Are Teen Workers Injured on the Job More Than Adults?

Teens are new to the workforce, and their inexperience can make them more prone to on-the-job accidents and injuries. Fortunately, most teenage workers are covered by workers’ compensation. This insurance can provide much-needed benefits for medical treatment and lost wages.

If your teen was hurt, a workers’ compensation attorney with Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys can tell you more about your rights and help you pursue a claim. We have over 30 years of experience fighting for seriously injured people in Missouri and Kansas.

Why are teens more at risk for workplace injuries?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teenagers have a high rate of job-related injuries compared to adult workers.

Teen work injuries often result from a combination of job-related hazards and a lack of experience or training. Additionally, teenage employees may be less likely than adults to ask questions, advocate for themselves, or recognize and report unsafe work practices.

Most common teen work injuries

Food service and retail positions are common entry-level jobs for teens, but you can find young workers in almost every industry, from construction to agriculture to healthcare.

The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that contact incidents are a leading cause of nonfatal work injuries involving days away from work. The age group most at risk for them is 16 to 19. Contact incidents include struck-by accidents involving objects, equipment, and vehicles.

Other common workplace accidents include:

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Falls from heights
• Electrocutions
• Burns
• Exposure to harmful substances
• Transportation accidents

Teenage employees can seek workers’ compensation

Workers’ compensation insurance is not limited to adult employees. If teenagers work for an employer who has coverage, they have the right to access benefits if they sustain an on-the-job injury.

Our workers’ compensation attorneys can help your teen seek:

Medical benefits

Workers’ compensation should cover all reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to your teen’s injury. Medical coverage typically includes emergency treatment, medical procedures, hospitalizations, and medical equipment. It also covers longer-term care needs, such as nursing services or physical therapy.

Wage replacement benefits

Temporary disability benefits generally replace a percentage of the employee’s average weekly wage, subject to state-specific formulas and caps. These benefits have statutory caps and limits for how long they last.

If your teen’s injury resulted in the complete loss of a body part or bodily function, they may qualify for permanent partial disability benefits. If their injury prevents them from performing any type of work, now or in the future, they may qualify for permanent total disability benefits.

You should consult with our lawyers if a severe or catastrophic injury affects your teen’s ability to work long-term. Obtaining permanent disability benefits can be challenging, but your child deserves resources to protect their future. We can help you build a solid claim.

When to file a claim

Your teen should report their workplace injury to their employer immediately. Deadlines vary by state, and failing to provide timely notice could result in a denial of benefits.

Challenges teenage claimants may face

In Missouri, any employer with five or more employees and construction industry employers with one or more employees are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance, even to part-time workers. Farm laborers, domestic servants, and some real-estate agents, direct sellers, and commercial motor-carrier owner-operators are exempt. So are most independent contractors.

In Kansas, employers must provide workers’ compensation unless their gross annual payroll is $20,000 or less. Certain agricultural workers and independent contractors are exempt in this state, as well.

In Missouri and Kansas, agriculture is an industry that often employs teen laborers. Teens may also do domestic labor, such as nannying or house cleaning. If your teen works in these positions, they may not have workers’ compensation. And sometimes, employers intentionally misclassify teenagers and others as independent contractors to avoid providing coverage.

Additionally, the insurance company may deny your teenager’s claim if it does not believe they were hurt at work or does not believe the injury is severe enough to warrant medical treatment or time off. It may also deny your claim if it believes your teen engaged in an act, such as drinking on the job, that would disqualify them from receiving benefits.

If your teen’s employer does not provide them coverage, and you believe they should, our workers’ compensation lawyers can review your case and discuss your legal options. We also appeal denied claims.

Do you have a third-party personal injury case?

In most cases, you cannot sue your employer if they have workers’ compensation insurance. But you may be able to sue a non-covered employer or a liable third-party.

A personal injury case may allow you to seek damages not paid by workers’ compensation, such as pain and suffering. However, unlike workers’ comp, which is no-fault, personal injury claims are fault-based. To recover your losses, you must prove that another party’s negligent actions caused your teen’s injury.

There are time limits for taking legal action, called statutes of limitations. In Missouri, you have five years to file most personal injury lawsuits under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120. In Kansas, you have two years under Kan. Stat. § 60-513.

How can a lawyer help with your claim?

Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys is dedicated to helping people seek justice. Our workers’ compensation lawyers can prepare a case on behalf of your teen and fight to secure maximum benefits. We are prepared to take legal action when necessary, whether through personal injury lawsuits against liable third parties or workers’ compensation proceedings to challenge denied, delayed, or underpaid benefits.

Our legal team can:

• Prove your teen’s injury is work-related
• Work to make sure covered medical expenses are properly submitted and pursued
• Establish their right to disability benefits if they cannot work due to injury
• Appeal denied claims

We can gather evidence to support your case, including eyewitness testimony, medical records, and workplace incident reports. Throughout the process, we can be your voice, ensuring the insurance company treats you fairly and offers the compensation your teen deserves.

Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys today

Teen workers injured on the job have rights. And like adult workers, they may be entitled to benefits through workers’ compensation.

If your teenager suffered an on-the-job injury, our workers’ compensation attorney can guide you through every stage of your claim. We have offices conveniently located throughout Missouri and Kansas. Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys today to learn more during a free consultation.