Is Amazon a safe place to work? If you’ve been injured on the job at Amazon, then you already know the answer. Amazon is not always a safe place to work. The company’s single-minded focus on speed at the expense of safety is well-known for causing workers harm. According to research done by one news organization, serious injuries at Amazon were more than double the national average for the warehousing industry. And the >National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) backs up the fact that Amazon is an unsafe workplace. Amazon has made the Council’s “Dirty Dozen” list for the past three years.

Amazon Is Among the Dirty Dozen When It Comes to Worker Safety

Every year, National COSH’s dirty dozen list spotlights companies that fail to keep their workers safe from on-the-job hazards. Amazon has been listed the last three years:

  • 2020 – The company got a “dishonorable mention.” The write-up said that there were “six fatalities, hundreds of injuries due to breakneck pace of next-day delivery and at least one dead from COVID-19.”
  • 2019 – The list stated that 13 people had died at Amazon facilities since 2013 and, in one single seven-month period, six workers lost their lives.
  • 2018 — The 2018 listing also mentioned worker deaths since 2013, which was seven at the time. This figure included three deaths in 2017 within a five-week period at three separate warehouses.

You can see that, based on these statistics alone, it doesn’t look like Amazon is a safe place to work. If you’ve been hurt at work there, it can be a good idea to get the advice of a knowledgeable workers’ comp law firm, especially if the company is claiming your injuries were not work related. Seeking assistance from an experienced workers compensation lawyer can provide valuable support in such situations.

Company Attempts to Cover up Safety Violations and Injuries

Unfortunately, the company also attempts to cover up its violations. It has received citations and fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for not reporting employee injuries. And a report from National COSH stated that investigations into Amazon have found that employees have been left without resources or income after work-related injuries.

So what can employees do who are hurt at work at Amazon?  First, you should be aware that you have rights, including the right to collect workers’ compensation insurance. Just about every company in Georgia must carry workers’ comp for employees. As long as you file in time and follow the appropriate reporting steps, you shouldn’t be denied coverage. (The exception is for injuries caused by a worker’s own willful misconduct.)

If Amazon tries to discourage you from filing a workers’ comp claim, denies your claim or cuts short benefits you are already getting, consider contacting a Georgia workers’ compensation lawyer. Workers’ comp laws can be complicated. A lawyer can help you file your claim, or appeal it if it is denied, to help you get coverage.

What Can I Get From Workers’ Comp at Amazon?

Workers comp’ was put in place to help injured workers. But employers and insurance companies may try to deny coverage because it saves them money. By law, eligible workers hurt on the job are entitled to receive:

  • Medical benefits for treatment for work-related injuries
  • Two-thirds of their average weekly wage after seven days of missed work
  • Retraining or tuition benefits if you can’t do your original job.

Families of workers killed on the job may also receive death benefits. These benefits include burial expenses and weekly wage payments.
Some Amazon workers have had difficulties getting their workers’ comp benefits after being injured at the company. Employees of Amazon who are hurt at work and denied benefits may wish to have their questions answered by an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.

What Happens If You Fall While Working at Amazon?

There are a variety of causes of injuries reported at Amazon. Falling from heights and slip-and-falls are frequent workplace injuries that may occur in an Amazon warehouse or other facility. What happens if you fall while working at Amazon? If you fall and are injured, there are steps to take to help ensure your workers’ comp won’t be denied. These steps include:

  • Getting medical attention. In an emergency, you can go where the ambulance takes you. If it is not an emergency, visit a doctor from the Amazon posted list as soon as possible following the accident.
  • Reporting your injury to your supervisor. While the law gives you 30 days to report an injury, it is best to do so right away. If you wait, the insurer might not believe you and may try to deny your claim.
  • Filing a workers’ compensation claim form. If Amazon does not provide you with the form, you can get it from the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
  • Filing an appeal if your initial claim is denied, with the help of a skilled workers’ comp attorney.

No matter whether your workplace injury was due to a fall or another accident, be sure to carefully follow the required reporting steps or your claim may be denied. People who become ill due to their jobs at Amazon are also able to receive workers’ comp benefits.

Our Attorneys Fight for Workers Who Have Had Accidents at Amazon

Workplace accidents at Amazon happen frequently. If you’ve experienced an injury accident there, or become ill due to your job, you may have a right to workers’ comp benefits. Getting them can be hard when Amazon’s insurer doesn’t want to pay. They might try to claim your injuries didn’t happen at work, or you caused them yourself through your own conduct. If you’ve already been collecting workers’ comp benefits, the insurance company might claim you are ready to return to work. They may try to say this in spite of your doctor’s saying you are not ready. There are many claims Amazon and their insurance company might make to keep you from getting paid the benefits you are due, including potential insurance claim lawsuits.

When your hard work has helped Amazon profit and you are hurt at work, it isn’t fair that you should have to worry about how you will feed your family. Call Mann Law Firm at (478) 742-3381 for a free consultation about your workers’ comp issue.

Attorney David Mann

Attorney David MannBefore leading his own firm, Mann served for several years as in-house defense counsel for a large insurance company, which gives him unique insight into how insurance companies work. He uses this critical knowledge as an advantage for his clients. He is a tough negotiator and litigator, and he is exceptionally strategic in building cases on behalf of personal injury victims.[ Attorney Bio ]

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