Heightened Risk for Addiction after Construction Injuries

Construction work is dangerous in its own right. Issues of addiction make it even more dangerous. At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, our workers’ compensation lawyers in Seaford, Newark and Wilmington protect the rights of injured employees.

The drug addiction epidemic that began in the 1980s has continued to grow, morphing from cocaine and crack to PCP, and then to heroin. The newest incarnation is striking not only liminal, at-risk members of society, but also creeping into the lives of people who have suffered legitimate work-related injuries. Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in the past decade: in 2010, over 2.4 million Americans used controlled medications for nonmedical purposes.  Approximately 12% of construction workers are believed to use illegal substances, or misuse legal ones, monthly or more often. There are steps employers should take to stop the pipeline from workplace injury to addiction.

Construction injuries and substance abuse

Construction injuries tend to be more serious than those sustained by office workers, due to the nature of the work performed and the dangers involved. Until quite recently, and still prevalent in some areas of the country, is the belief that opiate-based pain medication is a low risk for instigating addictive behaviors. Thus, when you combine an abundance of grave injuries and a willingness to dispense potentially dangerous amounts of pain medication, many victims will end up with an addiction. Many medical professionals are conscientious enough to notice the signs of illicit usage, but others will continue to prescribe ever-increasing doses and strengths of opiates to patients claiming pain. Even if a careful doctor does stop the gravy train of pills, it is far too easy to find replacement pills on the streets, or even make the jump to heroin, also an opiate-based drug. One in five adults report misuse of prescription medication in their lifetime.

Workers’ compensation and addiction

A particularly concerning link has been posited between injured employees collecting workers’ compensation and those who develop opiate addictions, possibly due to the lack of productivity and low feelings of self worth after a workplace accident. Even originating accidents are frequently a result of substance abuse, according to the Department of Labor, representing up to 50% of workers’ compensation claims.  When substance abuse can be proven to be the cause of a workers’ compensation claim, some states can deny the claim outright, or limit the amount of compensation available.

Steps for prevention

There is no question that the cost of addiction after a workplace injury, to businesses and personal lives alike, is extreme. However, attentive employers can make some changes to reduce the risk to their employees, including:

• Drug free workplace policy
• Regular testing of all employees
• Sanctions for infractions
• Training on the dangers of mixing illicit substances and construction

For employers, the benefits can be more than increased safety. Various states offer discounts on workers’ compensation insurance to businesses that following these practices. Vehicular insurance companies often offer similar price reductions.

Our knowledgeable and empathetic Delaware workplace injury attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman are here to help you with your worker’s compensation claim. Contact us by calling 302-888-2900 or filling out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in Wilmington, Newark or Seaford today.