Restaurant Worker Injured on the Job? What to Know About Workers’ Compensation in Southwest Florida
Brian O Sutter
Workers’ Compensation
Restaurant jobs might look safe to the diners out front, but behind the kitchen doors lies a high-risk work environment. Every day, cooks dodge splattering oil, servers hustle over slippery floors, and dishwashers handle scalding water and sharp utensils. As a restaurant workers’ compensation attorney in Port Charlotte.I’ve seen first-hand how a simple slip or a moment’s distraction can lead to serious workplace injuries in restaurants. These accidents are far more common than many realize – in 2019 alone, full-service restaurant workers in the U.S. suffered 93,800 nonfatal injuries and illnesses, with about one-third severe enough to require days off work.
In Florida’s vibrant restaurant scene, from Port Charlotte’s family diners to Fort Myers’ fast paces bistros, these injury numbers hit close to home. At All Injuries Law Firm, where we’ve spent more than 35 years fighting for injured workers, we understand the unique hazards restaurant employees face. Our managing partner, Brian O. Sutter, has dedicated his career to helping Florida’s injured – he’s been Board Certified in Florida workers’ compensation law since 1990.
I’ll draw on that experience to walk you through the common injuries in the restaurant industry, explain how Florida’s workers’ comp system protects injured staff, and show why having an experienced advocate can make all the difference. Whether you’re a chef in Port Charlotte or a server in Fort Myers, consider this your insider’s guide to restaurant workers’ compensation – and know that our team is ready to help you get back on your feet.
We’ve Helped Injured Restaurant Workers Just Like You—Here Are the Most Common On-the-Job Injuries
A restaurant kitchen is fraught with potential hazards – in fact, the risk of injury for food service workers is higher than in many other industries. From my perspective as a workers’ comp attorney, some accidents show up over and over in cases we handle. Here are the most common restaurant workplace injuries our Port Charlotte and Fort Myers clients face:
Slips, Trips, and Falls: Spilled drinks, greasy floors near fryers, or even a recently mopped tile can turn a restaurant floor into a danger zone. A rushing server or busser can easily lose footing. These slip-and-fall accidents often result in sprained wrists (from trying to break the fall), back injuries, fractured arms or hips, or even concussions if the worker hits their head. Slip-and-fall injuries are a leading cause of lost workdays for restaurant employees – a testament to how debilitating they can be. Nationally, slips, trips, and falls are one of the top workplace accident causes; they accounted for about 18% of all nonfatal work injuries requiring days off. In a busy kitchen or dining area, a single slick spot can put a devoted employee out of work for weeks.
Burns and Scalds: Burn injuries are an ever-present threat for kitchen staff. Line cooks and chefs work over open flames and sizzling grills; fry cooks deal with vats of boiling oil; baristas and dishwashers handle steaming water. It’s no surprise that burns are among the most common injuries restaurant workers suffer. We’ve helped a Fort Myers prep cook who sustained second-degree burns from a grease splash, and a Port Charlotte barista with scald burns from an espresso machine. Hot surfaces, splattering oil, ovens, and even heat lamps can cause burns ranging from mild first-degree burns to severe third-degree injuries. Beyond the immediate pain, burns can lead to infections, scarring, and nerve damage. Workers’ comp claims for burns often cover extensive medical treatment such as emergency care, skin grafts, and ongoing wound therapy.
Cuts, Lacerations, and Punctures: In restaurant kitchens, sharp objects are everywhere – knives, slicers, peelers, broken glassware, even sharp edges on opened cans. Fast-paced food prep and handling can unfortunately lead to deep cuts or puncture wounds. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “cuts, lacerations, and punctures” were the single leading type of restaurant workplace injury in a recent study (17.6% of injuries).
Even experienced chefs are not immune from an accidental slip of the knife during a hectic dinner rush. These injuries range from minor finger cuts to severe gashes that might require stitches or surgery (for example, if a tendon in the hand is severed). Open wounds also pose infection risk. We often see knife injuries among chefs and prep cooks, and broken glass cuts affecting bartenders or servers clearing tables. In workers’ comp cases involving lacerations, coverage kicks in for emergency treatment, sutures, antibiotics, and any follow-up care like physical therapy if the injury affects mobility in a hand or limb.
Strains and Sprains (Musculoskeletal Injuries): Restaurant jobs are physically demanding. Servers hoist heavy trays loaded with dishes, kitchen porters lug 50-pound sacks of ingredients or bus tubs, and everyone from cooks to managers might climb ladders or stoop to reach supplies. All this lifting, carrying, and bending often results in sprained ankles, strained backs, and other musculoskeletal injuries. A slip without a fall can still twist a knee or ankle badly. Lifting a keg or a stack of chairs can wrench someone’s back. These injuries might not be as visible as a cut or burn, but they can be just as painful and debilitating. Back injuries are especially common, sometimes involving herniated disks or torn muscles that put the worker on the sideline for extended periods. Even a fall from a short ladder or slipping on stairs with a heavy tray can cause a serious back or neck injury. Workers’ comp claims for strains often cover orthopedic consultations, MRIs, physical therapy, and partial wage replacement while the employee can’t perform heavy duties.
Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs): Not all restaurant injuries happen in a single dramatic accident. Many develop over time from the repetitive motions that restaurant work involves. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a prime example – a line cook who chops vegetables for hours a day or a pastry chef who ices dozens of cakes can develop wrist and hand pain from nerve compression. Tendonitis in the elbows or shoulders can plague longtime dishwashers or waitstaff who carry large trays habitually. These are known as ergonomic injuries or cumulative trauma injuries and they lead to chronic pain, numbness, and weakness in the affected joints. In Florida, these kinds of injuries are covered by workers’ compensation, though sometimes a worker needs to show that the condition is work-related and not just “wear and tear.” Our firm has handled claims for chefs with severe carpal tunnel requiring surgery, and servers with shoulder injuries from years of lifting trays. Repetitive strain injuries in restaurants might not make headlines, but they can quietly end a career if not addressed. Florida’s workers’ comp provides medical treatment and therapy for RSIs – and possibly compensation if a worker is left with a permanent impairment from a long-term repetitive injury.
Other injuries also occur in restaurant settings: bruises and contusions from bumping into equipment, eye injuries (like grease splatter in the eye or cleaning chemicals causing irritation), even the occasional knee or foot injury from slipping off a ladder. In rare cases, we’ve seen traumatic injuries like a broken arm or a head injury if a worker falls hard or something heavy falls on them.
Unfortunately, even workplace violence, and lack of security can play a role – for instance, if a robbery or altercation results in an injury to staff.
The fast-paced, crowded, and often stressful environment of food service means accidents can happen in a flash despite the best safety training. What’s important for every restaurant employee in Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, or anywhere in Southwest Florida to know is this: If you get hurt doing your job, workers’ compensation insurance is there to protect you. Let’s explore what that protection means and how you can make sure you receive the benefits you’re entitled to.
Injured Working in a Restaurant? Don’t Risk Losing the Compensation You Deserve
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