Amazon Workers Getting Injured in Georgia

If you Google “Amazon Workers Getting Injured in Georgia,” you may be surprised by the number of hits. Unfortunately for Amazon and its employees, the results are not flattering. For example, just last month, Atlanta Civic Circle, published an article, Workers at Amazon’s Stone Mountain warehouse protesting conditions. In the article, an employee said that workers are protesting unsafe working conditions such as heat exhaustion, threats of bodily harm from coworkers, and unsafe equipment.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Let’s not just take the word of a few local employees. According to a CNBC report in April 2022:

• Amazon workers suffered serious injuries at twice the rate of rival companies in 2021.
• There were 6.8 serious injuries for every 100 Amazon warehouse workers, compared with 3.3 serious injuries per 100 workers at all other employers in the warehouse industry.

While Jeff Bezos has pledged to make Amazon “Earth’s Best Employer and Earth’s Safest Place to Work,” these statistics show the company has a long way to go.

Further, The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health included Amazon on its 2022 The Dirty Dozen list. The Dirty Dozen list highlights companies that put workers and communities at risk due to unsafe practices.

What Does it Mean for Injured Amazon Workers?

In recent years, Amazon has become a huge employer in Georgia with thousands of employees. With facilities across the state, most employees work in Amazon’s 8 large fulfillment centers located in Atlanta, Braselton, East Point, Jefferson, Lithia Springs, Macon, Stone Mountain, and Union City.

With the eye-opening statistics for workers being injured at Amazon’s facilities, the odds are fairly high that you will get injured if you work there. If this unfortunately happens, what should you do?

The first thing is to have a basic understanding of the law. When a person is injured at work, it falls under the category of workers’ compensation law. Businesses like Amazon must carry workers’ compensation insurance to pay any claims to injured workers. It does not matter who is at fault for the accident or injury. Sounds like all is covered if you get hurt while working at Amazon, doesn’t it?

Not So Fast

If you ever had to deal with an insurance company, you know the potential headaches. Because workplace injuries can be severe and expensive, workers’ compensation insurance companies may not be so willing to pay claims in a timely fashion, which may necessitate the assistance of a work injury lawyer. Accordingly, they may deny or delay payment of your claims, including denying access to necessary medical treatment.

Adding to the complexity, there are limits to what is covered under workers’ compensation. Many harms and losses are not included in what workers’ compensation covers. If you are seriously, permanently, or catastrophically injured at an Amazon facility, you will not be made whole through workers’ compensation, even assuming Amazon and its insurer do everything they are required to do under the law.

Get the Help That You Deserve

A good personal injury lawyer in Atlanta can identify other parties (in addition to Amazon) potentially responsible for the accident that would allow for a complete recovery. Dealing with an injury is hard enough for you or a loved one. Fighting with Amazon or an insurance company to get your life back to as normal as possible should not add to the stress. So, if you or a family member suffers a life-changing injury at work, please contact The Baer Law Firm or call us at 404.THE.BAER (404.843.2237). We will explain the law and work to help you fully recover from what happened.