in a matter of weeks we could see our first frost. With cold weather comes the risk of extreme cold workplace injuries. Call Larson & Gallivan Law if you were injured by frostbite or another serious injury. OurVermont workers’ compensation lawyers can meet to go over what happened and your prognosis, as well as whether you qualify for benefits.
Types of Extreme Cold Injuries
Temperatures in Vermont rarely rise above freezing in January and February, and anyone who works outside is at risk of serious injury. Here are the most common cold-related injuries and ways to protect yourself.
Frostbite
Your skin can literally freeze in the cold, especially extremities like the fingers, nose, ears, and toes, which are the last to receive blood. Symptoms include tingling, numbness, or pain, as well as skin discoloration. A person might also develop swelling or blisters.
To protect against frostbite, workers should wear hats, gloves, and maybe face masks. They should also regularly warm their bodies. Your employer might provide a warming station or tent.
Once frostbite takes hold, a worker should rewarm the affected area and take pain medication to deal with discomfort. Frostbite can lead to infection, so a worker must pay attention to the main signs and seek out additional medical care. In extreme cases, frostbite can lead to surgery or even amputation.
Hypothermia
A worker can sufferhypothermia when their core temperature drops under 95 degrees. At that point, your vital organs are at risk of failure.
A worker might not know when they are suffering the early signs of hypothermia. However, shivering and confusion are common early signs. Hypothermia is difficult to treat, so preventing any loss of body temperature is key.
To treat hypothermia, a worker needs to rewarm their body by getting to a heat source and consuming warm liquids. Take off wet clothes and cover with a blanket, if necessary. Rewarming should not be too rapid, and workers should call emergency services for help.
Avoiding hypothermia involves the same strategies as avoiding frostbite. Workers might need thermal underwear and wear multiple layers.
Chilblains
Chilblains are swollen red patches on the skin caused by exposure to cold and dampness. Although they are not as dangerous as frostbite, a worker should still try to avoid getting their skin wet. Chilblains can be incredibly painful, making work impossible depending on where they appear.
Aggravation of Pre-Existing Injury
Extreme cold puts stress on the body. Someone with a pre-existing injury or medical condition could have it aggravated by the cold.
Respiratory problems are a common example. Trying to breathe in extremely cold air can make a breathing or lung problem worse. You might find you cannot work, given the cold temperatures. This type of injury is eligible for workers’ comp if the cold aggravates (makes worse) your pre-existing injury.
Industries At Risk
Industries where workers spend long hours outside are at risk of extreme cold injuries. However, even a short exposure could result in frostbite or another injury, depending on the amount of protection and the temperatures.
The industries where we see cold-related injuries include:
- Construction workers. Working directly in the elements, construction workers can suffer extreme cold injuries. They often remove gloves to adjust materials or do detailed work, leading to frostbite.
- Delivery drivers. Even if the delivery van is heated, delivery drivers go in and out of the van repeatedly, exposing them to the cold.
- Agricultural workers. Dairy workers and others might continue to work in the winter, where they can suffer hypothermia and other injuries.
- Utility workers/line workers. Working on a utility line exposes a worker to high winds and freezing temps. They can easily suffer a cold-related injury after hours in the bucket working on a power line.
- Emergency responders. An emergency responder might get wet rescuing someone from a river, which increases their chances of getting hypothermia.
- Teachers. Many teachers are forced outside to watch children during recess, which might be enough time to suffer frostbite or another injury.
Any worker is at risk if their community experiences a power outage in the winter, and their workplace does not have heat. An employer might need to send everyone home if the temperature falls too much.
Do You Have a Valid Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Injured workers face many challenges, including how to survive when they are too injured to work. The good news is Vermont’s workers’ comp system has streamlined the process for obtaining benefits. Workers’ comp in Vermont is no-fault, and you should qualify for benefits if you were hurt while performing your job duties.
Workers do not need to prove fault to receive benefits. For example, it does not matter if your employer gave you the right protective equipment or not.
Benefits include:
- Medical treatment for the injury. Serious cold injuries could send you to the hospital.
- Wage replacement. Frostbite and other injuries can keep you out of work for weeks or months. You should receive a replacement of some of your lost wages.
- Permanent disability benefits. Some workers are still disabled after reaching maximum medical improvement. For example, if you had fingers amputated due to frostbite, then you could receive permanent partial disability benefits.
- Vocational rehabilitation. Vocational benefits help a worker train for a new job or industry if they are too restricted to return to an old job.
- Death benefit. When a loved one dies in an extreme cold accident, then surviving family members might receive a death benefit.
Contact Larson & Gallivan Law to Speak with a Lawyer
Our Vermont worker’s compensation attorney can review your case. Many workers are denied benefits because they file too late or have insufficient medical documentation. There might also be questions about whether you were really hurt by cold weather. Those who work inside are often unfamiliar with how cold weather can stress the body and aggravate injuries.
Call our office to schedule a free consultation with a Vermont workers’ compensation lawyer.
