Legal rights of Amazon workers injured by warehouse equipment

Amazon warehouse workers must perform challenging job functions. They are subject to strict standards regarding productivity and are at risk of disciplinary action or job loss if they slow down too much.

They must also work in close proximity to dangerous machinery. The combination of demanding tasks, long shifts and heavy machinery can easily result in worker injuries. In fact, federal safety experts believe that injury rates at Amazon facilities, in particular, are vastly underreported due to company policies and workers hoping to protect their positions within the company.

Workers injured in an Amazon warehouse generally need to learn about their rights in order to get the care they need and continue working to support themselves and their families.

What causes Amazon warehouse worker injuries?

Many injuries in Amazon warehouse settings involve accidental contact with equipment. Forklifts moving rapidly through the warehouse pose a constant struck-by hazard for nearby workers. Additionally, workers may make unintentional contact with conveyor belts, which can cause an assortment of different injuries.

Sections of many Amazon warehouses have automated robotic systems transporting goods or stocking shelves. Those robots can also create an injury risk for nearby warehouse professionals.

What rights do injured Amazon warehouse workers have?

The same basic workplace safety rules apply to Amazon facilities as to other warehouses and industrial workplaces. Mandatory participation in the workers’ compensation program helps ensure that injured workers have access to disability and medical benefits.

Those hurt on the job, as well as those who develop repetitive strain disorders due to high-pressure job responsibilities, may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. In most cases, they do not have the option of suing their employers specifically because workers’ compensation technically indemnifies the employer from liability.

That being said, workers concerned about challenges meeting productivity requirements and requiring leave because of their injuries may feel worried about retaliation that could culminate in a demotion or a job loss. Anyone injured on the job and hoping to pursue workers’ compensation benefits may have the option of retaining an attorney.

Proper legal guidance can make a major difference for those worried about making use of their rights and preserving their jobs without compromising their health. Discussing an on-the-job injury with a workers’ compensation attorney can be a smart move for professionals injured in a busy Amazon warehouse.

The attorneys at Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca represent Amazon warehouse employees who have been injured on the job in Illinois. Call 312-724-5846 or send us an email to request a free consultation.